Ms. Mary Grier, Senior Planner, and Mr. Brian Farragher, Senior Executive Planner, delivered a presentation on the Chief Executive’s Report relating to the implementation of the National Planning Framework (NPF) Housing Growth Requirements.

Ms. Grier advised that the presentation followed an earlier briefing to Members in October, which introduced the NPF Housing Growth Guidelines issued in July 2025, requiring Planning Authorities to take action to implement revised housing targets. She explained that the guidelines respond to population growth since 2018 significantly exceeding projections, with Ireland’s population now expected to exceed 6 million by 2040, necessitating revised approaches to accommodating housing demand nationwide. The guidelines assess housing demand to 2040 for each local authority and support delivery of approximately 50,000 additional households per annum nationally.

Ms. Grier outlined that Planning Authorities are required to review and amend their Core Strategies, including zoning of additional serviced or serviceable lands, and that the guidelines facilitate an “additional provision” of up to 50% above baseline housing targets. She referred to Appendix 1 of the guidelines, noting that for Roscommon the baseline housing target for 2025–2034 remains at 392 units, consistent with the 2022–2028 County Development Plan (CDP). Applying the additional provision allowance results in a revised target of 588 units, with a slightly reduced total of 534 units for the period 2035–2040.

Mr. Farragher outlined the preparatory work undertaken to date, including a comprehensive Core Strategy review; analysis of permissions granted; uptake of zoned land; assessment of remaining available zoned lands; identification of additional lands potentially suitable for zoning; settlement capacity audits considering water services, roads, footpaths and public lighting; and preparation of a draft revised Core Strategy and zoning maps, undertaken in collaboration with the GIS Section.

He advised that the next steps include preparation of the Chief Executive’s Report in accordance with the Section 28 Guidelines, drafting the Proposed Variations to the Roscommon CDP 2022–2028 and the Roscommon Town LAP 2024–2030, and completion of statutory environmental assessments (AA, SEA and SFRA) by external consultants. Subject to consultant timeframes, the statutory plan variation process will then commence.

Mr. Farragher advised that the revised Core Strategy increases overall settlement allocations from 1,726 units to 3,012 units countywide. The variation will include updates to CDP Volume I to reflect the NPF requirements, revised zoning maps in Volume II, a new settlement plan for Boyle, a new land?use zoning strategy for Cortober, and a new settlement plan for Roscommon Town, replacing the existing LAP.

He outlined the proposed statutory process, noting that public consultation on the Draft Variation is expected to commence in late April/early May 2026 for a minimum four?week period. A Chief Executive’s Report on submissions will then issue approximately eight weeks after commencement of consultation, with Members required to consider the report within six weeks thereafter. The overall post?consultation process will take approximately 14 weeks, subject to material alterations.

The Cathaoirleach, Cllr. Callaghan, thanked Ms. Grier and Mr. Farragher for their presentation and noted the scale and ambition of the targets in the context of current construction activity levels. He observed that the targets equate to investment of approximately €200 million per annum in housing across the county, representing a substantial increase on current private expenditure.

Members thanked the presenters and raised the following matters:

• Calls for equitable growth across the county, ensuring all towns have fair opportunities to develop.
• Enquiries regarding disparities in zoning increases, with Roscommon Town (100%) and Monksland (80%) compared to Castlerea (25%), which was considered disappointing. Queries were raised as to why uptake rates (30% in Castlerea, 7% in Boyle, 4% in Roscommon Town, 0% in Ballaghaderreen) were not more strongly reflected in zoning allocations.
• Concern that Castlerea, which has available water and wastewater capacity, received a lower zoning uplift than towns requiring infrastructure upgrades.
• Views that provision could potentially be increased further to stimulate development.
• It was raised that villages were not sufficiently addressed, despite strong demand and limited housing availability, with calls for more planned residential development to support rural regeneration and counteract depopulation and ageing.
• Concern that without increased housing delivery, Roscommon risks losing out on economic growth, with calls for renewed government incentives similar to the former Section 23 scheme.
• Queries regarding how appetite or willingness of landowners to develop zoned lands is assessed.
• Queries regarding future planning for the Ballinasloe/Athlone area and interaction with the Athlone Joint Area Plan.
• Calls for additional growth allocation in Monksland, reflecting Athlone’s housing pressures, FDI levels and growth trajectory.
• Calls to recognise serviced lands in South Roscommon, including Barrymore, Kiltoom and Hodson Bay, which were de?zoned during the downturn.
• Questions regarding the impact of the variation on the vacant site levy/RZLT.
• Queries regarding flexibility to exceed targets where demand exists.
• Concerns regarding wastewater constraints in Ballaghaderreen and future engagement with Uisce Éireann.

