The number of approved planning applications approved in the first Quarter of 2021 rose by 13% overall despite a number of decreases in the same period of 2020

According to the Central Statistics Office (CSO):

• Planning permissions granted for 6,963 dwelling units in Quarter 1 2021, down 50.7% on the same period in 2020

• Planning permissions were granted for 3,874 apartments in Q1 2021, a decrease of 57.2% when compared with Q1 2020

• Planning permissions were granted for 3,089 houses in Q1 2021, down by 39.3% when compared with the same period last year

• The number of Strategic Housing Development (SHD) applications approved for apartment and housing units declined annually by 62.0% and 92.5% respectively in comparison to quarter 1 2020

• The number of permissions granted for extensions grew by 26.2% when compared with the same period in 2020

• A total of 7,511 planning permissions were granted in Q1 2021, an increase of 13.0% when compared to Q1 2020

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• The number of permissions for new dwellings increased by 13.1% in the year when compared with Q1 2020

Commenting on the data, Seán Clancy, Statistician, said: "The number of permissions granted for new dwellings increased by 13.1% this quarter when compared with Q1 2020.

"The number of dwelling units granted planning permission fell by 50.7% when compared to the same period last year. The number of apartment units granted planning permission decreased by 57.2% compared to a decrease of 39.3% for housing units. This is largely due to the decline in the number of SHD dwelling units approved.

A decline of 68.4% can be seen in the number of housing and apartments units granted permission via SHD applications. Permissions were granted for 7,291 apartments and 1,938 houses via SHD applications in the first quarter of 2020 compared with 2,774 apartments and 146 houses this quarter, a decrease of 62.0% and 92.5% respectively.

"More apartments than houses were granted planning permission in Q1 2021, a trend which has continued every quarter since Q3 2019."

Commenting on permissions for extensions, Seán Clancy, added: "The number of permissions granted for extensions grew by 26.2% in Q1 2021 when compared with the same period in 2020.

A total of 7,511 planning permissions were granted for all developments in Q1 2021 compared with 6,649 for the same period in 2020, an increase of 13.0%. Of these approvals, 26.1% of permissions were for new dwellings, 27.1% for other new construction and 46.8% for extensions, alterations & conversions. Permissions were granted for 220,000 square metres of extensions in Q1 2021 compared to 219,000 square metres in Q1 2020."