Many councils ‘dragging their feet’ on rezoning land for housing – Martin

By Gráinne Ní Aodha, PA

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has criticised county councils for “dragging their feet” on rezoning land to help boost the housing supply.

The Fianna Fáil leader said young people are paying “excessive prices” for housing and that he “cannot comprehend” why local authorities would be dezoning land.

He was responding to a report from the Business Post that Wicklow County Council plans to dezone land in Greystones, Delgany, and Kilcoole earmarked for thousands of homes.

Asked about the issue at the Fianna Fail think-in on Monday, Mr Martin said he was “shocked” and the Government “will intervene”.

“The Government is not happy with chief executive officers of county councils the length and breadth of the country who seem to be displaying a degree of inertia and lack of productivity in terms of rezoning land, never mind dezoning land.

“We have a housing crisis in this country. We’re hearing reports, some are writing that they’re not going to rezone their land at all.

“There’s lots of young people out there are paying excessive prices for housing. We have published national planning framework.

“The minister has instructed local authorities to rezone land and rezoning doesn’t have to depend on the availability of infrastructure and services, that can come afterwards if necessary.

“We know, for example, that when you rezone a lot of land, not all of it gets used ultimately for housing. So, even the national planning framework, in many respects, is limited enough. We felt that, but we had to publish it, get it done, get action, get momentum.

“We’re finding that many councils are dragging their feet on this and I’ve spoken to a number of CEOs, and I’ve told them that if they’re not going to do it, Government will do it directly.

“I can’t comprehend why people are dezoning land that is suitable for housing and we are running out of patience, and I will be meeting with the Minister of Housing, with key executives of local authorities, to really drive this message forward, because there is a crisis in housing.”