The Guidance Manual for Managing and Resolving Unfinished Housing Developments has been published as a consultation draft to seek the views and input of the general public, local authorities and key stakeholders in the house-building sector.
The guidance document was prepared by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the Advisory Group on Unfinished Housing Developments.
The Advisory Group was established following the publication of the National Housing Development Survey in October 2010.
The Survey established an authoritative baseline analysis at a national level of unfinished housing developments and provides a sound basis to assist local authorities in identifying those developments that require priority interventions. The draft manual now aims to provide the necessary tools to ensure that these unfinished housing developments are effectively managed through the current economic difficulties and resolved as quickly as possible by:
* identifying the key stakeholders and setting out their roles and responsibilities in addressing unfinished housing developments,
* developing a framework for site resolution plans and a process for engagement with local residents;
* establishing an Unfinished Housing Developments Team in each local authority;
* identifying the type of developments and issues that need to be prioritised for action in the short term;
* summarising the wide range of statutory powers currently at the disposal of local authorities to resolve urgent matters; and
* establishing an organisational context for leadership on this issue at local authority and national levels building on existing good practice approaches that have been developed in Ireland and elsewhere in dealing with the issue.
Submissions on the content and recommendations contained in the draft Guidance manual will be considered by the Advisory Group and incorporated into a final version of the manual to be published in February 2011.
The draft manual is available to view and download from the Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency’s website www.housing.ie and from the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government’s website www.environ.ie.
The closing date for receipt of submissions is 4 pm on Friday, 14th January, 2011.