Government looking at reducing minimum apartment size

The Housing Minister is bringing proposed changes to apartment building guidelines that will reduce the minimum size of units and cut back on other requirements.

The measures are designed to reduce costs by between 50,000 to 100,000 euros per unit.

It comes amid frustration and criticism of the Government’s response to a slowdown in apartment building.

Minister James Browne’s proposals look at the mix of apartment types, ⁠the layout and design of individual units, and ⁠the provision of communal facilities.

Sinn Fein has said the policy reform would be “condemning renters to living in small and dark apartments” with no increase in housing supply.

The new guidelines being brought to Cabinet also include measures around dual-aspect windows, and the ratio of units to lifts and stairs.

They would also reduce the minimum size of studio apartments from 37 square metres to 32 square metres.

In an attempt to improve delivery costs of apartment schemes, they would also remove any restrictions on apartment mix.

Guidelines currently restrict the number of one-bedroom apartments within a scheme to 50% – with no more than 20% to 25% consisting of studio apartments.

It is also proposed to remove any limitation on the number of units per lift and stair core per floor, subject to compliance with building regulations.

This would allow developers to exceed the current maximum of 12 units.

The Fianna Fail minister’s plans would also reduce the amount of apartments required to be dual aspect in new developments to at least 25%, down from 33% in urban locations and 50% in suburban areas.

Elsewhere, the guidelines contain easing of restrictions on providing private open space and specify that communal facilities shall not be required on a mandatory basis.

Sinn Fein housing spokesman Eoin O Broin said the proposals were a “copy-and-paste of a failed Fine Gael housing policy”.

He said the plans would also see an increase in judicial reviews, and no increase in the supply of housing.

“Reducing minimum apartment sizes means renters paying higher rents for smaller and darker apartments, and does nothing to increase the supply of housing or reduce the cost of rent,” he said.

Mr O Broin said repeating a “hair-brained proposal” from former Fine Gael housing minister Eoghan Murphy would lead to one set of planning rules by local authorities’ development plans and another by the minister for housing.

“We know this because when, in 2022, the then-Fianna Fail minister for housing Darragh O’Brien removed the same two-tier system Minister Browne is now seeking to reintroduce, the number of judicial reviews fell dramatically.

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.”