Lessons from Ghost Estates:How planning can save the world

A presentation from Ciarán Cuffe to Students of Planning at University College Cork,

February 2012

Alternative Titles…

• Planning in Ireland– Past, Present and Prospects

• Lessons from Ghost Estates:– How planning can save the world

Then

A short History of Ireland

• Forty years of limited development• Slow move to industrialise in 1960s and 1970s• Stagnation in 1980s• Construction boom 1990s, early Noughties• Boom, bust and stagnation in last five years

Rural Renewal Scheme

Now

National Housing Development Survey

• 23,250 dwellings at the time of the survey (2010) were complete and vacant;

• 9,976 dwellings were near complete (watertight, but require fitting out or connection to services);

• Together, there were 33,226 houses that were either complete or near complete and vacant; and

• 9,854 dwellings were partly constructed.• 78,195 dwellings were complete and occupied;

Unfinished Estates 2011Building Completion and Activity StatusAiro

Resolving Unfinished Housing Developments

• A more co-ordinated and partnership approach– Site Resolution Plans (SRPs)

• Tackling public safety issues• Putting in place a stronger legislative and

policy framework • Building confidence in the housing sector

Not just Ghost Estates

There’s also the contentious issue of one-off housing…

New Addresses 2005-2007An Post

Looking Ahead

Solutions for Unfinished Developments

• System of Triage Required

– Some will be finished and occupied without assistance

– Some require innovative management and financing

– Some demand demolition

Solutions for Unfinished Developments

• The Good– Those that will be finished and occupied without

assistance– Proximity to employment / major urban centres

Solutions for Unfinished Developments

• The Bad– Those that require innovative management and

financing

Solutions for Unfinished Developments

• The Ugly

– Those that demand demolition– Poorly designed, built and located…

Resolving Unfinished Housing Developments

• The Department will re-state previous planning guidance to planning authorities on specific policy aspects regarding better phasing of development, the provision of bonds / securities and other DECLG policies as regards sequential and phased development to inform the resolution of unfinished housing

Future Planning

• an end to the badly-designed slapped-up so-called ‘luxury developments’ surrounded by a sea of car parking in a field that was owned by someone who knew someone three miles down the road.

• An 80% windfall tax on “up-zoned” land which forms part of the NAMA legislation, dramatically reduces the incentive from land-owners to seek the rezoning of their land.

Innovative uses for Empty Housing

• Department of Environment, Community and Local Government

• Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

• Department of Education and Skills• Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport

Ireland GDP 1992-2010

2000 2010Time

Stuff

2000 2010Time

Stuff

Ireland Carbon Emissions 2009

31

32

33

34

Future Solutions

• Planning must engage with all Actors– Make connections to all sections of Local

Authorities (Parks, Community, Economic Development etc.)

– Harness Innovation / Community sector• Green Economy key to future employment– Early adopters on low carbon can harness gains

• Smart growth crucial to sustainability– Agriculture, transportation, construction, energy