Ireland issues new planning standards for apartments

Ireland's government has released updated planning guidelines for apartments, effective 2025, designed to improve apartment quality and standards while also encouraging more construction.

James Browne - Ireland's Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

These new "Planning Design Standards for Apartments", which replace the 2023 guidelines, establish national planning policy for apartment developments and take into consideration government policy, economic, social, and environmental factors.
Key areas covered include apartment mix, internal space, dual aspect, ceiling heights, stair/lift ratios, storage, and amenities like balconies.
The new guidelines respond to the National Planning Framework's projection of a need for 50,000 new households annually until 2040 and the government's commitment to compact urban centres.
However, the financial viability of housing projects, particularly "build-to-sell" apartments, remains a challenge due to the gap between development costs and market prices. Rising costs also pose a problem for social and affordable housing initiatives.
Recognizing the financial challenges in apartment development, the guidelines aim to balance appropriate living standards with economic viability, considering average incomes and affordability. The goal is to ensure quality apartments are built while boosting overall housing supply.
Furthermore, Housing Minister James Browne has secured government approval to amend the Planning and Development Amendment Bill (2025), allowing developers to modify existing, unstarted projects without needing to reapply for planning permission. This aims to streamline the process and enable quicker adaptation to the new standards.
Issuing the Guidelines, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne said: “The minimum standards I’m introducing today compare favourably with European norms. “The changes being made, compared to the previous Guidelines, are likely to result in cost reductions averaging €50,000 and up to €100,000 per unit in some cases, and will help to get apartment building moving. Crucially, this will be done without compromising on disability, fire regulations, or environmental requirements.”
Minister of State for Local Government and Planning John Cummins added: “Rising construction costs have had a major impact on the delivery of apartments. The reforms being brought forward today, coupled with recent measures, demonstrate the Government’s commitment to ensure that apartment development can be realised in our cities and towns. That is why Government approval has been received today to bring forward amendments to the Planning and Development Amendment Bill (2025) to enable development schemes which currently benefit from planning permission, but have not been commenced, to be altered without the need for a new planning application.”