Planner's Take, 20 October 2026

In my view, two of today's stories say a good deal about where Irish planning is heading.

The end of turnkey acquisitions, announced by the Department of Housing (https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/press-releases/minister-browne-announces-end-to-turnkey-acquisitions-for-social-housing/), is a significant shift. After 31 December 2027, councils and Approved Housing Bodies will no longer be able to apply for funding to buy completed schemes. Instead they will rely on their own build programmes and on partnerships with the Land Development Agency. In principle, this gives public bodies more say over the mix and design of homes from the outset. In practice, it puts real pressure on council planning, architecture and procurement teams, many of which are already stretched. Developers who have relied on turnkey deals to fund schemes will need to engage earlier, as the Department intends, or rethink viability.

The Irish Times (https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2026/10/20/contentious-data-centres-plan-in-co-waterford-is-refused-planning-permission/) reports that Waterford City and County Council has refused permission for the Kilmeaden data centre campus. That refusal is equally instructive. The reasons included a failure to demonstrate existing grid capacity and a lack of significant onsite renewable energy, as well as concerns over wastewater, flood risk and village character. For applicants, the message seems clear: energy supply and servicing need to be shown at application stage, not left to conditions or future upgrades.

Both stories point the same way. Planning outcomes increasingly depend on infrastructure and delivery capacity, not just land use. These are my own views, offered for discussion.

Irish Town Planner Planning News Roundup, 20 October 2026

Here is today's BPS Planning round-up of town planning news from around Ireland, covering housing policy, council rezoning decisions and local planning outcomes from the last day or two.

Minister announces end to turnkey acquisitions for social housing

Housing Minister James Browne has announced that turnkey acquisitions, where councils and Approved Housing Bodies buy completed new homes from developers, will be phased out as a route for delivering social housing. The final date for turnkey funding applications will be 31 December 2027, after which social housing will rely more on council and AHB own-build programmes and partnerships with the Land Development Agency. Projects approved before the cut-off can still go ahead, so turnkey delivery will tail off through 2027 to 2029.

Source: gov.ie, Department of Housing (20 October 2026) (https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/press-releases/minister-browne-announces-end-to-turnkey-acquisitions-for-social-housing/)

Kilmeaden data centre campus refused permission by Waterford council

Waterford City and County Council has refused permission for a data centre campus on the former cheese factory site at Kilmeaden, proposed by an Echelon Data Centres subsidiary and Kent Homes. The scheme included three data centres, a solar farm, a gas-powered energy centre and 48 apartments, and drew hundreds of submissions. The council cited a lack of demonstrated grid capacity, limited onsite renewable energy, visual intrusion, loss of village character, inadequate wastewater capacity and flood risk concerns.

Source: The Irish Times (20 October 2026) (https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2026/10/20/contentious-data-centres-plan-in-co-waterford-is-refused-planning-permission/)

South Dublin councillors reject St Edmundsbury rezoning but back Finnstown and Adamstown sites

South Dublin County Council members voted against rezoning land at St Edmundsbury, near Liffey Valley, which could have allowed about 540 homes on lands owned by JP McManus and John Magnier. The proposal had drawn 1,266 submissions and a local protest march. At the same meeting, councillors approved rezoning at Finnstown Castle near Lucan (up to about 1,000 homes) and at Coldcut Road in Adamstown.

Source: The Irish Times (19 October 2026) (https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/dublin/2026/10/19/dublin-council-denies-st-edmundsbury-housing-rezoning-but-gives-green-light-to-two-other-sites/); TheJournal.ie (20 October 2026) (https://www.thejournal.ie/liffey-valley-rezoning-7199123-Oct2026/)

Fingal councillors meet on Dunsink Urban Area Plan

Fingal County Council held a special meeting on Monday to consider the Chief Executive's report on the Dunsink Urban Area Plan, a proposed new urban quarter for up to around 18,500 homes in west Dublin that drew more than 1,100 submissions. Ahead of the meeting, Dunsink Observatory raised concerns about building heights and light pollution near the historic site. Reports from the meeting indicated that around 240 councillor motions had been tabled and that not all could be debated in the time available.

