Government considering decreases in required minimum apartment dimensions
In a bid to address the slowdown in apartment building and criticism of the government's response, Housing Minister James Browne has put forth proposals for changes to apartment building guidelines. The key modifications include:
1. **Reduction in Minimum Unit Size:** The minimum size for studio apartments would decrease from 37 square metres to 32 square metres, offering developers more room to create cost-effective layouts.
2. **Changes to Apartment Mix:** The current restrictions on one-bedroom apartments and studios would be removed, granting developers more flexibility in the mix of apartment types.
3. **Dual Aspect Window Requirements:** The proportion of apartments required to have dual aspect windows would be lowered from 33% to 25% in urban areas, and from 50% to 25% in suburban areas, providing designers with greater design freedom.
4. **Communal Facilities:** The new guidelines would ease restrictions on providing private open space and specify that communal facilities shall no longer be mandatory, offering developers more options in amenity provision.
5. **Lift and Stair Core Ratios:** The limitations on the number of units per lift and stair core per floor would be removed, allowing for more than 12 units per core, as long as building regulations are met.
These changes are expected to reduce the cost per unit by €50,000 to €100,000. The proposals focus on design flexibility in unit layout, mix, and communal amenity provision to improve delivery costs and increase housing supply.
However, it's important to note that the changes do not specify how the removal of restrictions on apartment mix will affect the overall quality or distribution of apartment types. Furthermore, the guidelines do not provide details about the cost of communal facilities.
These changes, if implemented, will undoubtedly have an impact on the mix of apartment types, their layout and design, and the provision of communal facilities, aiming to boost apartment construction and address the current slowdown.
The implementation of the proposed changes could potentially impact the property market, as the reduction in minimum unit size, alterations to apartment mix, and relaxed communal facilities requirements may influence investing strategies in the real-estate business. The financial implications of these changes, particularly the cost reduction per unit, might encourage higher finance allocation for apartment construction, thereby boosting business growth in the sector.
