Irish councils aim to zone land for one million homes by 2030

Speaking at the Dublin Economics Workshop in Wexford, Kevin Dillon, head of policy and research at Glenveagh, explained that Ireland’s 31 city and local authorities have been instructed to zone additional land, targeting a residential land bank of roughly 25,000 hectares by 2040. Combined with revised housing density guidelines, this would provide space for an extra one million homes, with the zoning process slated for completion by 2030, which Dillon expects will reduce land and housing costs.

He highlighted that the state’s housing capital budget has risen from €432 million in 2016 to over €5 billion this year, the highest per-capita spending in Europe. Glenveagh forecasts the nation’s occupied homes to reach about four million by 2065, with most growth occurring before 2040, and aims to deliver over 40,000 new homes this year. The company also noted difficulties in obtaining certifications for modern methods of construction, seeking to raise off-site building from 40 % to 70 % of a typical home.