Latest news with #NationalPlanningFramework
RTÉ News
3 days ago
- Politics
- RTÉ News
Government hopes pace of housing announcements increases output
There may be no silver bullet to magically boost housing output, but the Government has certainly accelerated its own output on housing decisions. After a slow start, Minister for Housing James Browne has been making a raft of announcements in an effort to unblock problems and speed up delivery. There is no big bang, but the message now is on a constant flow of weekly actions. All this emphasises the pledge from Mr Browne that the housing crisis is an emergency and is being treated as one. Today brought three changes. Firstly, more powers and a broader remit for the Land Development Agency. Also, emergency legislation to quickly extend rent pressure zones nationwide. And the appointment of the former HSE boss Paul Reid to chair the new planning body, An Coimisiún Pleanála which replaces An Bord Pleanála. This comes on top of extensions to planning permissions, rental reforms, the establishment of the Housing Activation Office and the revised National Planning Framework. Also, there is a push to encourage local authorities to rezone much more land for housing. And there is more to come, with big announcements next month on the National Development Plan and a revamp of the current housing blueprint, Housing for All. In addition, it is clear that a downgrading of apartment standards is being examined to address the viability impasse. No surprise that the Opposition are underwhelmed with this spate of new measures. Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore told the Dáil that the Government may be taking decisions, but she said they were "the wrong ones". Opposition parties have slammed the rental reforms with Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald labelling it the "Fianna Fáil rent hike bill". In particular, they have focused on the lack of protection for short-term renters like students who could face repeated rent hikes every time they move. For Mr Browne, it's clear that after a difficult start in the job, he seems to be on surer ground. But all acknowledge that any uptick in supply is some way off. What does success look like? Housing delivery takes years but before then, the direction of travel will be signalled by several strands of data. A Government source suggests that commencement figures are part of this, but they are not the only important piece of data. First up, ministers will be hoping to see a rise in planning permission applications, especially for large developments. Another important measure is how quickly these applications pass through the system. And if they end up in An Coimisiún Pleanála, how quickly are they dealt with. But trickier decisions loom, namely on potential tax breaks to stimulate private sector development. Builders have walked away from big projects citing the impossibility of delivering at a price buyers are willing to pay. Their solution is a tax incentive, perhaps on VAT. The political battlelines on such a measure are clear; Labour leader Ivana Bacik calling them "Bertienomics tax breaks". And there is already resistance within Government with Minster for Finance Paschal Donohoe publicly opposing them. Proponents of the measure in Government, claim these tax incentives would be different - narrowly drawn, time limited and targeted. Ministers know they will be a tough sell, but some believe they are necessary to deliver the big bang to scale up delivery.
Daily Record
4 days ago
- Business
- Daily Record
Perth Aldi store granted planning approval for third time
Perth and Kinross Council's Planning and Placemaking Committee gave its overwhelming support to the now £5.5 million development on Necessity Brae Perth and Kinross councillors have voted - against planning officers' recommendation - to approve a new £5.5 million Aldi in Perth, creating around 16 new jobs. It is the third time councillors have approved plans for the German-based supermarket chain to replace its Glasgow Road store with a larger, modern, fit-for-purpose store on Necessity Brae. On Wednesday, June 12 the Planning and Placemaking Committee convener Ian Massie moved for approval with the support of all bar one on the committee. Aldi has two Perth stores and, as part of a legal agreement, its new store at Pickembere, Pitheavlis would not open until the existing Glasgow Road store closes. Planning permission for the replacement Perth store was initially granted - by Perth and Kinross Council's (PKC) Planning and Placemaking Committee - in May 2022. But in February 2023, councillors were asked to re-assess Aldi's application taking account of the latest National Planning Framework (NPF4). Again, councillors voted for approval. But the approval was then subject to a judicial review - following a legal challenge by Tesco - and the Court of Session quashed Aldi's planning permission on April 26, 2024. Following the judicial review, Aldi submitted a revised application to PKC this year. There were 22 letters of objection - including