Convoluted planning, costs and infrastructure hindering house creation say Councillors

Over complicated and restrictive planning processes and a lack of necessary infrastructure are making house builds too expensive or impossible in North Tipperary, the members of Nenagh Municipal Council say.

Lack of water and sewage infrastructure capable of accommodating new buildings in towns and villages, as well as exorbitant costs for building materials and a new trend of denying planning permission to people in rural areas who want to build on their own land are causing a chaotic housing market in North Tipperary, the Municipal Council heard at their monthly meeting in Nenagh on Thursday last.

Urgent demand for emergency accommodation for refugees have compounded matters the meeting heard and the more frequent issuing of Section 5 planning exemptions came in for some staunch criticism by several elected local representatives.

Misinformation about planning rules, often spread by the providers of modular homes according to elected representatives, are creating myths about the installation of temporary and modular buildings, the meeting heard.

The situation has become so serious that one councillor, Independent Seamie Morris, suggested that Tipperary withdraw from the National Development Plan on the grounds the local authority cannot live up to the commitments in the Plan.

Cllr. Morris pointed to the litany of problems hampering any progress in tackling the ever burgeoning housing crisis in the region and had several proposals for solutions which he felt could ease the issue; including a dispensation for people in rural areas capable of providing the necessary funds and land to build their own home, but are being repeatedly refused planning permissions.

That dispensation would apply until water treatment and sewage capabilities in the towns and villages are brought up to a standard of potentially providing new connections, Cllr. Morris suggested.

"We're at a crisis point here - at the moment there are only 46 houses open to recipients of HAP available across the entire country", Cllr. Morris told the meeting, suggesting the National Development Plan be "suspended".

He said the growth in population in North Tipperary has "far exceeded anyone's expectations or predictions" and asked the local authority to "stop cooperating with the Department on granting Section 5 exemptions".

"We can't accommodate people who are already here because of the lack of infrastructure", he said and applauded a document created by the local authority which highlights the issues in the government's future plans for development in rural towns and villages.

Lower Ormond based Independent Councillor and member of the Lowry Team, Michael O'Meara agreed with Cllr. Morris and said planners "are not living in the real world" if they believe the government can deliver on its pledge of 40k to 50k new homes during it's lifetime.

Cllr. O'Meara said a modest new home in this region costs in excess of €500k to create to a builder's finish and that no bank is offering mortgages for such builds - "it is living in cloud cuckoo land" he said.

He said there has been a large increase in the number of young couples who want to return to villages and rural areas and the local authority does everything in their power to try and facilitate them, but the restraints are too great.

Cllr. O'Meara added that many people believe modular homes can be installed with no planning and called on the local authority to reiterate the correct information that modular buildings, like any other building, require planning.

Companies selling modular homes are circulating incorrect information which is leading to stress for people who buy them, only to later learn that factors such as percolation and septic tanks, as well as water and sewage must be considered.

Independent Cllr. Joe Hannigan, told the meeting the biggest problem is the lack of wastewater infrastructure.

"We need an urgent meeting with Irish Water to explore if we can do what is in the Development Plan - we need them to come to our Municipal District meeting and to make a plan", Cllr. Hannigan said.

READ NEXT: PICTURES: Age Friendly Roscrea and Youth Service release new book

In response to the elected members queries from the Council executive the meeting heard the local authority cannot stop requests for Section 5 planning exemptions and that the local authority try to be as flexible as possible with the installation of modular buildings, but in many cases they run into issues.

In response Cllr. Morris said he understands Section 5 exemptions are important, but added that elected councillors should be informed when they are lodged with the local authority.

"Councillors are the last to know and they should be told and until then they should stop", he said.