Minister O’Brien calls for public views on policy approach for compact and diverse housing of the future

• new Guidelines for Planning Authorities’ will aim to meet housing needs of more diverse and smaller households
• guidelines aim to support compact ‘own door housing’ and responsive and innovative housing design in communities

The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien, today (Thursday 30 March) called for public views on the preferred policy approach towards creating more compact and diverse housing types.

Launching a public consultation on the proposed approach towards, Sustainable and Compact Settlements Guidelines for Planning Authorities the Minister emphasised that the aim of the consultation is to secure views and ideas around how we can develop a national policy framework that supports more compact and diverse housing and increase housing supply.

The intention is to provide greater flexibility in the future to allow for more compact and sustainable forms of development and greater housing choice. This approach will not preclude traditional forms of housing or apartment development, as the standards set out are minimum, rather than maximum standards.

Finalised guidelines, to be published before the end of June 2023, will seek to build on - and update - the existing Sustainable Residential Developments in Urban Areas: Guidelines for Planning Authorities (2009).

Launching the consultation, Minister O’Brien said:

The proposed policy approach focuses on the interaction between residential density, housing standards and quality design and place-making. It proposes:

• the continuation of graduated density ranges based on settlement size (for example: cities, large towns, small and medium sized towns) and general location in each settlement (that is, central, urban and suburban or edge areas)
• greater flexibility in design standards such as building separation distances and open space standards. This is in support of the construction of more compact ‘own-door’ housing, alongside traditional housing and apartment developments
• the highest residential densities at the most central and accessible urban locations, and more compact and sustainable forms of urban development overall. The preferred policy approach states that very high densities should only be developed following a plan-led approach

Among the key proposals for consultation are:

Housing Density: to achieve compact growth, and reflecting the variety of settlements and settlement contexts where residential development takes place, the proposed approach recommends density ranges for cities, metropolitan towns, large towns (10,000+ population), small and medium sized towns (>1,500 to 10,000 population) and rural towns and villages (>1,500 population).

Housing standards: recognising the significant population growth forecast and changing demographics, and to achieve compact growth, medium-density housing models should be facilitated, alongside traditional housing and apartment developments. (Details are contained in the Notes section.)

Quality design and placemaking: the guidelines will provide guidance on this, including indicators that should be applied in the preparation of plans and consideration of individual planning applications.

The proposed guidelines afford greater flexibility in design standards such as building separation distances and open space standards, to support the construction of more compact ‘own-door’ housing, alongside traditional housing and apartment developments.

The Minister of State for Planning and Local Government, Kieran O’Donnell, said:

Submissions on the proposed policy approach can be made until 5pm on Thursday 27 April.

All submissions will be taken into consideration when finalising the Draft Sustainable and Compact Settlements Guidelines, which will be published in May 2023 and subject to public consultation. The final Guidelines will be published by the end of June 2023.

You can view or download a copy of the proposed Sustainable and Compact Settlements Guidelines for Planning Authorities approach. To make a submission or observation you can do so via email to nrupconsultation@housing.gov.ie or in writing to:

Sustainable and Compact Settlements Guidelines Consultation: National, Regional and Urban Planning Section, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Custom House, Dublin 1, D01 W6X0.

Housing standards: recognising the significant population growth forecast and changing demographics, and to achieve compact growth, medium density housing models should be facilitated, alongside traditional housing and apartment developments. Among the standards it recommends are:

• separation: A minimum separation distance of 16 metres between opposing upper floor windows that serve habitable rooms at the rear of houses and duplex units, with provision for further reductions in certain circumstances
• private open space: A minimum private open space provision of 10 sq. metres per bedspace, with provision for further reduction where an equivalent amount of semi-private open space is provided in lieu of private open space, subject to an absolute minimum provision of 5 sq. metres private open space per bedspace
• public open space: A minimum public open space requirement of 10% of the total site area (net) for new residential development in statutory development plans
• car parking: To achieve sustainable transport goals and support action against climate change, car parking In ‘Cities’, ‘Metropolitan Towns’ and ‘Large Towns (10,000+ population)’ should be graduated based on location and access to services by public transport, walking and cycling. In areas of high accessibility, car-parking provision should be minimised, substantially reduced or wholly eliminated, while in areas of medium accessibility, car-parking provision should be substantially reduced

The guidelines, when finalised, will constitute Ministerial Guidelines under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended. Section 28 provides that planning authorities and An Bord Pleanála shall have regard to Ministerial guidelines in the performance of their functions under the Planning and Development Act.