one from Tesco, which has three Perth stores as well as a petrol station store in Scone . The rival supermarket submitted an objection on the grounds: it was not a small-scale neighbourhood retail development; the site was allocated for employment use, and the "limited benefits" were not "adequate to determine the application other than to refuse". Perth Community Flood Aid also objected, raising concerns about flood risk saying the area next to the site had flooded at least five times in recent years. PKC planners recommended refusal of the application - citing NPF4 policy 28 - saying it was "an out of centre location and is not allocated for new retail development" and "would encourage diversion of existing footfall and spend away from the city centre". There were 19 letters of support for the application, as well as a petition with over 800 signatures calling for the new Aldi to be built. Cherrybank resident Seamus Farren - who launched the petition - addressed the committee on Wednesday outlining the strong local support for the development. He said it would "greatly benefit" his neighbourhood, particularly elderly residents "who currently have to rely on public transport or taxis to reach the city centre for their grocery needs". Speaking on behalf of Aldi, Stantec flood risk engineer Gary Spence told councillors measures taken as part of the development would reduce flood risk. He said: "We've calculated the discharge rate into the downstream catchment of this area of land and our proposed system would restrict flows and provide betterment of 77 per cent at least." PKC's Flood team did not object to the proposal. Moving the plans for approval convener Ian Massie referred to the Court of Session decision following Tesco's legal challenge. He said: "The court concluded that the proposal did not meet the definition of small scale neighbourhood retail development under policy 28c of NPF4. "But I am satisfied this revised application has been carefully prepared in response to that ruling with a clearer and more comprehensive policy justification. "I'm also satisfied the proposal addresses all relevant technical matters including potential flooding and drainage issues." In March 2025 the committee voted by nine votes to two to grant Lidl permission to build a second Perth store on Crieff Road, also opposed by Tesco. They rejected council officers' recommendation to refuse the application, arguing the development would give residents "more choice" and supported the National Planning Framework 4's (NPF4) 20-minute neighbourhoods. Following the March decision, the committee's convener SNP councillor Ian Massie wrote to Public Finance Minister Ivan McKee saying the current national planning policy "lacks coherence" and "will not strengthen town centre High Streets". In his response, Mr McKee said: "As you will know, NPF4 and the wider development plan must be considered as a whole, then taking account of material considerations, when reaching a planning judgement." Using this direction from Scotland's Public Finance Minister, Cllr Massie argued Aldi's application "aligns with local and national policy objectives and makes effective use of an under-utilised site". He said the brownfield site had been designated for employment use on PKC's local development plan "but has remained undeveloped for over 17 years due to abnormal building costs and market conditions." He cited NPF4 policy 9a which "supports the reuse of such land to promote regeneration and effective land use". The Perth City North councillor said the development would support active travel "within a residential area" as well as "advancing the principle of local living and 20-minute neighbourhoods". Conservative councillor Keith Allan seconded the motion to approve. SNP councillor Ken Harvey attempted to table an amendment to refuse the application but got no support. He said: "I think it's contrary to policy 28 [of NPF4]. I think some of the other reasons are valid but I don't think any of them outweigh the characteristics of policy 28, particularly the 20-minute neighbourhoods. This kind of development was definitely not what was intimated on that." Cllr Harvey's amendment fell and the motion to approve the planning application - subject to planning conditions and a legal agreement - was approved. Following the meeting, Real Estate director for Aldi in Scotland Andy Doyle, said: "We are delighted that councillors have again backed the overwhelming support from the local community and approved our plans for a new store at Necessity Brae. "We look forward to delivering a larger store for our loyal customers in Perth, while creating new local jobs and bringing significant investment to the area. "We are grateful to everyone who took the time to voice their support, and look forward to welcoming customers to the new store." All existing Aldi staff will move from the Glasgow Rd store to the Necessity Brae Aldi with around 16-20 new jobs being created. According to Mr Doyle, the new store is expected to open around the end of 2026, beginning of 2027.
