New Planning Guidelines in response to ‘vulture funds’

The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has published new (‘Section 28’) ministerial planning guidelines to address the regulation of commercial institutional investment in certain housing developments.

 

The purpose of the planning guidelines is ‘to ensure that new ‘own-door’ houses and duplex units in housing developments are not bulk-purchased by commercial institutional investors in a manner that causes the displacement of individual purchasers and/or social and affordable housing including cost-rental housing‘.

 

The planning guidelines set out two alternative planning conditions to which planning authorities and An Bord Pleanála must have regard, in granting planning permission for new residential development that includes 5 or more houses and/or duplex units.  This will form the basis of agreement between the developer and the planning authority and will take effect from 20th May 2021.

 

HRA PLANNING