Latest news with #IanLawlor
RTÉ News
24-07-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
Second quarter home completions up 35% compared to last year
Housing completion figures show that 9,214 homes were built in April, May and June of this year, according to the Central Statistics Office. The figures show a 35% increase on the same period in 2024, mainly boosted by a rise in apartment construction. It means that 15,149 homes have been built so far this year. Last year there were 30,206 units completed. The Government's current target for completions is 41,000 for 2025. Housing experts say more than 50,000 homes need to be built annually to deal with the housing crisis. The CSO figures show 3,053 apartments were built in April, May and June of this year which was more than double the same time last year. There were 4,643 homes built in housing schemes, a 17% increase from the second quarter of last year. "There were 3,053 apartment completions in Q2 2025, which was up 101% on the same quarter in 2024," the CSO said. Single dwellings increased by 13% to 1,518 compared the second quarter of last year. The local electoral area with the most completions in the second quarter of this year was Blanchardstown-Mulhuddart in Dublin. Commenting on today's figures, Ian Lawlor, managing director of Roundtower Capital, said that unless there is an exponential increase in housing delivery, steep house price and rent inflation will persist and homes will continue to be unaffordable for a large cohort of young people. "We are calling for emergency housing legislation that would fast-track developments of national importance, overriding the legal delays and local inconsistencies that currently hamper builders' ability to deliver projects efficiently," he said. "Just as Ireland demonstrated its capacity to build pandemic hospitals within weeks and mobilise resources overnight, we must now apply that same energy and coordination to housing delivery," he added. Mr Lawlor said the revised National Development Plan is a huge step in the right direction. But he added that the Government must deliver on the plan and must prioritise the delivery of the major infrastructure projects that this country needs. "Ambitious housing targets are all well and good – but without proper planning, joined-up thinking and the necessary infrastructure, these promises will simply never be lived up to," he stated. Kate English, the chief economist at Deloitte Ireland, said that while first half completions are the highest in more than a decade, commencements are at their lowest in a decade, showing the negative impact of planning delays, uncertainty around Government policy and infrastructure constraints on future delivery. "Completion figures confirm that there is practically zero possibility of reaching housing targets this year unless something remarkable happens in the second half of 2025," Kate English said. "An examination of commencement figures for the mid-way point of 2025 does not leave much room for optimism in 2026. The low commencement figures are concerning because this shows how our future pipeline is performing," she said.
Irish Examiner
20-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Home building activity falls by over 4% marking 'hugely disappointing' start to 2025
The volume of production in building and construction rose by almost 5% in the first three months of 2025 when compared with the end of last year. New figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) on Friday show that on an annual basis, a 13.5% increase was recorded in the volume of production in building and construction between January and March. However, despite the overall rise, the volume in the residential building sector was down by 4.3% at the beginning of this year when compared with the last three months of 2024. Meanwhile, the volume index for the non-residential building sector rose by 4.4% between the end of last year and the start of 2025. In the same period, the volume index for the civil engineering sector rose by 16.6%. "On an annual basis, between Q1 2024 and Q1 2025, production volume in construction grew by 13.5%," said CSO statistician Shane O'Sullivan. "During the same period, production volume in the non-residential building sector rose by 13.7% and was up by 35.9% in the civil engineering sector, while production volume in residential building showed an annual decrease of 10.6%." The value index for all building and construction between January and May was up by 6.5% on a quarterly basis, while on an annual basis, it was up by 19%. 'While the volume of production in building and construction is up, the 4.3% fall in house building activity is hugely disappointing and a further indication that the government is going to struggle to meet its housing targets this year," said Ian Lawlor, Managing Director of Roundtower Capital Today's CSO findings follow data released earlier this month showing a decline in the number of homes approved for planning permission in the first three months of 2025. "2025, unfortunately, has not got off to a promising start for housing delivery," Mr Lawlor continued. "While the rental reforms recently announced are certainly welcome, the jury is out as to just how effective they will be in stimulating housing supply. "Other obstacles to increased supply that need to be tackled if the Government is to get more private investors on board include prohibitive development levies, VAT burdens, inadequate tax incentives, limited Public Private Partnership options, and insufficient state support for builders."
Irish Times
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Mystery objector to planned revamp of Shrewsbury Road home used for Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman film
A mystery objector is opposing a planned new gate as part of house revamp plans by Dee and Ian Lawlor for their property at Coolbeg, Shrewsbury Road in Dublin 4. Coolbeg was used in scenes from the 1990s Hollywood blockbuster Far and Away starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman . The Lawlor planning application comes after Coolbeg was purchased for €12.23 million in a November 2024 deal, according to the Residential Property Price Register . The Lawlors are seeking planning permission for a residential extension, car garage, and a modified vehicular entrance with an additional pedestrian entrance at Coolbeg. The residential extension will result in the home having a gross floor area of 6,932 sq ft – almost six times the size of an average three bed semidetached home of 1,200 sq ft. READ MORE [ Look inside: Shrewsbury Road Edwardian used for Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman film for €12.5m Opens in new window ] However, planning consultants, Hughes Planning and Development Consultants (HPDC) have called on the council to refuse planning permission or seek alterations to the planned boundary treatments. In the only submission opposing the scheme, the Dublin based planning consultancy doesn't state who the submission is being on behalf of. In the submission, director at HPDC, Kevin Hughes states that 'the proposed new gate and alterations to the boundary wall along Shrewsbury Road, if granted, would set a negative precedent and erode the visual coherence and heritage value of the wider area'. Mr Hughes states that the Lawlor plan to remove a 1.7 metre high existing metal gate and replace it a 2.1 metre high solid timber hardwood door and associated pedestrian door of same material. Mr Hughes said: 'We object to the design, scale, and materiality of the entrance gate which opens on to Shrewsbury Road. He contends that 'the proposed new gate is significantly larger in scale to the existing gate, and the gates of neighbouring properties. This will detract from the architectural rhythm of the street, and its consistent visual character'. Mr Hughes has requested that the council refuse planning permission or that the application be amended 'to ensure the boundary treatments are appropriately scaled'. The sole objection against the planned house revamp follows businessman and Shrewsbury Road neighbour, Fred Trenaman writing a letter of support to the council for the house revamp plan. In a planning submission on behalf of the Lawlors, director at Thornton O'Connor, Sadhbh O'Connor said 'the proposed garage and gate are modest in scale and design'.
