A mindset around objecting to housing developments based on the character of an area “has to change”, Jack Chambers has insisted, writes Craig Hughes.

The Minister for Public Expenditure said he had heard from many young people that others living in an area for decades had sought to block developments based on the “character of an area”.

However, Mr Chambers said such objections can be “nebulous” and “block” the broader social and economic goal of increased housing supply.

He made the comments after the Government approved a series of actions designed to accelerate the delivery of strategic infrastructure.

A new division in the Department of Public Expenditure will be mandated to “cut through the nonsense” that has held back critical infrastructure, Mr Chambers said.

The Fianna Fáil TD will spearhead a new taskforce as part of a range of actions approved by the Government aimed at expediting infrastructure projects.

Taking aim at planning objectors, Mr Chambers said that there is “too much tolerance” for people who object to housing based on the “character” of the building.

When asked if there will be changes to planning laws, Mr Chambers said that “anything that can achieve faster and more accelerated infrastructure maybe has to be on the table” and that there will be a “provocative zeal of reform”.

“The last number of years have shown how too many individuals have had too much of a say in impeding infrastructure and housing across our economy,” the Fianna Fáil deputy leader added.

Mr Chambers said that there have been “countless examples” across the country where “the public good is being undermined by people that are in housing and are trying to frustrate the broader public good”.

He insisted that a mindset around objecting to housing developments “has to change”.

“I’ve seen examples in recent months of housing getting stopped because it undermines the character of the area. What does that mean?

“And you know, for me, it’s about housing. It’s about infrastructure and cutting through some of the nonsense which is just impeding the broader economic and social objective.

“And that’s the mandate of this division, very much a focus, a provocative zeal of reform is what its core focus will be,” he said.

The new taskforce, which will be operational from May and will meet monthly, will be chaired by Mr Chambers and be made up of experts seconded from state agencies such as ESB, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, Uisce Éireann and Eirgrid.

The CEOs from the semi-state sector will also be offering their expertise and by July it will have a report on the blockages it has identified and its findings will feed into efforts to speed up infrastructure delivery.

The core priority areas of focus for the Government are energy, water, housing and transport infrastructure which have all been identified as having “significant levels of infrastructure deficit”.

The new unit will work closely with the soon-to-be established Strategic Housing Activation office in the Department of the Taoiseach.

Mr Chambers has already asked Cabinet colleagues to bring forward projects that can be delivered in the short-term as part of the Revised National Development Plan.

The Government is also preparing an evidence-based assessment of the “barriers impeding timely infrastructure development”, which will inform an action plan of “high-impact reform measures”.

The National Development Finance Agency will be expanded and will provide departments with additional expert assistance and support on major public capital investment projects through dedicated support teams for specific projects referred to it.

Mr Chambers said that renewable energy projects were also being frustrated through planning objections and that there is “too much tolerance” to it.

Comedian Tommy Tiernan was among 177 objectors to an offshore windfarm off the coast of Connemara, Co Galway.

In his objection, Mr Tiernan wrote: “I’m objecting to the proposed offshore wind farm near Carna, Connemara, Co. Galway, on the grounds of desecration of that area of natural beauty.

“Allowing such a project to go ahead when there are many more suitable sites, either much further offshore or inland, would be a totally irresponsible and disgusting thing to do.
“There has to be more to our country than a utilitarian exploitation of where we live,” he said.

The company behind the project said last week they are no longer seeking to progress the project.

Photo: Minister Jack Chambers. Photograph: Sasko Lazarov / © RollingNews.ie