THE LATEST NATIONAL Housing Construction Index shows that Sligo had the second highest drop in applications this year, compared to having the lowest drop last year.

Last year, Sligo’s rate of commencements increased by 12 per cent, however this year it has dropped by 26 per cent.

Leitrim had the highest drop in applications made this year, down 39 per cent, compared to last year, when the county had the second highest increase in planning applications at 5 per cent.

Planning applications

Viewed on a nationwide basis, the National Housing Construction Index reveals there is a decrease in planning applications of 6 per cent but project commencements were down even further, by 10 per cent since last year.

Sligo reports the second worst drop of applications in the country with a drop of 31 per cent since last year.

Other counties also saw a significant drop in planning applications. Offaly and Meath applications dropped by 29 per cent and 26 per cent respectively.

Counties with increase

Six counties saw a rise in their planning applications. Kildare applications rose by 12 per cent, Dublin and Carlow saw a rise of  7 per cent while Donegal and Monaghan rose by 4 per cent.

Kerry’s planning applications increased by 2 per cent. Last year just two counties saw an increase in planning applications, Donegal and Leitrim.

There has also been a decrease in construction commencement. Commencement increases were seen in only five counties – Roscommon  up 51 per cent, Longford, Meath and Dublin up 8 per cent and Wexford is up 3 per cent.

But the report says that the outlook is positive, as last year, commencements were down by 16 per cent but this year the decline is just 6 per cent nationally.

The figures, which are compiled by a team of researchers from Link2Plans, who examined every housing construction planning application and planning commencement from January to August 2013, in the production of the National Housing Construction Index.

The Index gives a direct comparison with the exact same period in 2012.

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