Headline Table: Dwelling units granted planning permission in 2020 and 20211 | |||
Houses | Apartments | Total | |
Quarter 4 2020 | 4,432 | 5,104 | 9,536 |
Quarter 4 2021 | 5,343 | 8,107 | 13,450 |
Annual % change | 20.6% | 58.8% | 41.0% |
January - December 2020 | 17,709 | 24,662 | 42,371 |
January - December 2021 | 16,719 | 26,272 | 42,991 |
% change | -5.6% | 6.5% | 1.5% |
12020 and 2021 revised due to additional information. |
When interpreting the data in this release, users are advised to note that Strategic Housing Development (SHD) planning permissions can have a significant impact on the number of dwelling units approved and in turn on the annual and quarterly changes.
In 2021, the number of dwelling units granted planning permission was 42,991, of which 26,272 were apartments and 16,719 were houses. When compared to the same period in 2020, the number of total dwelling units approved increased by 1.5%. Apartment approvals rose by 6.5% in the year, while house approvals decreased by 5.6%. See Headline Table and Figure 1.
Multi Development Houses | One-off Houses | Apartments | |
Q42019 | 3553 | 1265 | 6826 |
Q12020 | 3227 | 1355 | 8500 |
Q22020 | 2394 | 669 | 4208 |
Q32020 | 3878 | 1754 | 6850 |
Q42020 | 2918 | 1514 | 5104 |
Q12021 | 1428 | 1661 | 3874 |
Q22021 | 2100 | 1786 | 7264 |
Q32021 | 2383 | 2018 | 7027 |
Q42021 | 3309 | 2034 | 8107 |
The annual figures also show that:
X-axis label | Houses | Apartments |
---|---|---|
2001 | 60729 | 17780 |
2002 | 51055 | 18259 |
2003 | 49605 | 28749 |
2004 | 69576 | 32077 |
2005 | 75650 | 23702 |
2006 | 60008 | 18747 |
2007 | 62828 | 21569 |
2008 | 47806 | 19778 |
2009 | 26814 | 13742 |
2010 | 11604 | 6874 |
2011 | 9098 | 2547 |
2012 | 5389 | 861 |
2013 | 6002 | 1197 |
2014 | 6626 | 785 |
2015 | 10250 | 2794 |
2016 | 12318 | 3632 |
2017 | 15440 | 5336 |
2018 | 19964 | 8975 |
2019 | 19563 | 18898 |
2020 | 17709 | 24662 |
2021 | 16719 | 26272 |
In 2020, for the first time, more apartments than houses were granted planning permission, a trend which has continued in 2021. In 2021, apartments granted planning permission accounted for 61.1% of all dwelling units approved. See Tables 1a & 5 and Figure 2.
A total of 7,222 planning permissions were granted for all developments in the current quarter. Of these permissions, 59.7% were for new constructions, 25.0% for extensions and 15.3% for alterations and conversions. See Table 2 and Figure 3a.
For long labels below use to display on multiple lines | Type |
---|---|
New constructions | 59.7341456660205 |
Extensions | 24.9515369703683 |
Alterations and conversions | 15.3143173636112 |
X-axis label | New constructions | Extensions | Alterations and conversions |
---|---|---|---|
2019 Q4 | 3517 | 1611 | 1049 |
2020 Q1 | 3772 | 1736 | 1123 |
2020 Q2 | 1961 | 874 | 554 |
2020 Q3 | 4728 | 2369 | 1415 |
2020 Q4 | 4010 | 1860 | 1147 |
2021 Q1 | 3995 | 2191 | 1325 |
2021Q2 | 4532 | 2477 | 1520 |
2021Q3 | 4826 | 2790 | 1621 |
2021Q4 | 4314 | 1802 | 1106 |
There were 32,499 planning permissions granted for all developments in 2021. This compares with 25,549 permissions in 2020, an increase of 27.2%. There was an increase of 35.4% in planning permissions granted for extensions, 31.4% for alterations and conversions and 22.1% for new constructions when compared to 2020. See Table 2 and Figure 3b.
In 2021, 26,272 new apartments were granted planning permission.
The region with the highest proportion of apartment units granted approval at 72.0% was Dublin with 18,908 apartments, followed by the Mid-East (9.0%) with 2,373 approvals and the South-West (8.1%) with 2,135 approvals. The Eastern and Midland Region (made up of Dublin, the Mid-East and the Midland regions) accounted for 21,923 apartment units, 83.4% of all new apartment units granted planning. The Southern Region (made up of the Mid-West, South East and South West regions) accounted for 13.5% of apartments granted planning compared to 3.0% for the Northern and Western Region (Border and West). See Table 6 and Figure 4a.
There were 16,719 housing units granted planning permission in 2021. The county with the highest proportion of houses granted planning was Cork at 13.1% with 2,189 houses, followed by Dublin (7.1%) with 1,193 houses and Meath at 6.8%, with 1,138 houses. Leitrim with 74 houses granted planning accounted for the lowest proportion. See Table 8b and Figure 4b.
X-axis label | Non-Strategic Housing Development units | Strategic Housing Development units |
---|---|---|
2020 Q1 - Apartment units | 1750 | 6750 |
2020 Q1 - Multi-development house units | 1799 | 1428 |
2020 Q2 - Apartment units | 662 | 3546 |
2020 Q2 - Multi-development house units | 1377 | 1017 |
2020 Q3 - Apartment units | 1494 | 5356 |
2020 Q3 - Multi-development house units | 2125 | 1753 |
2020 Q4 - Apartment units | 2329 | 2775 |
2020 Q4 - Multi-development house units | 1812 | 1106 |
2021 Q1 - Apartment units | 1100 | 2774 |
2021 Q1 - Multi-development house units | 1282 | 146 |
2021 Q2 - Apartment units | 2685 | 4579 |
2021 Q2 - Multi-development house units | 1565 | 535 |
2021 Q3 - Apartment units | 1905 | 5122 |
2021 Q3 - Multi-development house units | 1785 | 598 |
2021 Q4 - Apartment units | 1449 | 6658 |
2021 Q4 - Multi-development house units | 2285 | 1024 |
Dwelling units granted by type of application - SHD and non-SHD applications
The Strategic Housing Development (SHD) process is where applications for developments of at least 100 residential units or 200 plus student bed spaces can be made directly to An Bord Pleanála.
In 2021, the number of SHD apartment units approved rose by 3.8% when compared with 2020, while the number of SHD housing units approved declined by 56.6%. SHD apartment units accounted for 72.8% of all apartment units granted planning permission, with standard applications accounting for the remaining 27.2%. In the same period, 9,220 multi-development housing units were granted planning permission, of which 2,303 (25.0%) were Strategic Housing Development applications and 6,917 (75.0%) were standard applications. See Table 7 and Figure 5.
Go to next chapter >>> Background Notes
Learn about our data and confidentiality safeguards, and the steps we take to produce statistics that can be trusted by all.