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RTÉ News
4 days ago
- Business
- RTÉ News
Extensions for older relatives could be exempt from planning
Attic conversions and extensions for the purpose of housing elderly relatives could be exempt from planning before the end of the year, Minister for Housing James Browne will tell Cabinet later. Habitable modular cabins in homeowners' gardens, along with the subdivision of dwellings, could also be permitted without planning permission under proposals that are currently being considered. Work on the planning exemptions is now well advanced after 11 Government departments, local authorities and planning bodies have given their views on the initiative. Before the regulations are finalised, there will be a public consultation this month. Mr Browne will inform the Government that adapting dwellings to meet people's needs is a key priority. The changes could also see some design restrictions for home extensions abolished, such as the requirement for a pitched roof. Storage structures at the front of homes for bikes and bins could also be allowed. The proposals have been described by Minister for State John Cummins as a practical measure that will provide housing options for people. The changes will be contained in the Planning and Development Act, which is set to be implemented in full before the end of the year. If this does not happen, it is possible the planning exemptions will be progressed separately. Defective Concrete Blocks Bill Minister for Housing James Browne will also seek Cabinet approval today to draft the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks (Amendment) Bill. The Bill will include technical amendments to make the scheme fairer. The increased scheme cap and rates will now apply to all applicants who incurred costs since 29 March 2024. The construction of a new dwelling adjacent to a defective home will be permitted in very limited circumstances for vulnerable families. The period allowed to complete the remediation works will increase from 65 weeks to 130 weeks. Cabinet to hear plans to increase prison spaces Separately, Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan will update Cabinet on plans to accelerate the construction of 960 prison spaces by the end of the decade. He will inform the Government that the prison system is currently operating at 115% over capacity with a new record high of 5,394 individuals detained in mid-April. This is an 11% rise in 12 months and over 1,100 more people are in prison compared to January 2023. Mr O'Callaghan intends to introduce an electronic tagging pilot programme in the coming months. Meanwhile, Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke is setting up a new group aiming to reduce the cost of running a business. The Cost of Business Advisory Forum will hold its first meeting on 11 June. The forum will meet at least six times and deliver its recommendations to the Government in early 2026.
Belfast Telegraph
27-05-2025
- Business
- Belfast Telegraph
Judicial reviews being ‘weaponised' to halt developments, says housing minister
James Browne made the comments as he announced plans to allow for the extension of planning permissions for housing developments nearing the end of their duration and not yet commenced. The permissions can be extended for up to three years under the bill brought forward by Mr Browne and Minister of State John Cummins. The proposals will also allow planning permissions subjected or going through a judicial review to apply for a retrospective suspension of the permission for the duration of the judicial review. Mr Browne said: 'I do believe judicial reviews have been weaponised by some people with a view that, simply, if you delay a project long enough, the project will fall. 'That's not everybody, and judicial reviews are a legitimate part of our legal process. 'That's why, under the Planning and Development Act, what we are doing is tightening up judicial reviews to ensure that only those who have a legitimate interest in a project can bring forward their objections to it. 'I think the Planning and Development Act will really help to curtail the weaponising of judicial reviews but allow people with legitimate concern to exercise their concerns.' Mr Cummins said there was 'evidence of a significant number' of planning permissions for housing that are due to expire which have not yet commenced construction. He said this was either because they had lost money through the judicial review process or they had been unable to commence construction and have enough time to reach substantial completion. Mr Browne said the bill contains a 'use it or lose it' element, which requires commencement within 18 months of legislation passing to get the extension. 'This is not a free pass for people who have planning permissions, and it's a recognition that many people with planning permissions have faced challenges over the last number of years,' Mr Browne said. 'There is an activation measurement here that they must commence within 18 months of the legislation passing. 'So they have six months to apply for the extension of two years for those that are not subject to the judicial review. But the clock in terms of commencements also begins when the legislation passes as well, and that was appropriate to apply for the extension in the early part of those six months, because whether they apply at the start, at the end, the clock for the 18 months to commence to get that extension will already be running.' Mr Browne was also asked about housing projections by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) given to the housing committee on Tuesday. The ESRI has said that just over 34,000 new builds will be built this year while 37,000 homes will be built next year. Mr Browne said that the government's target of 41,000 new builds this year would be 'extremely challenging' and that all projections are 'trending in and around the ESRI's prediction'. 'I don't particularly like getting into predictions at this point in time. 'Certainly, I think the 41,000 is extremely challenging at this point in time. 'The ERSI are a very reputable body. I'm going to engage with the ESRI, with their report and see exactly how they're putting their numbers together. 'There's a number of different numbers out there right now, but they are all trending in and around the ESRI's prediction at the moment.' Asked about the appointment of a new housing tsar, he said: 'In relation to the head of the housing activation office, we'll have an agreement with leaders in the upcoming weeks as to what that process would look like, and we'll follow from there in terms of getting that team leader for the housing activation office.'
