Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 6 July 2023
260. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of planning permissions applied for and refused, by county, in each of the past three years to date; the way such figures will inform housing policy going forward, with particular reference to giving the local population a chance to live in their local area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33368/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraPlanning statistics are compiled by each planning authority on an annual basis for collation and publication on my Department’s website, at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/service/9e4ee-get-planning-statistics/.
The data collected relates to the total number of applications and decisions for all developments that require planning permission, broken down by year and planning authority. In 2022 less than 12% of planning applications made resulted in a refusal.
In addition, the Central Statistics Office (CSO), as the national statistical office, compiles and makes available detailed quarterly data on planning permissions for new housing granted by development type and county, which can be accessed on the CSO website via the following link: www.cso.ie/en/statistics/buildingandconstruction/planningpermissions/
The planning system in Ireland continues to deliver substantial planning permissions for new homes every year in Ireland - including 42,991 permitted homes in 2021 and 34,177 in 2022. This includes permission for 7,499 once-off homes in 2021 and 6,924 in 2022 – the vast majority of which are located in rural areas indicating strong provision of new housing in rural areas.
It is noteworthy that there has been strong construction of single new homes in rural areas nationally in recent years, comprising around one in three of all houses (i.e. excluding apartments), completed between Q4 2017 and Q4 2022. In 2022, 29,851 new dwellings were completed nationally with 4,743 or 16.9% of these being single, one-off dwellings in rural areas. New dwellings completions in rural areas were up 16.6% in 2022 when compared to the 4,069 built in 2021.
Since 2018, the National Planning Framework (NPF) is the national planning policy document providing overall strategic policy for the future development of Ireland through specific National Policy Objectives (NPOs), including specific NPOs to the guide the overall pattern of development rural areas and small towns in Ireland.
In policy terms, NPO 19 of the NPF aims to ensure that a distinction is made between areas experiencing significant overspill development pressure from urban areas, particularly within the commuter catchment of cities, towns and centres of employment, on the one hand, and other more remote and structurally weaker rural areas where population levels may be low and or declining, on the other. NPO 19 is also aligned with the established approach whereby considerations of social (intrinsic part of the community) or economic (persons working full or part time) need may be applied by planning authorities when considering applications for houses in rural areas under urban influence.
Updated Rural Housing Guidelines are currently being prepared to ensure consistency with current requirements and legislation at national and EU level in respect of areas related to rural housing such as environmental protection, the Gaeltacht and climate action. Following completion of the drafting and approval by the Minister, the draft guidelines will be published for a focused period of public consultation.
In the meantime, NPF objectives together with the 2005 Guidelines, enable planning authorities to continue to prepare and adopt development plan policies for housing in rural areas.
