Sir, – I have read Sinn Féin’s recent policy document on housing, Michael McDowell’s article “Housing crisis will not be solved by Sinn Féin or Coalition” (Opinion & Analysis, September 11th) and your editorial “The Irish Times view on the land for building: a key issue in housing supply” (September 10th). All three place great emphasis on how more land could and should be acquired for building.
It seems to have escaped the reasoning of the authors and indeed the majority of the Irish population that it is possible to build up into the air rather than out onto more land.
I fail to understand the Irish obsession with low-rise, low-density housing provision, with its requirement for the destruction of greenspace land.
I live a good part of my time in Turkey and I would have to travel far and wide in that country to see a standalone house. As far as I can see, 10-floor or 12-floor apartment blocks make up the bulk of residential provision there, many of excellent design.
It is extraordinary that Irish people very often object to anything involving high-rise development on the basis of excess height and density while at the same time turning a blind eye to wholesale destruction of prime agricultural land in places such as Donabate (some 30km from Dublin city centre) for the building of the usual low-rise apartment blocks and even more semi-detached houses. This is at a time when up to 30 per cent of agricultural land worldwide is at risk due to desertification.
This is utter insanity.
I agree with Michael McDowell’s view that neither the Coalition parties nor Sinn Féin have any solution to our housing crisis.
To provide the 300,000 houses required, we will have to build high, build tight and bring in foreign companies and labour on a massive scale. Further, we will need to amend our current planning legislation to greatly reduce the ability of people to object to proposed developments.
I am of the opinion that the selfishness and shortsightedness of Irish people are big factors causing our current housing crisis which has now become a real threat to our economic wellbeing. A case of shooting one’s self in the foot. – Yours, etc,
TIMOTHY J RYAN,
Castleknock,
Dublin 15.
Sir, – Michael McDowell assures us that the housing crisis will not be solved by Sinn Féin or the Coalition.
I suppose we will just have to keep on waiting for the second coming of Michael the Omniscient. – Yours, etc,
DAMIEN FLINTER,
Headford,
Co Galway.