DCC raises 'grave concern' over Government's expected apartment plans
Minister for Housing James Browne is expected to bring proposals to Cabinet tomorrow to change requirements around minimum apartment sizes, the mix of apartments in developments and communal spaces.
It is understood the proposed new guidelines specify that communal, community or cultural facilities within apartment schemes will not be required on a mandatory basis due to the implications such requirements may have on the viability of projects.
The emergency motion, which was tabled by the Green Party and Labour Party, said the proposals would "gut the provision of 5% community or cultural space in SDRAs (Strategic Development Regeneration Areas) and developments of 10,000sq/m or more".
This, it described, as "a hard-won provision in the 2022-2028 Dublin City Development Plan".
It expressed the council's "deep dismay" at the proposals as detailed in "media reports" over the weekend.
It said these proposals would also "reduce the size and quality of people's homes", and represented "a developer-led race to the bottom and further reduction in minimum standards and guidelines when it comes to apartment developments, without any consultation or engagement with local authorities".
"This council expresses its grave concern at central Government overreach, its undermining of local democracy and its efforts to undermine the principle of sustainable community development," the motion said.
"The council seeks immediate clarity from Government on these guidelines and agrees to write to Minister James Browne seeking an urgent meeting," it added.
A spokesperson for the Department of Housing said that "in advance of the Cabinet meeting tomorrow, the department will not be commenting or issuing a statement".
It is understood the minister will tell Government colleagues the proposed changes will cut building costs by between €50,000 and €100,000 per apartment.
In May, Mr Browne acknowledged it would be "challenging" to reach the Government's housing output target of 41,000 homes this year.
A number of emergency motions critical of Department of Housing actions under Mr Browne have been passed by Dublin City Council since the start of March.
The first motion called for Mr Browne to release funding for the Tenant in Situ scheme.
Another motion, passed last month, criticised the minister's decision not to fund three public private partnership social housing projects.
The minister pulled the plug on funding for a number of projects, which were about to begin construction, citing value for money concerns.
In all three emergency motions, including tonight's, meetings were requested with Minister Browne.
Mr Browne was accused of issuing a "blanket refusal to engage" with Dublin City Council by then lord mayor Emma Blain of Fine Gael, when two meeting requests she issued following the March motion on Tenant in Situ funding went unanswered.
A third invite was met with a reply that said the minister was "unable to facilitate this meeting request".
After Ms Blain contacted the Taoiseach Micheál Martin about the matter, Mr Browne invited the then lord mayor to a meeting to discuss the Tenant in Situ scheme in May.
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6 hours ago
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