Irish Daily Mirror
27-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Daily Mirror
Browne says judicial reviews are 'weaponised' amid fresh doubt on housing target
Housing Minister James Browne has said judicial reviews are being "weaponised" as he conceded that the Government will find it "very challenging" to hit its housing targets this year. He also stated that tenure types, including apartments that are built to rent, will be examined as part of the National Planning Framework to ensure that there is a "right mix" of housing. Cabinet approved plans on Tuesday from Minister Browne, alongside Minister of State John Cummins, to allow an extension of the duration of planning permissions for housing developments that are nearing the end of their duration period and have not yet commenced. People must apply for an extension within six months of the legislation commencing and they must commence building within 18 months. The Bill will also allow the duration of a Judicial Review period not to be counted as part of the time planning permission is active. Mr Browne stated that he believed some people were lodging judicial reviews to ensure that some properties and developments would never be completed. He said: "I do believe judicial reviews have been weaponised by some people with a view that simply if you delay a project long enough, the project will fall. "That's not everybody. Judicial reviews are a legitimate part of our legal process. That's why, under the Planning Development Act, what we are doing is tightening up judicial reviews to ensure that only those who have a legitimate interest in a project can bring forward their objections to it. "We do have a challenge in this country. In many other countries, once you do a county development plan, you have years of consultations and land is zoned for particular housing, usually actually it is quite an administrative process after that point. "In Ireland, the process almost starts anew as people can bring a lot of challenges. "I think the Planning and Development Act will really help to curtail the weaponising of judicial reviews." The Government has set a housing target of 41,000 houses this year. It missed its target of 33,000 in 2024. The Central Bank and the ESRI both told the Housing Committee on Tuesday that the Government was on track to miss targets in 2025 and 2026. The ESRI suggested 34,000 homes would be built this year and 37,000 units in 2026. Mr Browne stated that the Government would find it "very challenging" to hit its 41,000 target and conceded that most projections are around the 34,000 mark. He continued: "It's very challenging, but I don't particularly like getting his predictions at this point in time. "Certainly, I think the 41,000 is extremely challenging at this point in time. "The ESRI are a very reputable body. I'm going to engage with the ESRI, with their report and see exactly how they're putting their numbers together. "There's a number of different numbers out there right now, but they are all trending in around the ESRI's prediction at the moment." Minister Browne stated that there are 40,000 uncommenced residential units on 265 wholly inactive development sites within Dublin. When asked for a breakdown of how many of these were houses and apartments that can be bought and how many were "built to rent", Mr Browne said he could not provide this. However, he said that he wants to see people have the option to buy apartments, and the new National Planning Framework will contain directions for local authorities on zoned land to ensure they have the "right mix" of tenure types.
Irish Examiner
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Minister claims some people have 'weaponised' judicial reviews to stop housing projects
Judicial reviews have been "weaponised" by some people to prevent housing developments from going ahead, housing minister James Browne has claimed. The housing minister has criticised individuals who use the courts to 'prohibit very badly needed homes'. Some people instigate proceedings with the view that "simply, if you delay a project long enough, the project will fall," Mr Browne said. Mr Browne said he didn't believe everyone taking a judicial review on a planning application was doing so maliciously, adding it is a 'legitimate part of our legal process'. He said the Government was introducing changes to judicial reviews through its new Planning and Development Act, most of which is yet to be commenced. 'What we are doing is tidying up judicial reviews to ensure that only those who have a legitimate interest in a project can bring forward their objections to it,' Mr Browne said. 'I think the Planning and Development Act will really help to curtail the weaponising of judicial reviews, while allowing people who have legitimate concern exercise their concerns around that.' Mr Browne said he did understand people's concerns and he did not believe it was an ideological matter. Mr Browne said: Not to say their concerns are not real, but I think using the courts in that manner to perhaps prohibit very badly needed homes. I think that's the concern I have in terms of weaponising. 'When I say weaponising, it's not with a view to getting an actual legal result. It is simply slowing down the process enough to prohibit the delivery of the project.' It comes as Mr Browne on Tuesday announced new emergency legislation to extend the life of planning permissions. This will allow developers who have just two years left on their planning permission to apply for a three-year extension. However, these applications must be made within six months of the law commencing and development must begin within 18 months. It will also mean that for the duration of a judicial review, time allocated to the planning permission will not expire. Mr Browne said he aimed to have the legislation passed by the Dáil before the summer recess. It comes as the housing minister admitted it would be 'extremely challenging' to meet housing targets for 2025, after the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) warned that delivery for this year would likely be around 34,000 houses. Read More
