Government looking at reducing minimum apartment size

By Cillian Sherlock, PA

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 per unit.

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

The changes look at the mix of apartment types, ⁠the layout and design of individual of units, and ⁠the provision of communal facilities.

It also includes measures around dual-aspect windows and the ratio of units to lifts and stairs.

The new guidelines 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 will also remove any restrictions on apartment mix.

Currently, guidelines restrict the number of one-bedroom apartments within a scheme to 50 per cent, with no more than 20 to 25 per cent 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 will allow developers to exceed the current maximum of 12 units.

Minister James Browne’s proposals 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.