Barry Heneghan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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631. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if reforms to planning regulations will be considered to facilitate the conversion of derelict buildings and vacant spaces above shops into residential units; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3580/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The Planning and Development (Amendment) Regulations 2018 , S.I. No. 30/2018, currently provide for an exemption from the need to obtain planning permission for the change of use of certain vacant commercial buildings, including vacant above ground floor premises, to residential use such as ‘above shop’ living. These Exempted Development Regulations were extended in 2022, to also include former pubs and to extend the timeframe for these exemptions to apply up to the end of 2025.

The Regulations require the developer to notify the planning authority at least two weeks prior to the commencement of any proposed change of use and related works.

The most recent figures, which are available on my Department’s website show how these exemptions are helping to tackle the problem of vacancy, maximise the use of our existing building stock for much-needed housing supply and revitalise our town centres, as part of the government’s ‘Housing For All’ plan and ‘Town Centre First’ policy.

Since 2018, when the exemptions were first introduced, local authorities have received 1,165 notifications relating to the provision of 2,716 new homes.

In 2023 alone, local authorities received notifications of 267 exempted development proposals with plans put forward to result in the provision of 650 dwellings. In 2022 and 2023, 92 notifications relating to pubs were received by local authorities with the intention to create 295 new homes.

Further information on the number of notifications received by local authorities of planned changes of use of vacant commercial property into residential units, and the number of homes associated with those notifications, for the years 2018-2023: www.gov.ie/en/publication/f3a0e-notifications-received-by-local-authorities-under-planning-permission-exemptions-for-converting-certain-vacant-commercial-property-into-homes/

These exemptions are just one of a range of measures designed to help people bring vacant properties back into residential use, and can be used in combination with other vacant property supports such as the ‘Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant’ and the ‘Repair and Leasing Scheme’. Further information on the range of supports available to bring a vacant or derelict property back into use is available on my Department’s website at: www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/ef77b-refurbishing-vacant-property/?referrer=https://www.gov.ie/vacancy/