Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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793. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his views on the current standards applying to the building of apartments with specific reference to the reduced standards introduced in 2015 and 2018; if he plans to reverse these changes in order to improve fire safety, apartment size, outdoor space and mix of apartment size in order to make apartments and apartment living more sustainable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41279/21]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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I wish to first clarify that reduced standards in respect of the building of apartments related to fire safety, apartment size, outdoor space or mix of apartment size, were not introduced in 2015 or 2018.

Updated planning guidelines for planning authorities in respect of apartment development were introduced in both 2015 and 2018. The new elements of these guidelines primarily addressed matters that had not been considered in the preceding guidance document, which had been issued in 2007.

It is also important to point out that although referenced in apartment guidance, fire safety standards are separately and specifically addressed through Building Regulations, which are applied under a different legislative code to Planning.

The Building Regulations 1997-2019 set out minimum standards for the design and construction of buildings and works to ensure the health and safety of people in and around such buildings. They are subject to ongoing review in the interests of safety and the well-being of persons in the built environment and to ensure that due regard is taken of changes in construction techniques, technological progress and innovation.

Part B of the Building Regulations deals with Fire Safety. For buildings other than dwelling houses, the associated Technical Guidance Document B 2006 provides guidance indicating how the requirements of Part B can be achieved in practice. Where works are carried out in accordance with TGD B, this will, prima facie, indicate compliance with Part B of the Second Schedule of the Building Regulations.

A fundamental review of Part B (Fire Safety) is ongoing and will take note of Fire Safety in Ireland report (published in 2018), and consider common and emerging building trends, developments and events from a global perspective, matters relating to external fire spread, external fire resistance, internal fire resistance, cladding systems, sprinklers, etc. Changes in standards, including fire test standards and technological changes in areas such as materials and systems have necessitated a fundamental analysis of the provisions and assumptions contained in Technical Guidance Document B – Fire Safety.

In this context the Department established a Consultative Committee in December 2020 to discuss the technical revision of Part B/TGD B. The Consultative Committee has met nine times to date, in addition to a number of sub-group meetings. Draft documentation, which includes Draft Building Regulations (Part B Amendment) Regulations 2021, Draft Technical Guidance Document B – Fire Safety 2021 and a Regulatory Impact Analysis, is currently being prepared to support a public consultation in the matter later this year.

In relation to planning guidelines, floor area standards for apartments are set out in the Sustainable Urban Housing: Design Standards for New Apartments Guidelines for Planning Authorities that were most recently updated in 2020. Current floor areas standards remain unchanged to those set out in previous versions of the guidance, in 2018, 2015 and in 2007, when current floor areas standards were first set.

Apartment design parameters that the 2007 guidelines addressed only in general terms or not at all, include studio apartments, dual aspect ratios and the number of apartments per stair/lift core and these were further detailed in 2015 and 2018.

Accordingly, the 2015 and 2018 guidelines specified planning policy requirements to address a range of issues such as, inter alia, internal space standards for different types of apartments, including studio apartments; dwelling mix, dual aspect ratios; floor to ceiling height; apartments to stair/lift core ratios; storage spaces and amenity spaces including balconies/patios.

Moreover, since 2015, at least half of all apartments in apartment development proposals are required to be at least 10% larger than the minimum standard size and this remains the case. In general terms, Ireland’s apartment standards compare favourably with those elsewhere in Europe in terms of floor area and amenity space.

I am therefore satisfied that these guidelines are necessary and appropriate to give clear context and direction in relation to apartment design and I currently have no plans to review these guidelines.