Daily Record
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Record
Controversial plan to build new homes on greenbelt land near Airdrie kicked out by councillors
The massive Orchard Brae development, which proposed to build almost 1000 new homes on the Europark site, adjacent to Eurocentral, went before councillors on Thursday. A controversial plan to build hundreds of new homes on greenbelt land near Airdrie has been kicked out by North Lanarkshre councillors. The massive Orchard Brae development, which proposed to build almost 1000 new homes on the Europark site, adjacent to Eurocentral, went before councillors on Thursday. North Lanarkshire Council planners advised the 244 hectare plan should be rejected, with councillors voting to knock back the application with 42 against and 18 supporters backing it. Nine councillors withdrew after declaring a possible conflict of interest. The council report stated: 'It is acknowledged that the proposal has some benefits, but the need for additional housing land and the justification provided for the employment land are not accepted, and it is considered that the employment and economic benefits are likely to be substantially less than the applicant estimates. 'The benefits of the proposal are therefore not considered to be sufficient to justify such a significant departure from the development plan, and for this reason it is recommended that planning permission in principle should be refused. 'The proposal is contrary to National Planning Framework and to North Lanarkshire Local Development Plan Policies as the development would result in detrimental impacts upon a valuable area of the Glasgow and Clyde Valley Green Network. 'The development as a whole is inconsistent with the wider policies of the development plan and therefore its adverse impacts on the Glasgow and Clyde Valley Green Network cannot be justified. 'It is not considered that any adequate justification, special circumstances or material considerations have been demonstrated which would justify a departure from these policies.' Opponents - including the Woodhall, Faskine and Palacecraig Conservation Group - believed the plans would destroy a historic area of greenbelt, damage wildlife and deprive residents of valuable outdoor space. At the meeting, objector Dr Ann Glen called on councillors to reject the plans. She said: 'Nature's condition reflects our values. Our mission should to be to foster a world where communities can flourish in harmony with nature. Not by destroying it, as the destruction of this greenbelt would imply. 'Nor should we be allowing it to be destroyed for speculative gain. That is completely unacceptable.' Politicians from all sides of the political spectrum spoke of their delight at the news. Central Scotland Labour MSP Richard Leonard said: 'When I first stood for Parliament in 2016 this was a rising issue. Almost a decade of campaigning led by local people has paid off. 'It has been a long hard 10 years but this is a victory for democracy and the people. We remain vigilant and ready to keep the campaign going for as long as it takes.' Airdrie South Progressive Change councillor Paul DiMascio said: 'Local democracy won through and the strength of feeling against building on the green belt had been made clear. Crucially, approval would have been a clear breach of national and local guidelines. 'Should Orchard Brae appeal to the Scottish Reporter it is imperative that they both know the strength of feeling which was apparent against this proposal and take full account of North Lanarkshire's position which was made clear and ensure that this development does not get the nod down the line on appeal, via the back door. Conservative MSP Graham Simpson added: 'It's fantastic news that the massive Woodhall and Faskine development has been rejected. 'It's been my pleasure and honour to work alongside everyone in opposing these plans.' Scott Gillespie, director for Orchard Brae, said the group were disappointed by the decision made by North Lanarkshire Council. He continued: "When officers published their report recommending refusal, despite a decade of discussions and the changes they asked us to implement in 2024 being made, it was clear that we faced an uphill task. 'I want to thank the 18 elected members who supported our proposals alongside our local partners who joined us at the hearing. Their support is very much appreciated. 'We remain fully committed to our vision for this landmark mixed-use development, which we firmly believe would deliver significant benefits to the local community and beyond including more than 2000 jobs. 'It is apparent at the hearing that these benefits cannot be readily delivered elsewhere in North Lanarkshire, so there is a threat that they may now be lost. 'We have taken on board feedback from the council and local stakeholders and shaped our plans accordingly, including a vibrant economic hub, much-needed housing, a medical centre, a state-of-the-art football facility, a new primary school, additional investment in surrounding secondary schools, and, notably, a nationally-recognised country park covering 64 per cent of the site. 'This proposal was never a choice between development and greenspace. It offered the best of both, delivering jobs, training opportunities, and high-quality, sustainable homes within an enhanced natural environment. 'Many within the local community have shown strong support for this balanced and forward-thinking approach. It is unfortunate that this was not reflected in today's decision. 'We will now carefully consider our next steps and how best to move forward with our proposals and long-term vision for the area.' *Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here.
Irish Examiner
09-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Is more congestion in Cork City an inevitability?
