Councillors want to see more affordable homes in Ballina

A Fine Gael councillor has called for affordable homes to be included in all social housing developments in the Ballina municipal district. 

Cllr Marie Therese Duffy made her comments at last week's meeting of Ballina Municipal District after welcoming the approval of planning permission for housing projects on the former Duffy’s bakery site and Cheshire Home sites in the town.

“It is great to get the planning but for every development that comes before us we must push for it to be a mixed development with at least 10% allocated to affordable housing. So many constituents approach me looking for this and while the council has done a great job delivering social housing, there is still no affordable housing.” 

Cllr Duffy asked for a survey to be carried out to assess the need for such housing in Ballina “because there is a massive demand for it". Referring to a scheme in Tipperary town that had 13 affordable home, she sought an update for the next meeting on what Mayo County Council has asked the Department of Housing for in respect of funding affordable homes in Ballina Municipal District. 

Cathaoirleach Cllr Jarlath Munnelly seconded the call, saying it was a very important issue that needed to be pursued while Cllr Annie May Reape said her understanding was there is no application for affordable housing for Ballina submitted to the Department because house prices in Ballina are affordable, compared to Westport, which got five affordable homes in a recent social housing scheme. 

Ballina Municipal District manager Declan Turnbull told members that each case had to be taken on its own merits and costs would be determined by whether the council owned the land or had to pay for the land on which to build houses. He explained that the council had to buy the land for the Cheshire Home and Duffy’s bakery sites and that costs for each house had to be worked out and sent to the Department for approval.

• Published as part of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.