Property bosses warn Coveney on planning

LEADING lights from the property sector have been lining up to share their views on the market with Housing Minister Simon Coveney.

Among them is Pat Crean of New Generation Homes, whose views are a little more measured than his outspoken co-director Greg Kavanagh, who has in the past clashed with former Central Bank governor Patrick Honohan, among others.

However, Crean didn’t hold back with his concerns about the planning system and flagged a number of issues. In one letter to Coveney he warned that “the Irish planning system is in a state of structural crisis”.

“The situation cannot be allowed to continue,” he wrote, calling on urgent intervention from the minister.

He lashed out at Irish Water claiming the body had been “a deadening hand on development” as it comes to grips with its role in the planning system.

In a later letter he suggested that Irish Water should be exempt from the planning process so it could move rapidly with much needed infrastructure.

Crean called the planning system “slow, subjective, complex, unpredictable” among other things. Not holding much back there. Coveney has also received letters from David Ehrlich, of IRES REIT, the country’s largest private landlord with more than 2,200 apartments.

He also had a swipe at the speed of planning system and suggested that more fast-track planning is needed.

“There is a serious disconnect between the country’s needs and the counties and planners’ attitudes in many cases,” he said.

He offered to make available the IRES development team of experts for consultation at the expense of the REIT.

He also emphasised that IRES is not a vulture fund.

“We are actually the opposite, he protested. “Our plan is to hold and rent for the very long term (at least 20 years).

Good to see someone has some long-term planning for the Irish property scene.