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The Journal
16-07-2025
- Business
- The Journal
Here's how much the government says tiny apartments will save
HOW FAR WILL the government's overhaul of regulations for building apartments go in its bid to reduce costs and entice developers? As announced last week , Housing Minister James Browne wants to boost construction in the sector by tweaking requirements for new apartments, in response to warnings about flagging development . They would pare back the minimum apartment size to approximately the size of two and a half parking spaces and scrap rules on the maximum number of one-bedroom and studio apartments in buildings. Fewer windows and balconies would also be required, while a requirement to have indoor communal or cultural facilities has been scrapped. The proposed changes, contained in the Planning Design Standards for Apartments, Guidelines for Planning Authorities (2025) bill, are aiming for a €50,000 to €100,000 reduction in the cost of construction. This is to be achieved by applying savings to the cost of individual apartments and by changes affecting the whole apartment block. Cutting down on floor space The figures, seen by The Journal , were prepared for the government by the Land Development Agency. Some of the biggest savings for each individual apartment in a new build are found by cutting down on floor space – potentially lessening the cost for a developer of between €30,000 to €43,500. Advertisement The costings show that, at €10-15,000, some of the largest savings in an apartment block could come from the removal of requirements for community and cultural spaces for the new building's residents. Further savings on the cost of each apartment could come from the decrease in dual aspect ratios – meaning an apartment has windows on at least two external walls – and could save a builder as much as €20,000 in certain cases. Another potential reduction is outlined by snipping balconies from new developments, with savings of between €11,000 and €22,000 estimated per apartment. In terms of overall prices, the report outlined minimum savings of €47,000 per apartment depending on how the reductions are made by the builder. Maximum savings are estimated at €85,500 per apartment. Across an entire apartment block – meaning changes such as scrapping community facilities or reducing floor space – minimum savings are estimated at €14,000 while maximum savings come in at €25,000. 'Dark shoe boxes' The changes have been criticised by the Opposition since they were unveiled last week. The Journal / YouTube Sinn Féin housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin warned it would mean renters paying higher rents for 'smaller and darker' apartments. Social Democrats housing spokesperson Rory Hearne said the 'liveability' of apartments in Ireland would be much reduced . Hearne raised the issue with Taoiseach Micheál Martin in the Dáil yesterday. Related Reads Dublin city councillors criticise Minister's plans to downsize apartments Taoiseach: 'Some councils took their eye off the ball, they need to go back to housing' House prices have jumped by up to 19% in some counties over the past year The Taoiseach denied that the smaller units will be 'dark shoe boxes'. These are sensible provisions, he said. The new unit designs will suit 'different people looking for different accommodation at different stages of their lives', concluded Martin. The Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) also raised concerns about the new design rules, stating that while it recognises the pressing challenges raised around the viability and affordability of housing delivery, it is 'deeply concerned' that moves to relax key design safeguards risk undermining the creation of sustainable, high-quality living environments. Such a move could create future long-term challenges for apartment owners and tenants, said the RIAI. The new guidance will allow for development of apartment blocks with single typologies which is completely at odds with the previous work of the Department of Housing to strengthen the sustainable communities approach to delivering homes, the architects group said in a statement. It went on to state that evidence shows the cumulative effects of 'poorly sized and designed homes can contribute to social inequality and reduce overall productivity'. With reporting by Christina Finn Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
BreakingNews.ie
08-07-2025
- Business
- BreakingNews.ie
Site acquired in Cookstown, Tallaght, with potential for 700 homes
The Land Development Agency (LDA) has announced the acquisition of a significant urban regeneration site in Cookstown in Tallaght, Dublin 24. Subject to planning permission, the 3.95-hectare (9.76-acre) site has the potential to deliver over 700 new homes along with associated amenities, facilities and a pocket park. Advertisement The site was acquired from a private seller as part of the LDA's private site acquisition initiative, which was announced in August 2023. As part of this initiative, the LDA is targeting the purchase of privately-owned sites with significant housing potential to add to its landbank of State-owned land and local authority partnership sites. To date, the agency has purchased privately-owned land in Clongriffin and Baldoyle in north Dublin as well as the Royal Liver site on the Naas Road in Dublin 12. These sites and the new Cookstown site now have the potential to deliver 5,800 homes, the LDA said. Advertisement In addition, the LDA also