Alan Kelly denies he is bringing back ‘shoebox’ bedsit flats

Environment Minister Alan Kelly has denied that planning standards announced yesterday will see the return of the “shoebox” bedsit apartments.

Mr Kelly and junior minister Paudie Coffey published new guidelines in a bid to reduce the cost of buying apartments, but were severely criticised for reducing the minimum standards with no guarantee of lowering costs.

Under the new guidelines, studios would be 45sq m (484sq ft), as against the current minimum size of 55sq m (592sq ft), but could be built only in certain circumstances. They would be permitted in schemes of more than 100 apartments that have communal facilities such as common rooms and gyms and could make up just 7.5% of the overall complex.

Mr Kelly insisted the new reduced standards would not see the return of shoebox apartments, one of the worst legacies of the previous decade.

“I will not stand for shoebox living that was the hallmark of the Fianna Fáil governments of the past,” he said.

Mr Kelly said the change in standards was to try to tackle lack of supply.

“We have seen little or no significant apartment development since about 2007 when previous guidelines were published.

“Instead, we are witnessing an upward spiral of new planning requirements being specified by some, but not all, local authorities without proper analysis of their economic impact on the people who must ultimately pay — ordinary renters and apartment dwellers.”

Mr Kelly said: “The reality is this year in Dublin, we needed 8,000 residential units to be built, but only 2,700 were actually delivered and viability of new construction, especially for apartments, is one factor holding back supply.

“This is about delivering good, high-quality, affordable housing in sufficient numbers to meet growing demand, which will also help to reduce rents by increasing the supply of properties available. This is a critical component of the solution to homelessness, which is being driven by the large increase in rents.”

But Fianna Fáil’s legal adviser Jim O’Callaghan, a Dublin City councillor and general election candidate, said Mr Kelly’s plan was the wrong way to try and impact on the cost of apartments.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner, Mr O’Callaghan said: “This is the wrong idea. If we want to reduce costs we should look at reducing Vat on construction related activity or reduce development levies”.

“This is lowering standards with no guarantee that this would deliver the reduction in cost to those trying to enter the market.”

Mr O’Callaghan said he had not been provided with any evidence that a reduction in size would result in a corresponding reduction in cost. “I want a city built for people, not battery hens.”

Sinn Féin’s Chris Andrews said the council needed to aspire to “raising not lowering the bar”.

The complexes, which can be in the inner city or docklands only, must be for renters, not owner occupiers, and must be in single ownership for at least 20 years, during which they cannot be sold off piecemeal.