Kildare Chamber, which counts many of the big tech and pharma companies located in its region as members, warned that the latest development plan for the rapidly growing Kildare region has allowed for 13,000 fewer homes in the area over the next six years compared to the previous six years.
And that previous plan – which had set a target of more than 20,000 homes to be built in the region in the six years to 2023 – had failed to keep pace with a population that had grown 11pc in the same period.
‘Housing must be viewed as a crucial economic enabler’
The warning, contained in a pre-budget submission by Kildare Chamber to the Government, claimed that low levels of residential construction had not kept pace with the growing levels of employment and population in the mid-eastern region.
The delivery of housing and infrastructure were serious threats to further growth in the economically critical FDI sector, they said.
“Ensuring the housing needs of talent are met is crucial in maintaining Kildare as an attractive location for business.
“The residential preferences of talent play a pivotal role in attracting investment and supporting business expansion. In this context, housing must be viewed as a crucial economic enabler,” said the submission.
It called on the Government to fast-track planning for high density developments. Photo: Getty
Inward migration brings numerous benefits to Kildare, introducing increased diversity and supporting significant social change, it said.
“As Kildare’s population continues to grow, spurred by its blend of urban and rural dynamics, addressing and enabling housing delivery must remain the top priority for Government.
“This focus is essential not only for supporting current economic activities, particularly in the northern IT-centric cities like Naas, Maynooth, Celbridge, and Leixlip, but also for fostering sustainable development throughout the southern agricultural, equine and logistics bases of the county.
“In a globalised world, housing impacts on the cost of doing business through wage effects, as well as indirectly through the impact on general price levels.
The Chamber called on the Government to fast-track planning for high density developments
“This, in turn, is reflected in the difficulty of recruiting skilled labour internationally and poses problems for renters expressing dissatisfaction with their housing,” it said.
It called on the Government to fast-track planning for high density developments near public transport hubs, and pressed for tax incentives and financial aids for brownfield developments.
The Chamber urged the Government to provide financial support so “key growth towns and urban centres can be revitalised in a sustainable way, stimulating local economies and protecting green spaces.”
Brownfield sites often have existing infrastructure in place, such as roads, water supply and public transport.
“To address the cost disparity between brownfield and greenfield developments, providing up-front grant aid and financing assistance can make projects in town centres and urban areas financially viable.”