recently announced the acquisition of a site in the Lehaunstown Lane in Cherrywood, Dublin 18 with the potential for 350 new homes. The Cookstown site is currently zoned for regeneration. Design and planning work will commence immediately and, subject to planning permission, the LDA is seeking to have construction underway by 2028. The site was acquired from a private seller as part of the LDA's private site acquisition initiative, which was announced in August 2023. The site is located off the Belgard Road at the northeastern edge of Cookstown Industrial Estate. It fronts onto the Old Belgard Road and is currently occupied by industrial buildings, totalling 165,000 sq ft. The location is next to a recently developed Amazon AWS data centre and the surrounding area is predominantly commercial with a number of low-rise warehouse facilities, "meaning there is a significant opportunity to achieve a net biodiversity gain across the site". Advertisement It is located about 600 metres from the Belgard Luas stop and 1.5 kilometres from the Cookstown Luas stop. This line connects the area directly to key locations including Tallaght University Hospital, St James's Hospital, Heuston Station, Connolly Station, Busáras, and The Point in Dublin 1. The site offers easy access to the M50 via Katharine Tynan Road and is served by the R113 Belgard Road, which includes a dedicated cycle lane providing seamless cycling access to Tallaght and Dublin city. The site benefits from its proximity to Sean Walsh Memorial Park, "a substantial green space situated at the heart of the community". Advertisement It is located about 600 metres from the Belgard Luas stop and 1.5 kilometres from the Cookstown Luas stop. In addition, it is located near several other notable natural amenities, including the scenic Bohernabreena Reservoir Park, the expansive Tymon Park, and the Dodder Valley Park. Collectively, these green spaces "provide a rich variety of recreational opportunities and contribute significantly to local residents' quality of life". The location is also close to a high number of employment centres, including Tallaght University Hospital, TU Dublin – Tallaght Campus, Cookstown Industrial Estate, The Square Town Centre, Citywest Business Campus and Baldonnell Business Park. John Coleman, chief executive of the Land Development Agency, said: 'We are pleased to announce this latest land purchase. Our private land acquisition initiative allows us to identify and acquire high potential sites with an emphasis on regeneration and unlocking underutilised land for the provision of affordable housing. Through transfers of State-owned land, partnerships with local authorities and through our own land acquisitions, the LDA now has a strong delivery pipeline, and we are progressing all our sites as quickly as possible."
Irish Times
07-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Permission given for Kinsealy homes despite opposition
Fingal County Council has granted planning permission to the Land Development Agency (LDA) for 193 homes on a site of the former Teagasc Research Centre at the Malahide Road near Kinsealy in north Dublin despite local opposition. The council gave permission after concluding the scheme 'would provide a high quality new residential area and would be an excellent example of plan-led development'. The 49 page council planner's report development also found the scheme 'thoroughly conforms to the planning framework provided for the area'. The council concluded that the scheme 'provides a satisfactory standard for residential amenity, would be acceptable in terms of urban design and quantum of development'. READ MORE The LDA lodged the plans in February after Teagasc agreed to transfer the lands to the LDA for the development of affordable housing in accordance with its mandate to accelerate the delivery of affordable new homes throughout Ireland. The scheme comprises 193 residential dwellings including 153 houses and 40 duplex units arranged in three storey blocks on a site south of Kinsealy village centre and 4km south-eastsoutheast. The scheme also provides for 229 car parking spaces, 345 bicycle spaces and four acres of public open space while in addition, 5.4 acres of greenbelt zoned lands are included to the south and southeast of the residential development area to accommodate a playing pitch. In response to the scheme, on behalf of the Kinsealy and Chapel Road Community Organisation, Sean Crawford told the council that 'building more houses is not just the answer - it'– about creating sustainable communities that can truly thrive'. He said that building the scheme without a comprehensive vision 'will ultimately increase strain on current residents and diminish quality of life throughout the growing communities of Fingal'. Mr Crawford stated that the proposed three-storey duplexes fundamentally violate the area's rural character and objectives of the Fingal Development Plan which explicitly safeguard rural aesthetics and require appropriate density and scale. In his objection, David Bent from Gandon Lane, Kinsealy contended: 'While I appreciate the need for new housing and development in our area, I have serious concerns regarding the lack of supporting infrastructure, which would significantly impact the safety and wellbeing of current and future residents.' He said: 'The local schools are already operating at or near full capacity. This development would place additional pressure on these institutions, limiting access to quality education for families moving into the area.'
