Jack Chambers criticises people who object to housing on basis it affects their ‘area’s character’

A senior Government minister has strongly criticised people who object to new housing developments they say undermine the “character of the area”.

Jack Chambers, Minister for Public Expenditure and Infrastructure, said there were countless examples across the country where the broader public good was being frustrated by objections that were nebulous and self-serving.

“I’ve seen examples in recent months of housing getting stopped because it undermines the character of the area,” he said.

“What does that mean? For me, it’s about housing. It’s about infrastructure and cutting through some of the nonsense which is just impeding the broader economic and social objective.”

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Mr Chambers was speaking at a press conference to outline the role to be played by the new infrastructure division, led by a deputy secretary general, in tackling what he said was among the slowest systems of delivery of big capital projects in the world.

He said the infrastructure division, in addition to a taskforce, would address the delays, impediments, blockages in delivery that hold up the completion of projects for years.

“The careful focus here is not to have endless projects, which were announced many years ago, continue into the future and where we can’t be clear on when delivery will happen,” he said.

The division will include experts who have been seconded from ESB Networks, EirGrid, Uisce Éireann and Transport Infrastructure Ireland. In addition, the taskforce, which will meet monthly, is to include senior leaders in infrastructure delivery as well as the CEOs of semistate bodies with experience in this area.

Mr Chambers was speaking alongside Minister of State for Public Procurement Emer Higgins at a media event in Merrion Street, Dublin. He expressed frustration about the slow pace of delivery, saying there was need for the “provocative zeal of reform.”

Identifying water, energy, transport and housing as the four key areas, he said the State cannot delay on major schemes such as the water supply pipeline from the Shannon to the Greater Dublin Area, Metrolink and substantial investments in the energy grid and in renewable energy generators.

Asked about his criticism of objections grounded on the character of the area, an objection frequently used in established neighbourhoods in relation to new developments, he said: “An area absolutely can have a character, but to think that an area doesn’t accept more housing when people have existing housing, I don’t think it impedes the character of an area.

“I think new people living in an area enhances the diversity and character of an area. The fact that people think they have a veto on more people living around them [reflects] a mindset that has to change.

“It’s just a frustration. I hear from many young people who would like to live in urban areas, but they have people who’ve lived in places for decades objecting to housing on the basis of a character of an area, which I think is a nebulous reference that just seeks to block.

“Of course, areas have enormous character, across cities and towns and villages, but that shouldn’t impede some additional housing or community infrastructure which, I think, would enhance the character of the area.”