Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party)
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69. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the position regarding the review of construction regulations in relation to refurbishment and change of use for regeneration and living over the shop type developments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36457/22]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The Building Regulations 1997 to 2021 provide for the safety and welfare of people in and about buildings and apply to the design and construction of a new building (including a dwelling) or an extension to an existing building. The minimum performance requirements that a building must achieve are set out in the Second Schedule to the Building Regulations.

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. A number of reviews are ongoing at present including Part B Fire Safety, Part M (Changing Places Toilet) etc.

In February, I signed the Planning and Development Act (Exempted Development) Regulations 2022, which extend the operation of the previous 2018 Regulations in this regard until end 2025, and provide for an exemption from the requirement to obtain planning permission in respect of the change of use of certain vacant commercial premises to residential use, including the conversion of vacant areas above ground floor commercial premises to residential use. This measure is aimed at facilitating the productive re-use of qualifying vacant commercial buildings as homes, while also facilitating urban renewal and the bringing on stream of increased housing supply.

In relation to the refurbishment or conversion of existing buildings for residential use, my Department also published the “Bringing Back Homes - Manual for the Reuse of Existing Buildings’, available on the following link www.gov.ie/en/publication/3c790-bringing-back-homes-print-version/. Created as a reference guide, the manual aims to provide property owners, members of the public, Local Authorities and those involved in the construction industry with clear guidance on how current regulatory requirements apply to common, existing building types.

In addition, under Housing for All, the suite of measures under the pathway to address vacancy and efficient use of existing stock include the Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund which will be delivered by local authorities for the provision of serviced sites for housing, to attract people to build their own homes and to support the refurbishment of vacant properties, enabling people to live in small towns and villages, in a sustainable way.

Details in relation to the operation of the Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund are at an advanced stage of development, including the scope and appropriate timeframes, and it will be launched shortly.