Guidelines to seek integrated approach from developers

Property developers are to be encouraged to integrate housing projects with public transport, schools, and other community facilities under new, draft residential density guidelines to be issued before the end of the year.

Minister for the Environment John Gormley is working on an update of the 1999 Residential Density Guidelines, which would reflect newer environmental standards across the board - from energy consumption and carbon emissions, to quality of life issues such as family-sized apartments, proximity to shops, schools and community facilities.

Mr Gormley is keen that recent policies on energy efficiency and design standards for housing as well as policies on social and affordable housing, transport and planning, would be brought together under a "sustainable development" heading.

The new guidelines will provide improved guidance for planning authorities in drawing up development plans. It is understood Mr Gormley is examining how the proposed guidelines - and possibly the use of development levies - can achieve this integration. One method would be to use the development levy mechanism to make developers pay for infrastructure like schools, in much the same way they can be required to contribute to the cost of new tram lines. It would also be possible to permit greater density where developers are proposing new standards in an integrated development, in much the same way current densities may be increased along transport lines.

Addressing the annual conference of the Society of Chartered Surveyors in Dublin yesterday, Mr Gormley said, "a joint housing and planning policy context for sustainable urban housing is now needed". Later, he told a plenary session of the social partners at Farmleigh House that the current partnership agreement allowed "a major transformation of the Irish housing environment".

"The Government's Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities initiative places a strong emphasis on the need for continuous improvement in the quality of private and social housing. I want to see quality housing built in appropriate locations with proper access to public transport links, open spaces and essential amenities to foster the development of inclusive communities and a strong civic spirit," he said.