THE Irish Government has introduced a plan to relax apartment design standards, aiming to speed up construction after a sharp drop in new developments being built.
The updated guidelines will reduce minimum apartment sizes as well as requirements for open space and shared facilities.
The move comes after a nearly 25% drop in apartment completions last year, with just over half of the government target of 50,000 units actually being built.
Housing Minister James Browne said the changes are intended to make apartment buildings easier and cheaper for developers without compromising on essential quality standards.
“We are using every tool available to boost supply,” Browne said in a public statement, describing the move as part of the government’s strategy to confront the ongoing housing crisis.
However opposition figures were quick to criticise the decision, warning it could lead to cramped and poorly designed homes.
Developers, on the other hand, have pointed to strict rent controls and high borrowing costs as the biggest obstacle to building.
The government made changes to its rent control framework in June in its latest attempt to get more developers building again.
Recent figures released by Eurostat show that on average people in Dublin can spend up to 65% of income on rent, the highest in the EU.
Contrast this with Riga, the Latvian capital, where the average is around 26%.