Demand for housing in Cork 'phenomenal' but decision making timelines are 'simply too slow' 

The Director of Housing and Planning of the Construction Industry Federation (CIF) has described the demand for housing in Cork as “phenomenal”.

Speaking at the Construction Industry Federation Southern Construct Summit in Cork on Thursday, Conor O’Connell said challenges facing the industry include structural issues of zoning and infrastructure, and said decision-making timelines are “simply too slow”.

He said, however, that he looks to the future with optimism as major employers continue to create jobs and people are moving into Ireland at a rate never seen before.

Echoing Mr O’Connell’s comments during a panel discussion on affordable, high-quality and sustainable housing for all, the Chairman of the Cork Branch of CIF, Kieran O’Donovan, called for long term solutions.

Mr O’Donovan said that while schemes issued by the Government, such as the Help to Buy Scheme and First Home Scheme, and the provision of additional funding to local authorities and proposed funding to the Land Development Agency (LDP) “are key enablers in the industry”, that long term solutions are required.

He said that last year, 50% of houses in Cork city were built or acquired by the local authority or approved housing bodies. In the county, that figure was 57%.

Mr O’Donovan said that while schemes implemented by the Government over the past few years have enabled rapid expansion, the figures also highlight the lack of provision for private home construction.

“So why are we as an industry not ramping up the construction of private houses? It’s the key question in terms of how to increase the number of houses that people want to buy,” he said.

“CIF is currently carrying out an analysis of the constraints surrounding development in Cork which we believe will highlight the significant proportion of zoned lands that currently have some impediment that makes it unavailable for development in the short term.

“This reduction in the quantum of available, zoned land highlights the need for contingency plans that would be brought forward for housing development if necessary.” 

Mr O’Donovan welcomed the Planning and Development Bill and draft Sustainable and Compact Settlements Guidelines for Planning Authorities, as well as revisions to the National Planning Framework, which he said will help to address these issues of constraints in supply but called for a more collaborative approach.

He called on State agencies and local authorities “to make a conservative effort to allow these lands to be built upon” and to look at their role as facilitators of development with a more collaborative and unified approach.

Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Simon Coveney, said that Housing for All is continuing to deliver but acknowledged that more needs to be done.

“Supply is increasing. 30,000 homes were built last year, up more than 40% on previous years. 

"More than 14,00 homes were completed in the first half of 2023, up 6% on the same period last year, and over 18,500 homes have commenced in the first seven months of 2023, an 11.8% increase on the same period last year.” 

Minister Coveney acknowledged peoples’ frustrations with the pace of the delivery of housing, which he said is understandable, but added that delivery is ramping up.

He said the Government is optimistic that it will meet the housing target, which was set at 29,000 this year, and hopes that figure will rise to 31,000 or 32,000 by the end of the year.

He said the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2023, which would provide An Bord Pleanála with powers, functions and duties in relation to pending applications and appeals of long duration, would modernise the planning system.

Minister Coveney added it is hoped the Bill, which is currently before the Dáil, would be passed before the end of this year.