Developers with apartment planning permissions can alter design to adhere to new standards

New laws are to be introduced to allow apartment developments change their internal design once permission has been received, allowing more units be built through removal of other aspects of the building.

Developers with existing apartment planning permissions will be able to alter their design to adhere to new standards, the Government has announced.

New laws are to be introduced to allow apartment developments change their internal design once permission has been received, allowing more units be built through removal of other aspects of the building.

Planning minister John Cummins said the change was being made to ensure apartments that have received permission do not restart the planning process to change their design.

Sources in the Department of Housing said it would allow for developers to change the number of units within a specific development, but it must remain within the footprint as outlined in the original planning application.

It is understood there would be a requirement to resubmit drawings to local authorities if changes are made, but sources said it would not be a full restart to the planning process.

It comes as housing minister James Browne received Cabinet approval for new apartment standards to make their development more viable.

As part of these changes, there will be reductions in the minimum size for apartments and removing the requirement for cultural spaces to be built within developments.

However, sources in the Department of Housing have stressed there will be no changes to requirements for private communal spaces within apartment blocks.

This means areas like green spaces or courtyards will still be required to be delivered.

However, planning authorities will be able to accept a reduced number of balconies if there is “high quality” communal spaces provided, or if the development is close to main roads or on taller buildings with high-wind conditions.

The Government has insisted as much as €100,000 could be saved through the new guidelines, with sources saying the figure emerged through research from the Land Development Agency.

Among the changes made will be to reduce the minimum size of a studio apartment from 37sq m to 32sq m.

Sources said this was due to the size of studio apartments being too large compared to the European average.

It comes as Focus Ireland has called on the Government to prove the regulations allowing for smaller apartment sizes will lead to lower costs and greater availability of homes.

Mike Allen, its director of advocacy said “most of the evidence” shows this would just lead to higher profits for developers, or higher land prices without other measures also brought in.

“We’re sceptical as to whether that will work in terms of its effectiveness,” he said, adding cutting the size does not necessarily lead to cheaper apartments.

Mr Allen said a contrast with successful schemes of smaller apartments in Finland was that a lot of attention was paid to the “social context of the housing”.

“There are public areas in the unit, and there’s a whole range of ‘living in the community’ in which there’s public space you can use,” he said.

“So it’s the two-fold thing. The concern is smaller sizes and getting rid of some of the social protections and measures that will lead to greater social integration.

“From what we’re hearing, there is a worry that we may be facilitating in the longer term what will become very low-grade, unattractive housing in the years to come.”