'Viability issues' halt plans for Mayo housing schemes

Several private housing developments that have been granted planning permission in Ballina may not proceed due to viability issues, a local councillor has claimed.

Fine Gael Cllr John O'Hara told last week's meeting of Ballina Municipal District that he knew Mayo Co Council was doing its best to deliver houses but it was "a disgrace that private developers are not building estates in the town". Referring to decisions by An Coimisiún Pleanála, Cllr O'Hara said: “We are one of the biggest towns in Mayo and it is wrong that not one private housing estate is being built. Our government owes a lot to Ballina and they need to come down and get things moving. People from An Coimisiún Pleanála coming here who haven’t a clue about the area and saying you have to build elsewhere is ridiculous. Our kids are having to move to Castlebar to live and can only buy second-hand houses. We need our politicians to look at what is happening and bring it to a head and get all these estates opened.” 

The council's Director of Services Catherine McConnell advised that a new variation to the County Development Plan is expected to open up 195 hectares of zoned and serviced land for housing across Mayo and told councillors a further variation would be sought in 2026 for more zoning.

She did not agree that there are no private housing developments underway in Ballina, saying that one developer had been granted planning permission for at least 40 houses and there were several smaller housing schemes in hand. 

“I think we would all agree it is not zoned land that is the issue but viability and making a profit, which developers are entitled to do as these projects carry big risks. So we do have some live permissions around Ballina but we are just not seeing them converted.” 

Cathaoirleach Cllr Jarlath Munnelly said councillors need to start the process of "pitching new housing zones" in Ballina early in 2026, a suggestion that won approval.

Cllr Annie May Reape also called on the council to outline proposals for serviced lands on which people could build their own houses.

• Published as part of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.