Ms. Mary Grier, Senior Planner, responded to Members’ queries by clarifying that the housing growth figures presented in the Chief Executive’s Report relate specifically to existing settlements that already have residential zoning under the current CDP. She emphasised that opportunities for residential development within town centres, town cores, outer cores and designated opportunity sites remain available and are not fully reflected within the new zoning figures. She noted that, in the case of Castlerea, in addition to newly zoned residential lands, existing town core and outer core lands, opportunity sites and a number of whitelands identified in the 2022 CDP continue to contribute towards the Core Strategy housing capacity.

Ms. Grier explained that the proposed variation is an interim measure, intended to bridge the period between now and the making of the next generation of 10?year County Development Plans. She advised that the variation takes account of the current CDP expiry date of 2028, while introducing contingency to 2031, in anticipation that all local authority development plans may be extended nationally, although formal confirmation is awaited. She further clarified that new 10?year CDPs cannot commence until updated Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies are adopted across the regions.

She advised that once regional strategies are in place, extensive pre?draft engagement with Members will be undertaken as part of the next CDP review process, at which stage broader ambitions, including the role and growth potential of villages, can be fully revisited. In the interim, she noted that villages are not precluded from development, and that the absence of residential zoning in some villages can, in practice, offer greater flexibility for appropriately scaled housing proposals, particularly in serviced or semi?serviced locations.

In relation to South Roscommon, including Hodson Bay, Barrymore and Kiltoom, Ms. Grier clarified that Hodson Bay is addressed within the settlement strategy and remains capable of accommodating development within its defined settlement boundary. She advised that during the current CDP process Members were informed that assigning additional population or zoned growth to Hodson Bay would have necessitated reallocating growth away from other settlements. She confirmed that significant residential development has already taken place in the area and that opportunities for further appropriate development remain.

Addressing concerns regarding whether zoned lands are realistically developable, Ms. Grier outlined that the Planning Authority has drawn extensively on evidence from the Vacant Site Levy and Residential Zoned Land Tax (RZLT) processes. Lands where owners have indicated no intention to develop, or have sought exclusion from levies, have generally not been prioritised. She emphasised that the lands proposed under the variation are those considered to have a reasonable prospect of development, subject to market interest, and that the forthcoming public consultation provides landowners with an opportunity to make submissions, which may result in amendments where warranted.

With regard to Monksland, Ms. Grier noted that substantial areas of land remain available for mixed?use development, including Council?owned lands such as Hanlon’s Quarry, which offer significant long?term development potential. In relation to the Athlone Joint Area Plan, she explained that while the Core Strategy variation must include all settlements, the joint planning process with Westmeath County Council must proceed separately. She advised that coordination of timelines, variations and public consultation will be required, and that while work is ongoing, indicative timeframes suggest progress later in the year, subject to inter?authority alignment.

Ms. Grier further advised that recent legislative changes under the Planning and Development Act 2024 have replaced Joint Area Plans with Co?ordinated Area Plans, which require designation by the Regional Assembly. She encouraged Members to engage with the Assembly should they wish to pursue this approach. She also clarified that the NPF guidelines do not permit the introduction of entirely new zoning concepts in locations not previously zoned, and therefore the variation is confined to settlements with existing residential zoning.

Ms. Grier stressed that housing targets should not be viewed as caps, noting that Planning Authorities are required to monitor and report on delivery, but that appropriate proposals consistent with policy are considered on their planning merits. She also highlighted that Roscommon County Council’s approach differs from some authorities that rely heavily on increased densities to meet targets, explaining that the Council has sought a practical and context?sensitive balance, applying density standards appropriately while ensuring development remains compatible with the character of towns and rural settlements.

Mr. Mark Keaveney, Director of Services, advised that the variation seeks to maximise the opportunities afforded by the NPF guidelines, providing capacity for over 3,000 housing units to 2031, equating to well in excess of 500 units per annum. He noted that approximately 220 housing units were delivered in 2025 and 200 in 2024, demonstrating an upward trend. He emphasised that zoning decisions are informed not only by availability of land, but by the likelihood of delivery, including infrastructure capacity, market demand and economic viability, which is currently strongest in Roscommon Town and Monksland, while still allowing for growth across all towns.

Mr. Keaveney added that the Council remains open and supportive of pre?planning engagement with developers and landowners to facilitate reasonable and sustainable housing proposals on appropriately zoned or suitable lands.

Following further clarification queries, Ms. Grier confirmed that the housing growth figures are based on the 2022 Census, that whitelands can accommodate limited residential development, but are not suitable for significant increases, and that any extension of CDPs beyond 2028 will be a national policy decision.

The Chief Executive, Mr. Shane Tiernan, noted that the existing CDP already provided a substantial uplift above baseline housing targets, and that the proposed variation effectively represents a significant further increase, while acknowledging that actual delivery remains dependent on economic conditions and developer confidence. He emphasised that housing supply will not materialise without sufficient market demand and return on investment.