The publication showed that 7,353 new homes were completed in Quarter 2 of this year. While this is a small decrease of 3.5% on the same three months of 2022, overall a record 14,017 homes have been completed in the first six months of 2023, a 5.8% increase on the same period in 2022 and the highest number of completions recorded for the first half of any year since the CSO data series began in 2011. There were 4,017 scheme dwelling completions in Q2 2023, up 2% from Q2 2022, with 1,439 single dwellings completed, up 7.2% from Q2 2022. Minister O'Brien said: “Today’s CSO figures show supply is increasing and that we are going in the right direction. Housing for All contains a projected housing output of 29,000 homes in 2023, including 9,100 new build social homes and 5,500 affordable homes, and I am confident we will meet this target – if not exceed it. “We’ve made a very positive start to 2023. These healthy completion figures build on the momentum seen in the commencement figures, published by my department last week, showing a record 15,561 new homes commenced construction in the first six months of 2023 – the highest number since the data series began in 2015 – and the most recent CSO data showing 11,659 homes were granted planning permission in Q1 2023, an increase of 38% on Q1 2022.” Urban Regeneration and Development Fund breathes life into towns
The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD, has allocated €7M to Fingal County Council to tackle vacancy and dereliction in North County Dublin. Fingal County Council submitted 19 properties, including residential and commercial buildings, which are vacant and derelict and can be brought back into productive use with the support of the Government funding. Commenting Minister O’Brien said, “I’ve always said we need to use every tool in our armoury to get to grips with the challenges in housing and that’s exactly what we are doing. One key action has been to focus efforts on tackling vacancy and dereliction in cities, towns and villages all across the country. “Through this funding, Fingal will acquire vacant and derelict properties which are either not on the market for sale or to which the market has not responded. They will then offer these properties for private sale to individuals who in return will commit to bringing the property into use as a home. “It's hugely positive as not only will it remove derelict properties which are eyesores, it will give people the opportunity to live and participate in their local communities making them more vibrant in the process,” he concluded. The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien, has today published a progress update on the planning measures he introduced two years ago to increase home ownership and restrict the practice of the bulk purchasing of homes.
The update shows that 31,000 homes received planning permission with conditions restricting the bulk buying or multiple sales to a single purchaser in the two-year period between May 2021 and May 2023, with the number of homes recorded in May 2023 effectively doubling from the 15,883 units recorded in May 2022. The Ministerial Planning Guidelines are part of a series of government measures designed to prohibit the bulk buying of houses and duplexes in order to increase housing stock for home ownership. Other measures include a 10% stamp duty levy on the cumulative purchase of 10 or more residential houses in a 12 month period. Commenting on the data, the Minister O’Brien, said: “The government is committed to supporting homeownership and to supporting first-time buyers. This data demonstrates that we have made the right interventions while continuing to point investment to where it is needed. “As well as restricting bulk buying, we are also boosting supply through our plan, Housing for All, with recent data for new home commencements and completions at record levels. The dream of owning a home is becoming a reality for more and more people and we intend to keep this momentum going as we meet – and exceed – our annual targets.” The breakdown of the 31,000 restrictions includes cases where An Bord Pleanála applied the planning condition prohibiting multiple sales (12,893 house and duplex units across all planning permissions) and where Local Authorities permitted schemes to proceed with a condition attached to prohibit multiple sales (18,111 residential units). ENDS Notes By way of background, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien, has today, 04 July 2023, issued a progress update on planning measures brought in 2 years ago to increase home ownership and restrict the practice of bulk purchasing by institutional investors. In May 2021, Ministerial Guidelines for Planning Authorities “Regulation of Commercial Institutional Investment in Housing” were issued to planning authorities, in order to prevent multiple housing and duplex units being sold to a single buyer. Apartments were not included in this measure as the focus was on protecting traditional family homes while continuing investment where it is needed i.e. apartment developments which have viability constraints. The Guidelines included requirements that a condition be inserted in applicable new planning permissions, to the effect that all houses would have to be made available for sale and for occupation by separate, individual households. |
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September 2023
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