I was reading an article last week about a couple in Co Kerry who are petrified of being evicted from their home when (if) the eviction ban is lifted at the end of this month. Their landlady (very reasonably) wants to move back to Kerry and into the house. Such a common situation with no bad actors! The couple have been renting for seven years but in that time were able to purchase a site to build on. About the only option that exists for many people who cannot get the where- withal to buy a fully built property.
They were turned down for planning permission as the site is in Castleisland and not in Killorglin, where they have been residing. They have appealed the decision, but the process has been going on for two years without an end in sight. Why?
Terrified Kerry family says ‘We’ll have to live in tents’ as eviction ban lifted – Independent.ie
Councils are supposed to decide planning applications within 8 weeks, but they can ask for more information, adding up to six months. If permission is refused or someone objects to it being granted, an appeal to An Bord Pleanála can be lodged up to 4 weeks later and takes around 18 weeks on average to be resolved.
Planning permission (citizensinformation.ie)
Mitchell McDermott (construction consultants) published its annual set of info cards on the construction industry in January 2023. They are very readable for non- experts like me but paint a very depressing picture of things to come (or not to come, unfortunately) in the housing sector.
The info cards reveal that close to 60,000 proposed housing units – about two years of supply at current building rates – are either being held up by delays in the planning system or by legal challenges.
Paul Mitchell suggests “Planning consultants should be drafted in from abroad to clear the planning backlog and existing planning staff should get bonus incentives.” InfoCards 2023 Press Release – Mitchell Mcdermott
Interesting, but I would suggest our friends in Kerry buy a caravan, put it on their site and just start building!