BreakingNews.ie
07-07-2025
- General
- BreakingNews.ie
Council approves 193 unit housing scheme in Kinsealy despite local opposition
Fingal County Council has granted planning permission to the Land Development Agency (LDA) to construct 193 residential units on a site of the former Teagasc Research Centre at Malahide Road, Kinsealy, Dublin 17 despite local opposition. The Council has granted planning permission to the LDA after concluding that the scheme 'would provide a high quality new residential area and would be an excellent example of plan-led development'. Advertisement The 49-page Council planner's report into the proposed Large-Scale Residential Development (LRD) also found that the scheme 'thoroughly conforms to the planning framework provided for the area'. The Council also concluded that the scheme 'provides a satisfactory standard for residential amenity, would be acceptable in terms of urban design and quantum of development'. The LDA lodged the plans in February after Teagasc agreed to transfer the lands to the LDA for the development of affordable housing in accordance with the LDA's statutory mandate to accelerate the delivery of affordable new homes throughout Ireland. The scheme comprises the construction of 193 residential dwellings comprising 153 two-storey houses and 40 duplex units arranged in three-storey blocks on a site located to the south of Kinsealy village centre and 4 km south-east of Swords. Advertisement The scheme also provides for 229 car parking spaces, 345 bicycle parking spaces and four acres of dedicated public open space while in addition, 5.4 acres of greenbelt zoned lands are included to the south and south-east of the residential development area to accommodate a playing pitch. However, in response to the scheme, on behalf of the Kinsealy and Chapel Road Community Organisation, Sean Crawford told the council that "building more houses is not just the answer - it's about creating sustainable communities that can truly thrive". He said that building the scheme without a comprehensive vision 'will ultimately increase strain on current residents and diminish the quality of life throughout the growing communities of Fingal'. Mr Crawford stated that the proposed three-story duplexes fundamentally violate the area's rural character and objectives of the Fingal Development Plan which explicitly safeguard rural aesthetics and require appropriate density and scale. Advertisement In his objection, David Bent from Gandon Lane, Kinsealy contended: 'While I appreciate the need for new housing and development in our area, I have serious concerns regarding the lack of supporting infrastructure, which would significantly impact the safety and well-being of current and future residents.' He said: 'The local schools are already operating at or near full capacity. This development would place additional pressure on these institutions, limiting access to quality education for families moving into the area."
The Journal
06-07-2025
- Business
- The Journal
Housing Minister looks to reduce minimum apartment size to cut cost of construction
HOUSING MINISTER JAMES Browne wants to change the rules for new apartment buildings in a bid to reignite construction in the sector. It is understood that Browne is bringing the proposals to Cabinet this week to make apartments more attractive for developers by altering certain requirements around minimum sizes and communal facilities, with the number of flats in the pipeline drying up according to recent figures . These moves will seek to improve the viability of apartment building by seeking to address higher development costs, reducing costs per unit, according to a housing source. The proposed changes, contained in the Planning Design Standards for Apartments, Guidelines for Planning Authorities (2025) bill, are understood to be aiming for a €50,000 to €100,000 cost reduction per apartment. Advertisement Browne has flagged for some weeks that he has been looking at the issues raised by the construction sector and developers with him around apartment viability, inviting developers to express interest in apartment building last month . He also recently has unveiled plans that would see see rents for newly built apartments tied to the rate of inflation rather than capped at 2% . The drafted guidelines in the latest plan are informed by a costings project undertaken by the Land Development Agency (LDA), which looked at the layout and design of individual of units and the provision communal facilities. The changes included in Browne's reforms include - Apartment mix: to allow more one-bedroom apartments and studios in a building; - Communal facilities: such community facilities within apartment schemes will not be required on a mandatory basis, in a bid to improve the viability of the development; - Minimum sizes of apartments: the current rules require for the majority of apartments within a scheme to exceed minimum size by 10%. The new guidelines reduce this requirement from the majority to a minimum of 25% of apartments; - Dual aspect ratios: the current guidelines require at least 33% dual aspect units in urban locations and 50% in suburban locations to be dual aspect – meaning it has windows on at least two external walls. The new guidelines create a single standard of 25%. While there are changes proposed to community facilities, like garden spaces, it is understood that Browne is to stress to Cabinet colleagues that there will be no downgrading to fire standards, accessibility standards or key environmental standards in the new apartment blocks. This also refers to private open space rules for apartments, with no changes to the recommended sizes of balconies and terraces proposed in the minister's measures. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
