Only solution is a public house-building programme: Cllr Bree

INDEPENDENT Councillor Declan Bree believes the Council has zoned more than enough land for housing around Sligo town.

He told The Sligo Champion that the real demand for housing in Sligo was for public local authority housing with over 1,000 households on the Council’s housing waiting list.

“While there may be a demand for private housing in some areas of the county it is my belief that there will be no substantial increase in the construction of private houses until such time as the level of full time employment increases.

“The Council has zoned more than enough land for housing – over 28 hectares in the Sligo and Environs area with an additional 194 hectares in the county.

“However it appears to me that developers are reluctant to build in the private sector due to the inflated price of land and because some of them are finding it difficult to find capital while others fear a lack of demand.

He said the decision to slash funding for to build local authority housing has led to the current housing crisis and enriched private landlords and speculators.

“Since 2014 only one rural house was built by the Council until the Fr Flanagan Terrace scheme began last year. The only real solution is a massive public house-building programme run and controlled by the local authorities. It would provide new homes, create thousands of jobs, increase VAT revenue and help