New Homes:Wealth of stylish new apartments on the horizon

National planning regulation changes for houses and apartments will enable higher density housing and faster delivery, particularly in cities and towns, says expert 

PJ Hegarty & Sons installing the 103m, 750-tonnes mobile crane at Railyard Apartments, Cork, which will be Ireland’s tallest residential building at 85.53metres, in 25 storeys, located on the site of the former Sextant Bar/Carey's Tool Hire and Railway yard. Picture: Larry Cummins

Is the future of Irish housing to be apartments? Most likely, in the country’s more urbanised areas at least – the move is one, for better or worse, as controversial design changes are now allowed, which will increase supply, but in many cases will lower the living quality in some units, with the aim of reducing build and entry level costs.

Few will argue that higher density housing, and apartments, sit best in urban cores, and in Cork the momentum is now behind the likes of apartments via the Land Development Agency, Cork City Council, Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) and at direct to market at Horgan’s Quay north of the river (BAM/Clarendon developers), at Centre Park Road south of the river with Glenveagh and also in Blackrock village.