Published today the Link2Plans National Housing Construction Index Vol. 19 sets out the volumes of residential construction projects planning applications lodged, granted and commenced during the period 1st January – 28th Februay 2015.

The main findings of the latest index show an increase in new residential construction projects planning applications lodged but a fall in projects commenced as a result of the new building regulations introduced at the end of Q1 2014.

According to Danny O’Shea, “Commencements are down in every county when compared to the same period last year with an overall national decrease of -62%, however as noted at the time by Link2Plans, 2014 was an exceptional year due to regulatory changes. The introduction of changes to the building regulations in March 2014 caused an unprecedented surge in commencements which was akin a one off stimulus boost. In fact, commencements for the first two months of the 2015 are up over 3% on the same period in 2013 which probably gives a more accurate picture of the steady but slow growth in the sector.”

The latest edition of the index is available free of charge on the Link2Plans website where you will find other useful information on past editions of the National Housing Construction Index as well as up-to-the-minute details on every Single Residential unit currently in planning, recently granted planning permission or scheduled for construction commencement.

Residential Construction Receives Boost

According to a recent Irish Independent interview with Minister for Housing & Planning, Paudie Coffey, local authorities across the country have been requested to process planning applications in the most time efficient manner possible.  This is in hope that construction activity can commence on many of these developments as quickly as possible.

These comments coincided with the latest edition of the National Housing Construction Index (NHCI) which highlighted, that due to new building regulations introduced at the end of March 2014, residential construction commencements actually fell in subsequent months.

We all know that levels of supply are currently not meeting demand so it comes as a positive statement from the Minister that Government are to take a more direct approach to how local authorities deal with planning permissions.

“There will be a use it or lose it provision for all new planning permissions” according to the Minister.  Other initiatives by Government include

• Reducing the duration of unused planning permissions
• A 10% requirement for social housing units in new residential developments
• A vacant site tax of 3% of the land value in areas with populations > 3000
• Reduction in levies for undeveloped sites with planning permission

If implemented these initiatives may prove an important step to developing a sustainable residential construction sector.

Full details on all multi-unit residential construction projects – planned, granted and scheduled for commencement are available via the Building Information Ireland website.  A 10 day free trial is available.

Building Information Ireland research and publish details on all planned construction activity in all sectors across all 32 counties.