There's further confirmation of the downturn in the construction sector today with official Irish Government statistics revealing that the level of planning permissions being granted during the third quarter of 2008 is well down on the same period in the previous year.

'Dwelling units' approval fell by just over 30% according to today's central Statistics Office report.

It shows that permission was granted for 15,293 dwelling units, compared with 22,138 units for the same period in 2007, a decrease of 30.9%.

-- Advertisement --

The figures also show that planning permissions were granted for 11,532 houses in the third quarter of 2008 and 15,838 in the third quarter of 2007, a decrease of 27.2%.

Planning permissions were granted for 3,761 apartment units, compared with 6,300 units for the same period in 2007, a decrease of 40.3%.

One-off houses accounted for 23.6% of all new dwelling units granted planning permission in this quarter.

The total number of planning permissions granted for all developments was 10,904. This compares with 17,338 in the third quarter of 2007, a decrease of 37.1%.

Total floor area planned was 3,998 thousand sq. metres in the third quarter of 2008. Of this, 56.6% was for new dwellings, 31.6% for other new constructions and 11.8% for extensions.

The total floor area planned decreased by 39.8% in comparison with the same quarter of 2007.

Planning Permissions for new buildings for agriculture also decreased to 314 this quarter. This compares to 3,289 permissions in the same quarter of 2007.

(BMcC)