Housing Units Planning Permissions Drop by 20.5% in 2022, With Apartments Hit Hardest

A recent report from the CSO revealed that the total number of dwelling units granted planning permission in 2022 decreased by 20.5%, falling to 34,177 units from 42,991 units in 2021. Housing units made up 51% of all approved dwelling units in 2022, while apartments constituted the remaining 49%.

The number of houses granted planning permission experienced a 4.4% annual increase, reaching 17,454 units in 2022. In contrast, apartment permissions saw a substantial decline of 36%, with only 16,723 units approved. Multi-development houses witnessed a 14% annual rise in planning permission, while one-off houses experienced an 8% decrease.

In 2022, Dublin’s four local authorities were granted planning permission for 10,803 apartments, accounting for 65% of all apartments granted permission in Ireland.

During the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2022, the total number of dwelling units granted planning permission fell by nearly 44% to 7,597 units, compared to 13,450 units in Q4 2021. Apartment units saw a 54% decline in planning permissions in Q4 2022 compared to Q4 2021, while house permissions decreased by 28% during the same period.

The number of planning permissions granted for all developments also saw a decrease, with a 21% annual reduction recorded in Q4 2022. In total, 5,691 permissions were approved in Q4 2022 compared to 7,222 in Q4 2021. The significant drop in planning permissions, particularly for apartments, highlights a shift in the housing market and may signal potential challenges for meeting the increasing demand for housing across the country.