Sinn Féin Housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin TD has called on Minister Murphy to follow through with his promise to introduce use it or lose it planning permission before he leaves office. The call comes as it emerges that a 10-acre site with planning permission in Temple Hill, Blackrock is being flipped.

Deputy Ó Broin said:

“After it emerged in October last year that the government’s Strategic Housing Development (SHD) legislation was not working, Minister Murphy said he would bring proposals for use it or lose it planning permission to cabinet.

“Some developers are utilising the SHD legislation to get planning permission and then sitting on the sites as the value increases waiting to flip them.

“In Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown we see a ten-acre site in Temple Hill, Blackrock that was granted planning through the SHD legislation for 291 apartments being put up for sale.

“I echo the calls of our local area representative Shane O’ Brien who is calling for the council to acquire the site as the council currently has no sites throughout Dún Laoghaire with planning permission.

“I have written to the CEO and the Housing Manger in Dún Laoghaire Rathdown calling on them to take action on this site.”