Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne and Minister of State for Local Government and Planning, John Cummins have jointly issued a National Planning Statement which aims to strike a balance between ensuring that apartment development delivers at high standards and quality, while promoting an increased level of delivery overall.
The new National Planning Statement, delivered earlier this month, sets out standards for apartment development in relation to parameters and matters including apartment mix; internal space standards for different types of apartments; dual aspect ratios; floor-to-ceiling heights; stair/lift core ratios; storage spaces; and amenity spaces including balconies/patios.
The statement comes in the wake of a legal challenge commenced last year following the publication of Government guidelines on apartment standards for new developments.
“In July last year, we issued guidelines aimed at meeting the needs of society in terms of high building and fire standards as well as quality, while promoting an increased level of delivery overall," Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne explained. "Judicial review proceedings were commenced in relation to those guidelines and subsequently referred to the European Court of Justice, where the legal proceedings remain ongoing. To provide much-needed certainty and to boost housing delivery, and strictly without prejudice to the current legal proceedings, we are introducing this National Planning Statement to replace the 2025 guidelines.
“Like most people in this country, I am determined that things get moving faster and more effectively," the Minister added. "If we are to achieve a serious acceleration in housing delivery, we have to engage every mechanism available to realise that ambition.
“Already, we have introduced a suite of taxation measures aimed at stimulating the supply of new apartments including a reduced VAT rate on the sale of new apartments and an enhanced corporation tax deduction for apartment construction costs. We also have the Croi Conaithe Cities Scheme where developers are provided a subvention per apartment to bridge the cost viability gap. This enables apartment schemes that are currently financially unviable to proceed.
“This National Planning Statement for Apartment Standards is a further development to address the urgent need to increase housing supply and to address the viability issues relating to the delivery of apartments.
“The supply of apartments is critical to meeting the needs of our people, forming a crucial part of the overall mix of homes that are needed, particularly in locations that are close to existing facilities and services. The standards within this Statement will ensure a vital balance between quality accommodation and an increased quantity of homes.”
Minister of State for Local Government and Planning John Cummins added: “This National Planning Statement, coupled with many of the reforms and measures that have been advanced to date, demonstrate this government’s commitment to ensuring that the development of apartments can be viable and accelerated across our cities and towns.
“This National Planning Statement is a common sense and pragmatic approach to delivering much needed housing and while some would prefer to see perfect plans on paper that never materialise into homes for individuals and families; this Government is driving forward these reforms in a genuine attempt to cultivate apartment delivery at scale.
“Addressing the undersupply of high quality apartments is a priority in our Housing Action Plan and this National Planning Statement will unquestionably assist in that endeavour.”
The Planning Design Standards for Apartments National Planning Statement is applicable to any application for planning permission and to any appeal or direct application to An Coimisiún Pleanála that is determined after November 4, the date of the statement's publication.
