A former Fine Gael minister has claimed left-wing opposition to the sale of public lands to private developers will kill off the potential to provide much-needed homes.
Dublin Bay North TD Richard Bruton has hit out at Dublin City Council’s rejection of the sale of 42 acres of public land at Oscar Traynor Road, in Coolock to developer Glenveagh Homes.
The company had hoped to build more than 850 homes on the site – with half of them to be sold on the private market.
On Newstalk Breakfast this morning, Deputy Bruton said the planned development was “exactly what we needed locally.”
“After 40 years when this site lay derelict, it now has a proposal that has been developed since 2016,” he said.
“It will be an integrated development, well-served and it will meet the needs of the entire community – with 30% social housing, 20% affordable, 25% cost-rental and 25% private.”
Aerial photo of Oscar Traynor Road. Image via Dublin City CouncilHe said the project is exactly what the Government intends to do around the country with the Land Development Agency.
“It is designed to use a huge bank of fake lands and to acquire new lands to used in this mixed way to serve the needs of the entire community,” he said.
“But if we get his narrow, left-wing approach adopted, where this approach of using public land to meet all the needs of our community, if that is being continually blocked, we will kill-off the potential of the Land Development Agency which just last week was endorsed by the National Economic Social Council.”
Brid Smith TD speaking to the media outside Leinster House, 27-05-2020. Image: Sam Boal/RollingNewsMeanwhile People Before Profit TD Bríd Smith said it was “funny” to hear a former FG TD criticising left-wing ideology for Dublin’s housing problems when, “he and his Government have presided over the worst housing crisis in the history of the State.”
She said the problem with the Oscar Traynor proposal is that half of the homes would have been private and there was no clear definition of what “affordable” housing is.
“What we need is public housing so that ‘affordable’ is clearly defined,” she said.
“People out there are being told that houses are going on the market but they can’t afford to buy them.
“Schoolteachers, bus drivers, ordinary, middle of the road workers are being priced out of the private market. They can’t afford to buy homes and furthermore, they are finding it very difficult to rent them.
“There is no definition of affordable. That needs to be defined and it needs to be much more affordable.”
'Affordable' housing
She said Deputy Bruton was trying to accuse the left of blocking something progressive when, “in actual fact this site should be dedicated fully to public housing.”
“Not just social housing because there are people locked out of the housing list because they earn too much by earning over €30,000 as a couple.
“So, Deputy Bruton needs to be honest here. Affordable was not defined to the councillors before they took the vote and the parameters of public housing needs to be changed so much more ordinary working people can access the housing market. They are being priced out of it.”
Land Development Agency
Deputy Bruton said the new Affordable Housing Scheme will be published “very shortly.”
“It will be at 40% discount from these house prices. So, on this site you are talking about affordable homes at between €200,000 and €230,000 – 30% of the homes being available to people to purchase on that scheme.
“There will also be 25% cost-rental and 30% social. The social, as you know, will be a maximum 15% of your income paid in rent. The cost-rental will be based on a substantial discount from commercial rents.
“So, this offers a whole mix of opportunities for people locally. This site has lain derelict for 40 years, for as long as I have been in politics, this site has lain derelict and here we have a masterplan and it is being blocked.”
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