THIS MORNING, THE government signed off on plans to drastically reduce the minimum standards for apartments in a bid to boost supply.

Under the changes, which take effect immediately, the minimum size of a studio apartment will be reduced from 37 sq m to 32 sq m, while developers will no longer have to provide a mix of unit sizes in apartment blocks. 

Fewer windows and balconies will also be required, while a requirement to have indoor ‘communal, community and cultural facilities’ has been scrapped.

The Department of Housing did not consult with tenant organisations, homeowner organisations or members of the public ahead of the changes.

It is understood the changes were kept under wraps due to the fact that they were “extremely commercially sensitive” and may have led to developers pausing building that is currently underway ahead of the changes being confirmed. 

As part of the changes signed off today, a rule that required that half of apartments in a development be somewhat bigger than the minimum standard has been reduced to 25 per cent. 

While another rule that required half of apartments in suburban developments and 33 per cent of apartments in urban developments to be ‘dual aspect’ (which means having windows that can be opened on at least two walls) has now been reduced to 25 per cent in all settings.

Housing Minister James Browne said the changes come in an effort to unblock blockages in apartment delivery.

He said he wants to clear away red tape and address “viability issues”, which he blames on delays in the housing system.

“We are taking decisive action, without compromising on any essential regulations, to ensure apartments are viable to build,” he said.

Speaking on his way into Cabinet this morning, the minister said apartment delivery in Dublin has “collapsed”. 

“We’ve looked at the housing delivery from last year, it was certainly lower than we hoped, lower than we expected, and it was very disappointing,” he added, arguing that the government has tied itself in “regulatory knots” in recent years. 

Department officials believe the changes announced today could lead to a cost reduction of between €50,000 and €100,000 per apartment. 

It was also confirmed today that apartment buildings that have already received planning permission but are not yet complete will not have to be sent back to the beginning of the planning process if they wish to tweak their designs to align with the new rules.

Reacting to the new rules, Sinn Féin’s housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin said they prove that the government has been “captured by the institutional investor lobby”.

“This policy was tried and tested in 2018 by then Fine Gael Housing Minister, Eoghan Murphy. It was such a disaster that Darragh O’Brien reversed it in 2022.

“That government is reintroducing it again now shows the absolute poverty of ideas from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael when it comes to housing,” he said.

Meanwhile, Social Democrats housing spokesperson Rory Hearne said the changes would allow developers to build “glorified shoeboxes”. 

“It will only result in increased profits for developers – and unaffordable apartments that nobody wants to live in,” he said.