Planning Permission: Government’s Housing Plan Is A Critical Intervention
The new housing plan tackles Ireland’s long-standing housing shortage with a comprehensive strategy focused on planning permission and accelerated home delivery.
Central to securing planning permission and increasing housing supply, the Government’s “Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025–2030” plan aims to build 300,000 new homes, including 72,000 social homes, by 2030. This plan represents a critical intervention to address the housing deficit by reforming planning permission processes and investing heavily in infrastructure.
The plan prioritises removing barriers linked to planning permission delays and regulatory hurdles. It proposes zoning and servicing over 300,000 new land units for residential development alongside implementing the Planning and Development Act 2024, designed to streamline and accelerate planning decisions. This should improve the efficiency of An Bord Pleanála decisions and reduce long-standing uncertainties that delay housing scheme approval.
Funding forms a key pillar of the plan, with a commitment of over €9 billion in capital funding in 2026. Targeted investments include a €1 billion Infrastructure Investment Fund to unblock projects stalled by lack of water, energy, or transport infrastructure. The Housing Activation Office (HAO) will coordinate between utilities and local authorities, enabling faster approvals and support for new sustainable communities, even encouraging regulatory reform for standalone wastewater treatment plants supporting flood-risk development zones.
Alongside planning permission reforms, the Government has introduced tax incentives to promote apartment building, including a reduced VAT rate from 13.5% to 9% and exemptions from corporation tax for cost-rental homes. Revised Apartment Standards Guidelines further aim to make apartment development more viable, addressing the decline in apartment construction that contributed to the supply crisis. These incentives will support a balanced mix of housing types meeting diverse needs.
A focus on social housing delivery is embedded in the plan, targeting an average of 12,000 new social homes annually. Measures include a simplified single-stage approval process for social housing projects, financial incentives for local authorities exceeding their own-build targets, and expansion of the Land Acquisition Fund. The plan also allocates €100 million to acquire second-hand homes for families in emergency accommodation, alongside a new National Homeless Prevention Framework.
This plan also recognises the importance of environmental impact considerations to ensure sustainable development. Infrastructure investments and planning reforms seek to balance growth with ecosystem protections. The emphasis on coordinated infrastructure delivery aims to avoid the pitfalls of previously stalled projects due to insufficient planning for environmental and utility impacts.
Property Industry Ireland has welcomed the plan, highlighting its comprehensive approach to tackling the housing crisis through joined-up planning permission reforms and infrastructure investment. The Government is committed to ending homelessness by 2030 while delivering affordable homes through starter home schemes, Help-to-Buy incentives, and ongoing rent pressure zone revisions limiting rent increases to protect renters.
In summary, the Government’s new housing plan is a legally significant, multi-faceted strategy focusing on reforming planning permission procedures and harnessing public and private sector resources to overcome Ireland’s housing supply challenges. These efforts aim to facilitate faster An Bord Pleanála decisions, tackle flood-risk development with appropriate environmental safeguards, and drive housing scheme approval at scale.
Originally reported in on Thu, 11 Dec 2025 03:33:22 +0000. Full story
