Councillors say part of new bill to speed up delivery of homes, may unintentionally have opposite effect

Tuesday, 13 April 2021 12:18

The council is to write to the Minister for Housing Darragh O'Brien to voice their concern about part of the new Land Development Agency Bill.

Councillors have broadly welcomed the bill, however they're concerned about one provision which they say will take the final say about the disposal of council-owned land banks away from Councillors.

Minister Darragh O'Brien's department say the bill will speed up the delivery of homes built on Council owned land.

However speaking to RedFM News, Cllr Seamus McGraths says his council colleagues have concerns:

"It's a control mechanism essentially 'look we'll take councillors out of the equation and we'll let it be a decision between the Land Development Agency and the Council Executive etc'. We don't think that's acceptable as they say we are elected by the people, to represent them at council level and at council decisions, and we feel it's important that we retain that. We also feel it may improve the delivery of housing because we may have suggestions and proposals that will actually enhance the delivery of housing. So we want to be part of the decision making equation."