The Department of Transport recently reported that the cost of traffic congestion in Cork is likely to increase by almost 70% by the year 2040, even if the various plans for public transport and active travel infrastructure are delivered. This scenario is presented as an inevitable outcome of population increase and economic growth, which will increase demand for transport. But how did we get here, and is it really unavoidable? On one level perhaps it's not surprising — the National Planning Framework published in 2018 reported that 'cities and major urban areas are too heavily dependent on road and private, mainly car-based, transport with the result that our roads are becoming more and more congested'. Since then, the Government has invested €215m upgrading the Dunkettle Interchange and has recently committed to spending a further €456m to upgrade the N28 Ringaskiddy Road to a motorway. Trying to solve congestion on the approaches to the city by building bigger roads is like trying to get more milk into a pint bottle by using a bigger funnel. You're only going to create a bigger mess. The Government has also committed to significant upgrades to the N20 and the N25, as well as a new Northern Distributor Road. The combined cost of these roads projects is an estimated €3.16bn, and that's before we consider the proposed North Ring Road, which has recently been rebranded the 'Cork City Northern Transport Project'. The congestion report acknowledges that 'while the expansion and improvement of road and sustainable transport infrastructure can temporarily alleviate congestion, demand will gradually increase in response to the increased supply'. So why then are we continuing to invest so heavily in new roads projects that we know will only increase congestion? The maps accompanying the congestion cost report show increased congestion throughout the city by 2040, but with two notable hotspots at the Dunkettle Interchange and the junction of the N28 Ringaskiddy Road and the South Ring Road. Surely this can't be right? After all that investment? Barely a year after the opening of the interchange we have begun to hear calls for additional measures to ease the congestion, with some even suggesting widening the tunnel bore. Picture: Eddie O'Hare All this money is being spent, it is said, to reduce journey times for private car traffic, but it is increasing congestion at the destination for that traffic. In announcing the go-ahead for the M28 just two months ago, Minister of State and TD for Cork South Central Jerry Buttimer said it would reduce journey times for those on their daily commute. Perhaps it will, for a time, but it is clear from the congestion report that that relief will be short-lived. Trying to solve congestion on the approaches to the city by building bigger roads is like trying to get more milk into a pint bottle by using a bigger funnel. You're only going to create a bigger mess. The Dunkettle Interchange has been celebrated as a triumph of engineering, and it certainly is impressive on a technical level — 15 hectares of a complex interlacing of roads, bridges, and embankments constructed with 58,000 tonnes of concrete and 72,000 tonnes of asphalt on a land that up to about a century ago was mostly mud flats. A preliminary analysis of traffic suggests peak journey times have improved but it also reports the volume of traffic going through the junction is now higher than it was pre-covid. This has inevitably put pressure on other road infrastructure in the area, with commuters coming from east Cork complaining of long delays trying to access the Jack Lynch Tunnel. Barely a year after the opening of the interchange we have begun to hear calls for additional measures to ease the congestion, with some even suggesting widening the tunnel bore. Perhaps this experience should inform the upgrade of the N20 to a motorway. An M20 motorway may reduce journey times between Dooradoyle and Blackpool, but you're then delivering a higher volume of traffic, more quickly, into the cities at either end, with an inevitable increase in congestion in those cities. Again, this is reflected in the congestion report, with significant congestion predicted in the Blackpool area of the city. If you really want to improve journey times from Limerick to Cork, look to the train. The All-Island Strategic Rail Review published last year calls for direct trains between Limerick and Cork at least every two hours. There's nothing to stop that from happening straight away at very little cost. Another €100-€200m would provide a rail link on to Shannon Airport and a few hundred million more investment would provide increased train speeds on the route. The Rail Review also looks at the opportunity for rail freight, and points to Ireland's very low use of the railway system for freight — it is in fact the lowest mode share in all of Europe. It sets out a series of proposals for how this could be improved to reduce our reliance on road freight and identifies Marino Point as a location which has good access to the rail network. There is a direct correlation over the last 15 years between the number of cars on the road and the number of deaths and serious injuries. This begs the question, why are we choosing to redevelop Ringaskiddy Port which requires a €500m road investment, and which will add to the existing traffic on the South Ring Road and the Jack Lynch Tunnel, when there is another option which could limit the impact on the road network? Road safety