The Irish Planning Institute (IPI), the all-island professional membership organisation representing professional planners, has said there is considerable “disquiet” among planners over the proposed changes outlined in the Planning Design Standards for Apartments: Guidelines for Planning Authorities published this week and the associated Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2025.

Gavin Lawlor, President of the Irish Planning Institute, said

“Professional planners not only recognise the gravity of the housing crisis — we are actively working to be part of the solution. We welcome meaningful, evidence-based reforms that support the accelerated, coordinated, and sustainable delivery of apartments and homes in communities across the country.

“While we all share the Minister’s priorities of bringing development costs down and accelerating housing delivery, we are not convinced that the announced changes will achieve what’s intended.

“In particular, the erosion of unit mix requirements represents a market-led approach to housing that is fundamentally at odds with the significant work undertaken by the Department of Housing to date to create a plan-led system with high quality, long term sustainable outcomes flowing from transparently and democratically adopted local development plans.

“This, and allowing changes to already permitted developments, also risks introducing more legal unpredictability.

“Our members understand the motivation to make unviable housing projects deliverable, however our members are deeply concerned about the potential unintended consequences of the Minister’s actions.

“Simply presenting these revised guidelines and the legislation as a fait d’accompli is regrettable, and it has caused significant disquiet among members of the Irish Planning Institute. Professional planners are as always available to work with the Minister and his officials to deliver sustainable housing and we will work with them to mitigate any unintended consequences of the announced changes.”