Dublin City councillors have voted down a move to allow back garden log cabins as a way of alleviating the housing crisis.
A motion to change the development plan and allow ‘free standing ancillary family accommodation’ had been passed by the council’s Planning Committee.
But the motion was rejected at a full meeting of the council this evening after a report from council management warned that log cabins posed a safety risk and can be a nuisance to neighbouring properties.
Cllr John Lyons (Ind), who originally tabled the motion, had told the meeting that allowing log cabins would be a practical measure that could help a lot of people in the medium term, such as those trying to save a deposit.
He pointed out that it would take a couple on the average industrial wage ten years to save a deposit if they were paying €1,500 a month in rent.
However, most councillors argued against lowering building standards.
Cllr Alison Gilliland (Lab) said the idea was "clutching at straws" and that "we would be creating a sub culture of shanty towns".
Cllr Tina McVeigh (PBP) said it would not be feasible to ensure that these structures would only be used by family members.
Cllr Daithi Doolan (SF) said this would allow substandard accommodation to be rented out by unscrupulous landlords.
A report for councillors by assistant chief executive Richard Shakespeare revealed that there have been 175 complaints to planning enforcement about log cabins over the past four years.
The report stated that a "crucial matter" with log cabins in many cases is the lack of safe and independent access from the public road.
City Planner John O’Hara said the council would be flexible and that a log cabin with its own external access "would be looked on favourably".
The motion to alter the development plan was defeated by 36 votes to 11, with three abstentions.
