Irish councils struggle with urban planning effectiveness

At a recent conference, Senator Michael McDowell addressed the challenges facing city planning in Ireland. He criticized the current planning system, saying it works well for rural areas but not for cities. He argued that beautiful cities need planned development, not random decisions. McDowell noted that people believe the Constitution hinders city development, but he assured attendees that local authorities can use compulsory purchase powers for urban renewal. However, he pointed out that these authorities often lack the necessary funding and support from the central government. He expressed doubt about local authorities' ability to effectively plan for large cities, mentioning Dublin City Council's struggles with social housing maintenance. He warned that a system allowing dereliction is not sustainable and that it hampers the city's proper development. Frances Ruane, a former director at the Economic and Social Research Institute, stressed the need for better communication between different levels of government. She highlighted delays in infrastructure as a major problem, urging a focus on the costs of poor planning. RIAI president Sean Mahon emphasized the necessity of focusing more on proactive planning. He argued that the current system is overly complicated and does not promote strategic thinking. He called for identifying locations for 750,000 new homes and aligning planning with necessary infrastructure. Mahon also noted that while there are pressing housing and infrastructure issues, they can be resolved with prompt action. Planning regulator Niall Cussen echoed the urgency of addressing dereliction and vacancy in cities, identifying empty buildings as a significant problem.