• IPI Autumn Conference focusing on Housing Delivery and Best Practice

7^th October 2022: The Irish Planning Institute (IPI), the largest professional membership organisation for spatial planners in Ireland, has today (7^th October) highlighted the need for a responsive planning system to restore both community level, national and international confidence.

Addressing delegates and the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD, at the Institute’s Annual Autumn Conference in the Grand Hotel, Malahide, Co. Dublin, IPI President Mary Mac Mahon said:

“Consultation has been a cornerstone of both forward planning and development management since the 1963 Act and as we move forward, consultation and engagement will be fundamental to the overhaul of the planning system. Inclusive, innovative and early consultation throughout the process, beginning from the very outset when looking at potential issues to be addressed development plans, will make the engagement much more meaningful and productive. Our members want to be partners in this process. Where difficulties arise, the planning system should be flexible and speedy enough to make corrections where needed. A responsive planning system that can adapt to change will restore both domestic and international confidence. We plan for the long term, but when we see improvements can be made, we should not be fearful to make them.”

In relation to housing delivery, the theme of our conference, we know that the public has little affection for tall apartment blocks. The new guidelines being prepared by the Department on Sustainable Placemaking will offer an opportunity to revisit how attractive, compact housing was provided in the past – areas such as Irishtown, Stoneybatter where densities of 75/85 units to the hectare were achieved. This housing typology will not work for all household types, but it can work for the smaller households – the direction of travel for households in the future. It can work as part of a package of larger town houses and duplexes. Robswall in Malahide and Adamstown in South Dublin are good examples of modern compact development, with limited height.”

In the context of housing delivery, Mary Mac Mahon pointed to the development of models of housing that provide sustainable densities to allow for the creation sustainable of 15-minute communities, that can be serviced by public transport and sustain small business and community services. The IPI recognises this model of housing as a key area that should not be overlooked by the profession.

“These types of houses are affordable and can be built rapidly. This is one part of the answer of housing delivery, which should not be overlooked. Housing requires a range of solutions, depending on location. Tall apartments blocks are eminently suitable in major town centres, but a graduated response is needed for different locations. We may be talking about housing delivery, but what we are really doing is building communities – or ideally, adding to communities.” she added.

“Some 32,000 residential units – a year’s supply of housing – has been caught up in judicial review. That is not taking into account the amount of time it will take for these units to come back through the planning system, which will only happen if there is confidence in the new planning system can deliver housing in a timely fashion and withstand judicial review.” She added, in acknowledgement of the judicial review process and subsequent delays in housing delivery.

The conference programme today will feature a comprehensive review of the Government’s ‘Housing for All’ plan, one year since its implementation.

Commenting on the plan, Mary Mac Mahon concluded:

“Housing for All has attempted to address the complexity of housing delivery and the large number of actions included in this document underlines what an intractable problem housing delivery has become. Our aim today is to look at some of the initiatives that are happening in planning that can assist in housing delivery.”