Laois council sets about freeing up land for housing in two big towns

Laois County Council wants to change the County Development Plan so that more homes can be built in two rapidly growing Laois towns to help the Government reach its 300,000 new home target by 2030.

The Local Authority has put the public on notice that County Councillors will be asked to change or 'materially contravene' the plan so the land can be rezoned in Portarlington and Graiguecullen for residential purposes.

While specific locations and quantities of land have yet to be outlined, public notices placed in the Leinster Express / Laois Live give an insight into what County Hall has planned and how it has come about.

In relation to the Portarlington lands, the council says the proposed variation to the Plan is intended to address specific, immediate policy updates needed in the short term. It says the proposed rezonings and the addition of residential zoned lands are "a response to the Ministerial Guidelines".

Similar explanations are given in relation to the land rezoning aims in Graiguecullen. 

Residential audit, site assessment reports and strategic flood risk assessment of the proposed zoning amendments have been prepared alongside other documents as required to change the County Development plan.

The reasons given for both rezonings refer to the Government's ambition and plans to ramp up house building.

"This variation has been prepared to align the Plan with Ministerial Guidelines published in accordance with Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000. 

"The proposed variation is also responding to Pillar 1: Activating Supply as set out in the Government Action Plan on Housing Supply and Targeting Homelessness – Delivering Homes, Building Communities, 2025-2030 (November 2025).

"The zoning of sufficient land is seen as a key enabler in the delivery of housing," said the council notice.

The action plan Laois County Council refers to promises to deliver over 300,000 homes in five years, backed by "unprecedented" investment in water, energy and transport infrastructure, as well as regulatory reform, zoning and tax measures.

The Government has said the Plan's implementation will involve "record state investment" to deliver 90,000 affordable supports, 72,000 social homes, and target homelessness. It adds that over €9 billion capital funding will be for housing in 2026.

Both towns have grown rapidly in recent decades, with further population increases expected. 

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The Council says Portarlington has experienced rapid population growth, with the 2022 Census recording 9,288 residents, an 11% increase from 2016. As a designated "self-sustaining growth town" on the Laois/Offaly border, the local authority says the population has more than doubled since 2002. It says further growth is expected to push the population beyond 10,000, driven by its commuter-belt location. MORE BELOW PHOTO.

As for Graiguecullen, it is classed as being part of the broader combined Carlow / Graiguecullen. With a 2022 Census population of 27,351, it has "Key Town" status. The area grew by over 18% between 2011 and 2022. The Graiguecullen Electoral District had a population of 6,900 by 2022

Development plans indicate continued growth, with a potential increase of approximately 2,900 additional residents projected for the 2024-2030 period.

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While part of Graigue is in the Carlow County Council local authority area, Laois County Council has facilitated signifant housing development on the Laois side of the town where most of its residents now live.

Councillors will have the final say on the proposal but before they vote, the public must be consulted. Details of the rezonings will go on public display on February 25 at http://consult.laois.ie and at the Planning Office, Laois County Council, Aras an Chontae, JFL Avenue, Portlaoise.