Planning permissions for more than 8,000 homes approved in first three months of 2026 despite Dublin slowdown
CSO figures show one-off rural housing approvals rising by 12.4%, while apartment permissions and Dublin housing approvals declined during the first quarter of the year
10 June 2026 | đŸ“§Â editor@ipropertyradio.com
New planning permissions were granted for 8,092 homes across Ireland during the first three months of 2026, according to new figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO), representing a slight annual decline of 1% compared with the same period last year.
The latest Planning Permissions report shows that 4,939 houses and 3,153 apartments received planning approval between January and March 2026. Houses accounted for 61% of all homes approved, while apartments represented the remaining 39%.
While the overall decline was modest, the data reveals significant regional variations and continued weakness in apartment delivery. Apartment approvals fell by 2.7% year-on-year, dropping from 3,240 units in the first quarter of 2025 to 3,153 units in the same period this year. House approvals remained largely unchanged, increasing by just two units to 4,939 homes.
One of the strongest trends was the continued growth in one-off rural housing. Planning permissions for one-off houses increased by 12.4%, rising from 1,230 homes in the first quarter of 2025 to 1,382 this year. In contrast, approvals for houses within larger housing developments fell by 4%, declining from 3,707 to 3,557 units.
The figures also highlight a sharp decline in housing approvals across Dublin. The four Dublin local authorities approved 1,452 homes during the quarter, a fall of 34% compared with the same period in 2025. Apartment approvals in Dublin dropped by 31.6% to 1,064 units, while house approvals fell by almost 40% to 388 homes.
Despite this decline, Dublin still accounted for more than one-third of all apartments approved nationally and almost one-fifth of all homes granted planning permission during the quarter.
Outside the capital, the strongest apartment approval activity was recorded in Limerick, where 623 apartments received planning permission, followed by Cork with 349 units. The lowest numbers of apartment approvals were recorded in Roscommon, with just three apartments approved, and Meath, where nine apartments received permission.
For houses, Cork recorded the highest number of approvals nationally with 594 units, followed by Kerry with 451 and Dublin with 388. Longford recorded the lowest number of house approvals at 13 units, ahead of Roscommon with 22 and Leitrim with 28.
Regionally, the South-West, comprising Cork and Kerry, recorded the highest number of house approvals with 1,045 units, representing more than one-fifth of all houses approved nationally. The South-East followed with 909 homes, while the Border region recorded 706 approvals.
The report also points to a significant increase in overall planning activity. A total of 7,933 planning permissions were granted across all development categories during the quarter, an increase of 21.7% compared with the 6,520 permissions approved during the same period in 2025. Permissions for new dwellings increased by 12%, while approvals for other new construction projects rose by 35.1%. Permissions for alterations and conversions increased by 45%, with extensions rising by 4%.
The number of homes approved through Strategic Housing Development (SHD) applications continued to decline. SHD approvals fell by 43.8% year-on-year, from 2,336 units in the first quarter of 2025 to 1,314 units this year. Apartment approvals under the SHD process dropped by 40.2%, while house approvals fell by 48.3%.
Commenting on the figures, CSO Statistician Shane O’Sullivan noted that the annual decline in dwelling approvals followed a strong 19.1% increase recorded during the final quarter of 2025. The CSO also cautioned that quarterly planning data can fluctuate significantly due to the timing of large developments receiving approval and the ongoing transition from the former Strategic Housing Development system to the Large-Scale Residential Development process.
While planning permissions do not guarantee housing delivery, they provide an important indicator of future supply. The latest figures suggest that housing approvals remain broadly stable nationally, but continuing declines in apartment approvals and the sharp fall in Dublin permissions may raise concerns about the pipeline of new homes in areas where housing demand remains highest.