concerns are often touted as a justification for new roads, and it's hard to argue against that when you look at any project in isolation. However, if there is one certainty about road safety trends it is that more cars equals more deaths and serious injuries. There is a direct correlation over the last 15 years between the number of cars on the road and the number of deaths and serious injuries. This has been acknowledged by the Road Safety Authority on several occasions, and a reduction in car dependency as a means of improving road safety features as an objective in the Road Safety Strategy. We also know that more roads bring more cars. At some point, we are going to need to acknowledge the link between the two and decide which is more important — continuing to facilitate ever increasing car use or reducing the death and injury toll on our roads. There are, of course, plans for public transport in and around Cork which will undoubtedly improve the situation: the recently announced Cork Luas project, the BusConnects network, the Cork Area Commuter Rail plan, and various active travel infrastructure projects, but these will only mitigate the worst impacts of congestion as long as we continue to prioritise road building over public transport. The Cork Luas project is still at a very early stage of development, with a public consultation currently under way on the initial plans. BusConnects was launched three years ago this month but has yet to be submitted to An Bord Pleanála for planning permission. The Commuter Rail plan has made some progress with an upgrade of Kent Station completed earlier this year, and works under way on twin-tracking the Glounthaune to Midleton line, and upgrading signalling and communication, but there is no clear timeline for the next phase of works which would add commuter rail stations. It's clear there is not the same political urgency or will to develop public transport solutions as there is with roads. And even if all these projects are delivered by 2030 as assumed by the congestion cost report (and that seems incredibly optimistic right now), they will still not be enough to offset the induced demand created by the investment in road infrastructure. The report predicts an increase in public transport use from 8% to just 10% and a reduction in car use from 68% to 63%. This seems incredibly unambitious. Compare with the city of Utrecht in the Netherlands, a city with a slightly larger population than Cork, which recently published an updated transport plan for 2040 that aims for 23% of trips to be by public transport, 39% by cycling and 37% by car. If the congestion report has taught us anything, it is that we need a lot more ambition and a greater sense of urgency in the delivery of public transport and active travel infrastructure. We need to plan for the future we want, not just mitigate against the future we might have. And this future is ultimately is in the hands of the Department of Transport. Ciarán Ferrie is an architect and transport planner
Irish Examiner
06-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Government will seek to make development of apartments more viable
The Government is to explore measures that would make apartment building more viable in an attempt to increase housing output. It is understood that the Cabinet's committee focused on housing discussed how to get the greatest volume of housing output from the Land Development Agency (LDA) while requiring a minimum amount of capital funding. The meeting heard that proposals for measures that would help to make apartments a more viable option are being considered. If measures cannot be agreed, then focus would need to shift to building more State-funded social housing or developing lower density, marketable homes where suitable. It is understood that providing the LDA with a broader remit to go beyond social and affordable housing was agreed at the meeting. One source said this will require legislative change. However, it was stressed that this will only involve an adjustment to the section that defines the work the LDA can and cannot carry out and should be relatively straightforward. Ministers also discussed the 'broad direction' of the longer-term housing plan, albeit this is still in the early stages of development. While a decision is imminently expected on rent pressure zones and could be finalised this weekend, it was not on the agenda of the meeting. However, one minister noted there is a 'broad awareness' that this is at an advanced stage and could be ready to go to Cabinet as early as next week without being discussed at the housing sub-Cabinet committee. The meeting also heard of the struggles the LDA is facing in terms of sourcing enough suitable land from State bodies. It was suggested that if more land could be zoned for housing by local authorities, more opportunities would open up in new areas. This would then help to meet the National Planning Framework housing targets. Looking to private land would also bring greater opportunities in counties such as Dublin and Cork, where there is high demand. The LDA is legally required to develop 100% social and affordable housing on public lands in these counties. However, this stipulation does not extend to private land. Where it is feasible to acquire and develop private land, it is to be a mix of social, affordable, and private housing. The controversial housing activation office was also raised at the meeting, though no decision was reached on the matter.
