Barry Heneghan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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34. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will consider introducing a streamlined planning framework to allow for the vertical extension of existing homes of up to four storeys where structurally feasible, particularly in cities and large towns; if he will examine this as a means of increasing housing density without requiring additional land purchases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24859/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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In support of the National Planning Framework (NPF) objectives relating to compact growth and in support of Housing for All objectives relating to increasing the supply of housing, the Sustainable Residential Development and Compact Settlements Guidelines (SRDCSG) for Planning Authorities were issued in January 2024, as Ministerial Guidelines.

The SRDCSGs were issued under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended. Section 28 of the Act provides that planning authorities and An Bord Pleanála shall have regard to Ministerial guidelines in the performance of their functions. Where the guidelines contain specific planning policy requirements (SPPRs), planning authorities and An Bord Pleanála are required to comply with these requirements in the performance of their functions.

The SRDCSGs states that to achieve compact growth, it will also be necessary to increase the scale of new buildings in all parts of our cities and towns, with highest densities at the most central and accessible urban locations, particularly in city centres and close to public transport nodes and interchanges. The SRDCSGs contains density ranges that respond to settlement size (e.g. cities, towns and villages) and general locality in each settlement (i.e. central areas, urban neighbourhoods and suburban areas/areas of urban extension).

The SRDCSGs are one of a number of Section 28 Ministerial Guidelines that are concerned with sustainable forms of residential development and compact growth. Other Guidelines include the Sustainable Urban Housing Design Standards for New Apartments Guidelines for Planning Authorities, 2023, which set out national policy and standards for apartment development and the Urban Development and Building Height Guidelines for Planning Authorities 2018 which set out national policy considerations in relation to building height and provide a framework for a performance-based approach to the consideration of increased building height.

While the Planning and Development Act 2024 was enacted in October 2024, it is being commenced in a phased manner and the provisions of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended and associated Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended (2001 Regulations) remain in force during the transition period. Class 1 of Part 1 of schedule 2 of the 2001 regulations provides an exemption from planning for the extension of a house subject to certain conditions and limitations, including the limiting of the height of any extension.

A review of the current Exempted Development Regulations is ongoing and engagement with Government Departments and State bodies is due to be completed in the coming weeks. Following this, a wider public consultation on exempted development regulations will be undertaken. Members of the public, State bodies and other concerned parties will be able to make submissions in writing as part of the consultation process.

The Government cannot pre-empt the outcome of any consultation and therefore no decision has been made in respect of any revisions to current exempted development provisions; this includes exemptions regarding extensions to dwellings. Any update to Exempted Development Regulations will require positive resolutions by both Houses of the Oireachtas before it can be signed into law.