Planning permissions up almost 97% – Doherty

Fine Gael TD for Meath East, Regina Doherty, has said the increase in new planning permissions is another sign the recovery is taking hold and will contribute to the easing of the current housing shortage.

“In the first three months of 2015 planning permissions were granted for 3,155 dwelling units. The number in the same period of 2014 was 1,604 units for the same period in 2014, representing an overall increase of 96.7%.

“According to the CSO planning permissions were granted for 641 apartment units, compared with 158 units for the same period in 2014, an increase of 305.7%.  One-off houses accounted for 28.8 % of all new dwelling units granted planning permission in this quarter.

“Living in the Meath commuter belt I am very aware of the huge demand for housing as the economic recovery takes hold so it is encouraging to see such this sharp rise in the number of applications.

“Four towns in my area Dunboyne, Dunshaughlin, Ratoath and Ashbourne are all seeing housebuilding at present.

“The Government’s social housing strategy will deliver 35,000 units at a cost of €3.8 billion by 2020. This will create 29,000 jobs in construction and it will reform the way in which social housing is delivered and managed in Ireland. ”