11 SHD Applications for 3,557 Homes Delayed Over a Year by An Coimisiún Pleanála

An Coimisiún Pleanála faces a backlog of 11 Strategic Housing Development (SHD) applications for 3,557 units, with decisions overdue by over a year. These figures, obtained by The Journal via a Freedom of Information Act request, highlight ongoing delays despite the authority's efforts to clear its caseload.

The SHD process, introduced in 2017 to expedite planning decisions for large developments (over 100 homes or 200 student units), allowed projects to bypass local authorities and go directly to the commission. However, the system, which officially ended in 2022, was plagued by numerous judicial reviews, causing delays rather than faster delivery.

Currently, 16 SHD applications remain outstanding, including four submitted after a May report by The Irish Times noted 18 unresolved applications. Significant projects awaiting decisions include the 1,243-unit Barnhill Garden Villages SHD in Dublin 15 (due December 4, 2024), the 463-apartment St Joseph’s House SHD in Dublin 18 (due October 3, 2024), and a 179-unit development in Newtownmountkennedy, Co Wicklow (due September 17, 2024).

Seven applications were due last year, with others scheduled for early 2025. Two new applications were submitted this year, including the 1,005-apartment Waterfront South Central SHD in Dublin (due May 21). A 2023 report by Mitchell McDermott found that only 28% of 103,057 SHD units approved between 2018 and 2022 had not commenced construction, underscoring the system's ineffectiveness.