Irish state forester Coillte is proposing to create small housing developments on its forest land which could act as showcases for timber design.
Coillte has identified 17 potential sites on its 440,000ha of land, and one plan for 25 timber frame houses in County Wicklow has already received planning permission.
The proposals are part of Coillte’s expansion of non-core activities, outlined at its annual management conference earlier this month.
A spokesperson for Coillte said: ‘It is a very real opportunity for us to contribute towards rural housing, probably by making small pieces of land available and potentially being involved in the development of the houses.’
The company says such developments could increase the market penetration of timber frame.
About 30% of Coillte’s revenue is from non-core activities, particularly telecom installations. Other target areas include increased use of technology for taking forest inventories and more use of the internet.
