Small builders 'need support from council'

Mayo Co Council must work with small builders to help develop new houses around the county rather than place any planning obstacles in their way.

Welcoming the opening up of almost 500 acres of prime serviced land for housing (see opposite page), Ballinrobe auctioneer, Cllr Michael Burke, told management at the council’s December meeting that small builders need support.

"This is fully serviced or adjacent land ready to go. I also hope the planning process will become a little bit more difficult for people to lodge objections, and this is why it is important we get the plan right.” 

Cllr Adrian Forkan agreed, saying: “We need a council to be able to work with builders of 10 houses or so. Anyone who is willing to put the money up, to get the land and go through the planning process, we should help them as much as we can and in turn work to solve our housing crisis.” 

Sinn Féin Cllr Gerry Murray suggested a state-owned bank be set up to help small builders, saying: “Builders are unable to get finance as banking institutions are so cautious since the crash. If they were given sufficient funds, they could build 20 units at a time. We proposed a state-owned bank before and we also proposed the local authority buy landbanks for builders to build on and pay the council back for the land after. It is beyond me why government is reluctant to follow this model as it is already in operation in the US and Australia. Ultimately, it would create a state bank to provide funding to build a supply of houses.” 

Cllr Harry Barrett said builder finance is key so that small builders can take a chance. 

“We need to be more ambitious as well and put an end to this building in phases of 30 houses at a time, McHale Road in Castlebar was built with 116 houses all at once."

• Published as part of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.