One Pager
One pager: Ireland could build 350,000 small homes in gardens
A small change to planning rules could unlock a large number of new homes in the places they’re most needed, and help homeowners cover their bills.
Author
Seán O'Neill McPartlin
Seán O'Neill McPartlin is the Director of Housing Policy at Progress Ireland. Prior to that, Seán co-founded the Better Planning Alliance. His work has appeared in the British Medical Journal, the Irish Times, the Telegraph, and the American Journal of Bioethics. Seán is studying for a MSc in Economic Policy from Trinity College Dublin. He holds degrees in philosophy from Trinity College Dublin and the University of Oxford. He is the recipient of an Emergent Ventures grant and the George Moore, Foundation, and Laidlaw scholarships.
Policy Brief
In plain sight: a tweak to planning rules could unlock up to 350,000 small homes
Homeowners are currently entitled to build a small office, gym, or garage on their property without applying for planning permission. They are not entitled to build a small home. Extending exempted development rules to small homes could unlock up to 350,000 homes, according to Progress Ireland’s modelling.