The Government has published new housing design guidelines which will provide a wider range of housing options to meet the needs of a growing population.

The 'Sustainable Residential Development and Compact Settlements Guidelines for Planning Authorities' have now been issued to local authorities following previous public consultation in 2023.

These Guidelines expand on Government policy in the National Planning Framework, in particular policies in relation to compact growth and sustainable living spaces.

The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O'Brien TD and the Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government and Planning Kieran O'Donnell TD issued the guidelines.

Mr O'Brien said: "I very much welcome the publication of the Sustainable Residential Development and Compact Settlements Guidelines for Planning Authorities. They are timely particularly in light of the Government’s overall objective to increase housing supply as set out under Housing for All and expand on the higher-level policies of the National Planning Framework (NPF) in relation to the creation of settlements that are compact, attractive, liveable and well designed. While progress continues to be made on housing delivery, the greater flexibility offered by these guidelines will help in achieving our aim of providing a broader range of housing options to meet the needs of a growing and more diverse population."

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Mr O'Donnell said: "The approach in relation to residential density enables appropriate standards to be applied across a greater range of settlements. Furthermore, greater flexibility in residential design standards will support the delivery of compact 'own door' housing and a greater range of affordable housing options. The Guidelines also respond to our national obligations under European Directives and international agreements relating to the management and protection of the environment and biodiversity and the transition towards net zero by 2050."

The new Guidelines focus on the interaction between residential density, housing standards and quality urban design and placemaking. The Guidelines outline:

• density ranges that respond to settlement size (e.g. cities, large towns, small and medium sized towns) and general locality in each settlement (i.e. central, urban and suburban or edge areas).

• highest residential densities at the most central and accessible urban locations, and more compact and sustainable forms of urban development overall. The preferred policy approach states that very high densities should be developed on a plan-led basis only.

• greater flexibility in design standards for housing such as building separation distances and open space standards. This is to support the construction of more compact 'own-door' housing, alongside traditional housing and apartment developments.