Rural areas require more homes - Cllr calls for more social and affordable houses to be built

A CALL for more houses to be built in rural areas has been made at a council meeting by a Sinn Fein councillor.

Michael Gallagher said more social and affordable homes should be provided in rural villages where there was little or no private residential development taking place.

He said the reason for tabling the motion was that in north Meath there were villages that had had no development whatever in the last few years. In the last 20 years there had been no houses built in villages, with the exception of Carlanstown. he said because there was no building going on people were moving out to places like Ardee.

Officials replied that the planning department was currently undertaking a serviced sites initiative study to identify sites adjacent to and within existing small towns or villages.

“When these studies are complete the housing department will review each site on a case-by-case basis to ascertain requirements for these areas as outlined in the Housing Needs Demand Assessment and the Housing Delivery Action Plan. This will inform the demand for social and affordable housing in relation to each site. We then then identify the necessary infrastructure needed and proceed and make an application to the Department for appropriate funding and resources to develop projects further”.