Irish Examiner
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Home Q&A: All you need to know about planning permission and demolition
Movie star Saoirse Ronan and her husband Jack Lowden were frustrated in their efforts to flatten a bungalow near Ballydehob, in West Cork, recently. Looking at images of the pretty but unremarkable 125sq m stone-faced 1990s Irish dormer, this refusal might have been a surprise to many of us. The rejection by Cork County Council's planning board stated that the cottage was regarded by the planners as 'well integrated' in the site (and it clearly is to my eye). However, the demolition was not the only issue. It was that the new and far taller 332sq m house proposed by the celebrity couple was deemed not proportional to this sensitive coastal position. If their developer re-applies, with the right plans, that cottage may still be flattened — or at least, heavily reimagined. Saoirse Ronan and Jack Lowden. The tall 332sq m house proposed by the celebrity couple was deemed not proportional to this sensitive coastal position. Picture: Getty Conor McGregor made a similar application to demolish his five-bedroom house at The Paddocks, Castledillon, Straffan, Co Kildare, looking to replace it with an astonishing 3,037sq m six-bedroom build. The Kildare County Local Development Plan dealt his plans a knock-out blow. So, if you had a €650k site with an unremarkable house gazing out over a stirring view, or wanted a cinema, bar, and two swimming pools to grace your life, would it be that easy to dismiss and destroy the existing house? Let's start with what is generally allowed and not allowed in terms of planning. Within the curtilage of your property, you can demolish without planning permission anything that's not a habitable house, or not a protected structure (not to say farm buildings of national interest and on the minister's register). What is a habitable building? In legal terms, it's a building already in use as a dwelling or intended as a habitable dwelling (occupied or not). A building not in use, but when last used it was a dwelling and is not derelict. A building where the last permitted use was as a house, even if it has been in unauthorised use since then. Even where a structure appears to be derelict, I would always encourage readers to contact a local structural engineer and/or their local planning office before accelerating towards an extant house/wall/shed — anything made by human hands or machine. In general, if an outbuilding is more than 40sq m, make a call to the local authority for guidance. This sizing is anything bigger than 100sq m in commercial circumstances. What about a protected building? This information is easily available through the conservation office at your local authority, so don't assume that every old stone building is fair game. Protected Structures are listed on each local authority's Record of Protected Structures (RPS) and are protected under law as set out in Part IV of the Planning and Development Act, 2000. Even if you're not found out for murdering some protected old shed, hedge, or lodge, you could be either informed upon by an interfering neighbour or it can and will come to light when you come to sell, and the buyer's solicitor performs a simple search. Hello, potential court proceedings. If there's any conservation order on any part of your property, even the house itself, ask for guidance from your local authority before going ahead. Terrace You cannot demolish a building that forms part of a terrace of buildings (even if it's not a habitable house) or abuts another building where you don't own the structure next door, without planning. This makes sense as there's a party wall and possibly an adjoining roof, so you can imagine the structural damage and dangers that might occur swinging a wrecking ball or even a sledgehammer close to a building married to your own. This doesn't mean you won't get planning to demolish. Your property may be deemed unsafe, or you may get planning with stipulations on the mechanism to get it down safely, but you must ask. Requirements So, say we're going ahead with knocking down an old piggery or a collapsing cottage, what's going to be required? First of all, presuming we're including it in our overall permission for planning, there should be a survey with plans, elevations, and sections — anything you're asked to provide before planning is approved. If you leave these out of your application, you can expect it to be delayed, as with any PP. Having recently returned from Dublin, where I visited an old Georgian house in a smart area of D4, the owner told me just how much more valuable the site was without the house (unprotected), as these homes and their gardens are being feverishly redeveloped from single old stately places into multiple units. Tearing down a habitable house requires planning permission, and it doesn't need to be lived in to be deemed habitable. File picture Always keep in mind that just because there's permission to demolish does not mean there is tacit permission to build something else instead of demolition. The application by you, your engineer, or architect will, in all likelihood, incorporate both the knocking down of the old house and outline proposal for the new house or outbuilding is a separate issue to get completely right. The public has the same right to object to a demolition as they do with any redevelopment, but they can't just object to be frivolous and interfering. Where there's any question in your mind, it's always worth chatting to your neighbours about the project ahead of time, taking on board any concerns they may have. There's an excellent planning guide to the basics of all planning permission published by the Office of the Planning Regulator at find a chartered surveyor at Read More See inside transformed redbrick home in Dublin's Portobello
