Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 22 January 2026
174. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for a breakdown of the number of properties which have availed of the planning exemption for change of use from commercial to residential, in 2025, by local authority, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5022/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Planning and Development (Amendment) Regulations 2018, S.I. No. 30/2018, provide for an exemption from the need to obtain planning permission for the change of use of certain vacant commercial buildings, including vacant above ground floor premises, to residential use such as ‘above shop’ living. These Exempted Development Regulations were extended in 2022, to also include former pubs and were also recently extended in timeframe to apply up to the end of 2028. The planning exemptions are one of a suite of measures to encourage potential homeowners to convert vacant commercial buildings to residential use such as ‘above shop’ living, to increase housing supply and drive the regeneration of our town centres.
A limit of a total nine residential units per development can be provided under this planning exemption. The Regulations require the developer to notify the planning authority at least two weeks prior to the commencement of such a proposed change of use and related works.
Local authorities provide details annually on the notifications they receive from developers to my Department for the preceding year with the most recent returns available for 2024. From 2018 up to the end of 2024, local authorities nationally received 1,457 notifications from developers intending to avail of this planning exemptions. If fully carried out, these notifications would result in 3,429 new homes across the country. Dublin City Council had the highest number of 153 such exemption notifications received between 2018-2024, which would provide 445 homes, if fully enacted.
Exemption Annual Returns data is available at Notifications received by local authorities under planning permission exemptions for converting commercial property into homes on my Department's website:
www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/publications/notifications-received-by-local-authorities-under-planning-permission-exemptions-for-converting-commercial-property-into-homes/ .
