Draft National Planning Statement on design standards for apartments open for public consultation
- Published on: 9 June 2026
- Last updated on: 9 June 2026
The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne TD and the Minister of State for Local Government and Planning, John Cummins TD today invited public submissions on the Draft National Planning Statement on Planning Design Standards for Apartments 2026 along with an associated SEA Environmental Report.
The aim of the Draft National Planning Statement is to set out national policy and standards for apartment development in relation to apartment mix; internal space standards for different types of apartments; dual aspect ratios; floor to ceiling heights; stair/lift core ratios; storage spaces; and amenity spaces including balconies/patios. The Draft Statement is aimed at striking a balance between ensuring that apartment development meets the needs of society in terms of standards and quality, while promoting an increased level of delivery overall.
Launching the consultation today, Minister Browne said:
“The supply of apartments is critical to meeting the needs of our people, forming a crucial part of the overall mix of homes that are needed, particularly in locations that are close to existing facilities and services.
“This Draft National Planning Statement on apartment standards aims to strike a balance between ensuring that apartment development meets continued and sustained high build standards and quality, while promoting an increased level of delivery that is badly needed for people who want to buy or rent.
“We have to activate more land, providing more housing-related infrastructure, securing more development finance for home building and addressing viability challenges, particularly those seen in apartment delivery, through a range of measures including fiscal incentives.
“If we are to achieve a serious acceleration in housing delivery, we must engage every mechanism available to achieve our ambition for people to have the homes they need to grow up and grow old in.”
Minister of State for Local Government and Planning John Cummins TD added:
“Every effort must be made to further reduce the costs of apartment development if we want to achieve the delivery of 300,000 homes by the end of 2030.
“Crucial to that is ensuring that the State and the market can respond to changing household needs and focus the delivery of apartments where they are needed most.
“These revised planning design standards will assist in addressing viability constraints within the construction sector and promote the increased delivery of apartments, while safeguarding standards, to address the growing need to supply a greater range of housing typologies to meet the needs of our population.”
Members of the public are invited to make a submission or observation regarding the Draft National Planning Statement and the associated SEA Environmental Report. Submissions or observations regarding the draft National Planning Statement, the SEA Environmental Report and Non-Technical Summary, can be made up until 5:30pm on 7th July 2026.
The Draft Planning Design Standards for Apartments National Planning Statement, 2026, and the associated SEA Environmental Report and Non-Technical Summary are available here www.gov.ie/PDSANPS.
ENDS
NOTES FOR EDITOR
Background
The Government housing action plan Delivering Homes, Building Communities sets out a broad range of measures to deliver a minimum of 300,000 homes between 2025 and 2030. This plan supports the delivery of the revised National Planning Framework housing projections, which set out the need to plan for approximately 50,000 additional homes per annum to 2040 (NPF) and reaffirms the Government’s commitment to compact growth.
Fulfilling these commitments will require a substantial increase in housing output of all types, and in particular apartments at central and accessible urban locations.
Viability presents an ongoing challenge to housing delivery, and in particular the delivery of 'build-to-sell' apartments where a considerable gap has emerged between the cost of delivering apartment development and comparable general housing market prices.
Increased costs also present an ongoing challenge to the delivery of social and affordable housing schemes.
The overall purpose of the draft National Planning Statement is to strike an effective regulatory balance; ensuring that apartment development meets the needs of society in terms of standards and quality, while promoting an increased level of output overall.
National Planning Statements
The commencement of provisions within Part 3 of the Planning and Development Act 2024 on 2 October 2025 provides the statutory basis for the issuing of National Planning Statements. Under Section 25 of the Planning and Development Act 2024, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage may, with the approval of the Government, issue National Planning Statements.
National Planning Statements will replace Ministerial guidelines issued under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended). Existing Ministerial Guidelines issued under Section 28 of the Act of 2000 will, over time, be revoked and replaced with National Planning Statements. In the interests of clarity, all current Ministerial Guidelines continue to have effect under the Act until such time as they are revoked or replaced by a National Planning Statement.
Such Statements will set out policy and provide guidance in relation to planning matters to support proper planning and sustainable development, and may relate to a broad range of Government policy objectives. All Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies (RSESs), development plans, planning schemes or planning frameworks must be ‘materially consistent’ with National Planning Policies and Measures (NPPMs) included in such Statements, and must ‘take due account of’ National Planning Policy Guidance (NPPG) included in such Statements.
Contents
The Draft National Planning Statement addresses in detail:
- Apartment Mix: There are no proposed restrictions on unit mix recognising that unit mix requirements impact on the delivery cost of apartment schemes and that the mix may not support the best outcomes in terms of the number of units delivered.
- Apartment Floor Areas: Ongoing demographic and societal changes mean that a greater variety of apartment types/sizes are required to house those that may wish to be accommodated in apartments.
- Dual Aspect Ratios and Lift/Stair Cores: Greater certainty is required to allow greater standardisation in building design, flexibility and ultimately viability.
- Private Open Space: Planning authorities may accept a reduced provision of private open space in certain circumstances.
- Communal, Community and Cultural Facilities: The need for these facilities are to be determined on a plan-led basis.
- Student Accommodation: Policies for purpose-built student accommodation that promote greater consistency and cost savings.
- Reducing vacancy and dereliction: Additional flexibility is provided with regard to planning design standards for building refurbishment schemes on sites of any size and small urban infill schemes.