Plans to wind down controversial fast-track housing scheme delayed

A new circular sent to local authorities has said the government cannot commit to the end date of October for the Strategic Housing Development system any longer and it will now expire in February 2022

The SHD system has generated tens of thousands of planning permissions since 2017 but delivered relatively few homes. Picture: Laura Hutton/RollingNews.ie

Plans announced by the government in July to wind down the controversial fast-track housing scheme have been delayed until 2022.

The Strategic Housing Development (SHD) system was created in 2017 in a bid to fast-track the planning application process for large-scale housing developments of 100 residential units or more. Over the past several years, the system has generated tens of thousands of planning permissions but delivered relatively few homes.

Last year, as part of the ...