Thousands of fast-track homes stuck in planning limbo over failure to decide on applications

PLANNING FOR THOUSANDS of fast-track homes remains log-jammed with An Coimisiún Pleanála despite efforts by the authority to clear the backlog in recent years.

Figures obtained by The Journal under the Freedom of Information Act show that 11 separate applications to build 3,557 units are still to be considered more than a year after a decision from the commission was due.

The same figures show that more than 6,000 homes have been stalled because of legal challenges and delays in deciding upon planning applications.

Applications for these homes were made under the Strategic Housing Development (SHD) process, which was introduced in 2017 with the aim of speeding up planning decisions.

Under the process, large developments comprising more than 100 homes or over 200 units of student accommodation could bypass local planning authorities and go straight to the commission for a decision.

The application process, which officially ended in 2022, was subject to a significant number of judicial reviews in the courts that led to delays rather than faster delivery.

The Irish Times reported last May that the board had still to decide on 18 SHD applications comprising more than 6,000 units, which were given permission to be resubmitted when judicial reviews were decided upon after 2022.

Almost a year later, 16 SHD applications are still outstanding with the commission, including four which were submitted after the Irish Times article was published.

A 179-unit development at Season Park in Newtownmountkennedy, Co Wicklow, was due to be decided by 17 September 2024.

The St Joseph’s House SHD, which would see the construction of 463 apartments at Brewery Road and Leopardstown Road in Dublin 18, was due a decision by 3 October 2024.

A decision was due on a 102-unit build-to-rent development at St Michael’s Hospital in Dún Laoghaire by 7 November 2024.

Another application for a development comprising 493 apartments at Temple Hill in Monkstown in south county Dublin was to be decided by 18 November 2024.

A development known as KDA1Clane at Clane in Co Kildare, which would see the construction of 121 houses and 212 apartments, was due a decision by 28 November 2024.

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The biggest application still awaiting a decision, the 1,243-unit Barnhill Garden Villages SHD at Clonsilla in Dublin 15, was due to be decided by 4 December 2024.

Seven applications were also due to be decided by last year.

A development comprising 278 apartments at Forest Road in Swords, Co Dublin was due a decision on 10 January 2025.

Another application for 227 apartments at Mount Anville Road in Goatstown in Dublin was due to be decided by 14 January 2025.

A build-to-rent development comprising 101 units at the former Mall Shopping Centre in Balbriggan was to be decided by 20 January 2025.

Another application for 445 apartments in a build-to-rent development called Iron Born SHD at Stepaside in south Dublin was due a decision by 23 January 2025.

And a decision on yet another build-to-rent development comprising 671 apartments on Sandford Road in Dublin 6 was due by 17 July 2025.

An application for 201 apartments known as the Southgate SHD near the Southgate Centre in Drogheda was to be decided by 9 December last year.

And an application for 131 build-to-rent apartments at Seafield Road East in Clontarf in north Dublin was to be decided by 22 December 2025.

Two more applications were only submitted this year and the decision date has not yet passed.

One is known as the Waterfront South Central SHD, comprising 1,005 apartments at North Wall Quay in Dublin’s north inner city, with a decision due by 21 May.

The other, based in Cork, is called the Kilbarry SHD and would comprise 319 units at Cork GAA lands on Old Whitechurch Road.

A final development comprising 349 units in Tullamore, Co Offaly was submitted in 2021 but cannot be granted or refused permission because there is a legal stay on making a decision.

The SHD system has been beset by delays and legal challenges since it first opened more than a decade ago.

A report by consultants Mitchell McDermott from 2023, the year after the system officially closed, found that less than a third (28%) of the 103,057 SHD units given permission between 2018 and 2022 did not commence.

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