The method of zoning land for development is an obstacle to the delivery of housing.
We have County Development Plans and Local Area Plans being developed across the country. The method of deciding on which lands to zone as residential is creating a scarcity in land.
“Local Authorities are proposing the zoning of residential lands which are not available and will not be available over the lifetime of the plan”.
This is having a negative impact as this method is driving up the cost of the available land, it is creating a scarcity of land for development.
“We need to re-adjust the zoning rules to zone lands that are available or will be available within the lifetime of the development plan”.
“I know first-hand of land which has been zoned as Phase 1 development which is never going to be sold. There are a variety of reasons such as title issues, tax reasons and the landowners wish to pass the family lands onto the next generation for farming”.
“In essence, zoning of land should be done only if the land is available or will be available to develop. There is an onus on the Local Authorities to do their due diligence to verify that any lands being proposed for residential zoning is actually available, otherwise we will be trapped in the housing crisis for another 5 years”.