Irish Examiner
21-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
House prices in Cork and Kerry rose more than 10% in the last year as expert blames planning delays
The typical price of a home sold in Ireland in the last 12 months now stands at a staggering €362,500, as prices in Cork and Kerry rose more than 10% in the last year. The latest Property Price Register from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) showed house price inflation moderated slightly in the 12 months to March 2025, but the cost of buying a home still rose 7.5% in the space of a year. Prices outside of Dublin are rising at a faster rate than inside the capital. Furthermore, house prices in counties aside from Dublin are 174.1% higher than they were during the worst of the downturn in 2013, meaning prices are not far off triple what they were just 12 years ago. The latest figures come amid a series of worrying signs in the housing sector, with commencements significantly down, the cost of rents rising and fears housing targets may be missed again this year. CSO statistician Niall Corkery said: 'Residential property prices rose by 7.5% in the 12 months to March 2025, down from 8% in the year to February 2025. 'Households paid a median or mid-point price of €362,500 for a residential property in the 12 months to March 2025. The highest median price paid for a dwelling was €665,000 in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, while the lowest was €180,000 in Leitrim. 'The most expensive Eircode area over the 12 months to March 2025 was A94 (Blackrock, Dublin) with a median price of €750,000, while F45 (Castlerea, Roscommon) had the least expensive price of €150,000.' In Cork, the most expensive Eircode to buy is the P17 Kinsale area, with a median price of €461,500. The cheapest was the P75 Bantry area, with a median price of €232,000. While the headline rate of inflation is 7.5%, some areas have reached double figures, including border counties, the Midlands, the West of Ireland, the Mid-West and the South-West. This adds up to 17 counties, including most of Munster, Ulster and Connacht. In March, more than 3,600 homes changed hands in Ireland. One in five homes sold were new homes, amounting to 751. First-time buyers accounted for 36% of the homes bought in the previous 12 months, with second-hand buyers making up 52.6% of home purchasers, and non-households such as funds and charities making up the other 10.8%. In the last year, inflation in new homes has continued to fall, rising just 4.1% compared to second-hand homes rising 9.1%. Ian Lawlor, managing director of Roundtower Capital which lends to developers, said while inflation had moderated, the figures showed Irish house prices continue to soar. Ultimately, unless there's a significant increase in housing delivery, steep house price and rent inflation will persist and homes will continue to be unaffordable for a large cohort of young people. 'Demand for housing is only going in one direction for now. Yet planning and infrastructure delays continue to stall the building of thousands of new homes. These ongoing planning delays are particularly frustrating to those on the ground trying to deliver new homes, Mr Lawlor said. 'The intense pressure on Ireland's housing market is evident, yet we have a planning system that is not fit for purpose and huge bottlenecks in infrastructure.'
Irish Independent
21-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Slight slowdown in property-price inflation but values still up by 7.5pc
But despite this, prices are still up for the 19th month in a row, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO). Across the State, home prices were up by 7.5pc in the year to March 2025. This is down from 8pc in the year to February. Property prices in Dublin rose by 6pc, and prices outside Dublin were up by 8.7pc compared with March last year. The median, or typical, price of a dwelling purchased in the year to March was €362,500. This is up almost €30,000 in the past year alone, the CSO statistics show. The highest median price for a home in the period was €665,000 in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, while the lowest median price was €180,000 in Leitrim. Outside of Dublin, the most expensive region over the last year was Wicklow, with a median price of €454,000. The second most expensive region was Kildare, which had a median price of €410,000. In March, 3,617 dwelling purchases by households were filed with the Revenue Commissioners at a total value of €1.5bn. These purchases were made up of 2,866 existing dwellings and 751 new dwellings. Revenue data shows there were 1,336 first-time buyer purchases in the month. Prices for new homes were up 4.1pc than in the first three months of this year. CSO statisticians said this was higher than the increase in the same three month period in 2024. A chronic shortage of second-hand homes saw their prices rise by 9.1pc in the first three months of this year. Senior underwriter with mortgage provider Núa Money Donal Magee the CSO figures lend weight to what it is seeing on the ground. Price growth has moderated slightly, but the accessibility gap to financing is still very real. Managing director of Roundtower Capital, a firm that funds developers, Ian Lawlor said the rate of house price growth continues to ease slightly. But CSO figures also shows that Irish house prices continue to soar with annual prices up 7.5pc. 'The CSO's latest house price index comes in the same week that a report from the property website Daft found that the average asking prices for rents nationally topped €2,000 for the first time ever. He said: 'Ultimately, unless there's a significant increase in housing delivery, steep house price and rent inflation will persist and homes will continue to be unaffordable for a large cohort of young people.' Mr Lawlor said demand for housing is only going in one direction for now.
