More Laois lands to be rezoned for new housing developments

Laois County Council has confirmed that it will rezone more private lands in the county for residential use.

As demand for housing in Laois continues to surge, the council will invite landowners in towns and villages to contact them.

It is preparing a variation of the county development plan to set a new housing target after meeting the existing one early.

The Director of Services for housing and planning is Angela McEvoy.

"On July 29 the department issued new guidelines for all counties. It set a target for us. Our annual target up to 2034 was for 1244 houses. We have gone over the number of units that we would have forecast in our housing strategy back in 2021," she said at the September council meeting.

"We are going to advertise to call for sites to consider to be zoned. That really will give a window of people to make submissions to us in relation to residential lands that are servicable or serviced and that are available for the next four years up to 2030. 

"We are looking at strategic reserve lands in the first instance and other lands that might be considered appropriate for zoning as well, in all of the towns and villages across the county. This is an interim position on housing requirement to make sure there is available land for the next four years," Ms McEvoy said. 

Ms McEvoy said that Residential Zoned tax by Revenue will continue to be levied on the owners of zoned housing land left undeveloped.

"It's only 3% so maybe that's something that should be looked at increasing it to get those sites off the ground and activated, within the town centres," the director said.

Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley from the Portlaoise Municipal District wants action first on idle development land.

"We're told the more houses we build the prices will come down, I don't see any sign of that. I would ask for a strong emphasis on developing vacant sites in our town centre we zoned, before giving permission for sites four kilometres on the edge of town where we don't have services or infrastructure. 

"We need to put a big emphasis on private housing as well to get mixed tenure in communities. It's all fine throwing up houses but we need to build communities as well. We have people who are over the income threshold looking to buy their own homes. I'd like to see a focus on Affordable and Cost Rental as well," she said.

She criticised the quality and price of new private houses in Portlaoise.

"We hear that supply is what we need to bring the housing crisis to an end but we're bringing on a good amount of housing but its €500,000 for the houses up around the Holy Family schools. The last lot of houses in my estate were €400,000. That's huge money... for what I consider to be shoeboxes

"Some of the standards are not great. I hope we're not going back to the crazy celtic tiger throwing up houses. I'm a bit concerned that now we're being asked to zone more land, are we feeding this beast?  We have people in their 30s and 40s still living at home who will never get a mortgage," Cllr Dwane Stanley said.

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Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald said infrastructure needs to be built as well as houses in Portlaoise.

"The northern relief road is waiting for 20 years. We need more sports facilities, more school places and more parks. We can't just keep firing up houses," she said.

Cllr John King welcomed the rezoning plans.

"We all have parcels of land in our villages and towns that we may not have got at the time but at least we're getting a second chance," he said.