Council examines rezoning parts of industrial estates to facilitate houses
By Maurice Garvey
KYLEMORE Industrial Estate could be amongst some of the city’s older industrial estates to be rezoned to facilitate new housing developments.
The proposals are being considered by Dublin City Council after the Department of Housing published draft guidelines outlining how local authorities could facilitate plans for the construction of buildings taller than is currently permitted.
Kylemore Industrial Estate could be rezoned housing
DCC’s head of housing, Brendan Kenny, says rezoning industrial land is an option, but it presents challenges with a lot of sites privately owned.
However, in the midst of a housing crisis and a growing population, options are being considered for the likes of Kylemore, which is located near existing transport infrastructure and has a number of under-used units.
According to the Department of Housing report, approximately 25,000–35,000 new homes will be required every year for the next 10 years to meet housing demands.
Dublin Chamber has called on the city councillors to back the proposals.
“This is exactly the kind of radical action that is needed if Dublin is to tackle its housing shortage,” said Dublin Chamber CEO Mary Rose Burke.
Needs to prepare for this now
“The population of the Greater Dublin area will grow to 2.2 million over the next 13 years. The city needs to prepare for this now. Dublin City will run out of space for new housing development in about four years.
“We can’t continue the way things are. Low-density development is an unsustainable model and a significant contributor to Ireland’s current housing, public transport, and infrastructure problems.
“Dublin needs to plan better for where people will live and work, design urban landscapes to maximise personal convenience, economic productivity, and social inclusion.”
Sinn Féin councillor Daithí Doolan, chairman of the council’s Housing Strategic Policy Committee, said more pro-active measures were needed to buy land across the city and to develop it.
“Any land across the city that isn’t being used should be up for grabs really,” he said.
