Government loses ‘10,000 affordable homes’ amid fears of legal backlash

Late exemption from Housing for All plan excludes land bought from 2015 to 2021 and was brought in following what the housing minister described as ‘very strong’ advice

Darragh O’Brien: the decision to exempt the land from the new measures to promote affordable housing delivery was made on foot of ‘very strong’ advice from the department. Picture: Fergal Phillips

The government has lost the opportunity to secure 10,000 affordable homes from developers, after it granted a last-minute exemption to large swathes of land from a key provision of its new Housing For All plan over fears of legal challenges.

Under the government’s new housing plan and in a bid to boost delivery of affordable homes on private lands, some developers will be told to set aside 20 per cent of homes for social and ...