Source: RTÉ News (16 October 2026) (https://www.rte.ie/news/regional/2026/1016/1595661-dunsink-housing-plan/); Gript (19 October 2026, opinion) (https://gript.ie/dunsink-new-city-likely-to-go-ahead-without-any-further-change/)

Strong developer interest in Croí Cónaithe (Cities) apartment scheme

The Housing Agency has received 60 applications to deliver more than 8,000 apartments for owner-occupiers under the latest call for the Croí Cónaithe (Cities) scheme, which helps close the viability gap between building costs and sale prices. Dublin accounted for around 6,000 of the proposed units and Cork for around 1,000, with further interest in Limerick, Galway and Waterford. A total of 2,863 apartments have already been approved under the scheme.

Source: The Housing Agency (19 October 2026) (https://www.housingagency.ie/news/strong-interest-in-housing-agencys-latest-call-to-deliver-apartments-under-croi-conaithe-cities-scheme/)

McDonald's refused 24-hour drive-thru at Fota Retail Park, Cork

Cork County Council has refused permission for a 24-hour McDonald's drive-thru at the entrance to Fota Retail Park near Carrigtwohill. The council said the site is zoned for business and general employment, that the restaurant would be outside any town centre or retail area and would materially contravene the County Development Plan. It also warned of an undesirable precedent and extra car-based trips on the local road network.

Source: Irish Examiner (20 October 2026) (https://www.irishexaminer.com/property/developmentconstruction/arid-41926583.html)

Seven homes approved at protected structure site on North Road, Drogheda

Louth County Council has granted permission for seven new homes at 47 and 50 North Road, Drogheda, a site within the curtilage of a protected structure. The scheme comprises four three-bedroom semi-detached houses and three four-bedroom terraced houses, along with a new internal road, footpaths, parking and public open space. Two existing outbuildings will be demolished.

Source: Irish Independent (20 October 2026) (https://www.independent.ie/county/louth/louth-planners-give-go-ahead-for-seven-new-homes-at-north-road-site-in-drogheda/a/163187597.html)

Owner of Activist-Occupied Dublin Pub Told to Engage with Community for Planning Permission

 In a fresh twist in the long-running saga of the Ardee House pub in Dublin, the property owner has been advised by Dublin City Council to properly engage with the local community as part of its efforts to secure planning permission for redevelopment.

The building, a former pub, has been occupied by housing activists from the Revolutionary Housing League for some time. According to reports, the group has since been removed from the premises.

Black Sheep Investments, the owner of the property, is now navigating the planning process. The Council has specifically requested that the developer improve its engagement with local residents and stakeholders before proceeding.

Concerns Raised

Among the issues highlighted in the planning discussions are concerns over inadequate private amenity space in the proposed scheme. This is a common sticking point in Dublin residential developments, where councils are increasingly strict on quality-of-life provisions for future residents.

Background

The Ardee House situation gained attention as part of a broader pattern of activist occupations of vacant buildings in Dublin amid the ongoing housing crisis. While the activists have been removed, the redevelopment of the site remains a sensitive local issue.

This latest development from Dublin City Council underscores a growing trend: planning authorities are placing greater emphasis on meaningful community consultation, especially on sites with contentious histories.

Article prepared by BPS Planning & Development Consultants

Government to reflect on Bessborough planning decision

 Taoiseach Micheál Martin has reiterated the Government will reflect on the planning permission granted to build apartments on the site of the former Bessborough mother and baby homes site in Co Cork. The Coalition has faced cross-party calls from Sinn Féin, the Social Democrats, the Labour Party and People Before Profit to bring the site into public ownership and to stop any construction on the site. During Leaders' Questions, Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns repeated her recent calls for the Government to carry out a compulsory purchase order of the site. The Cork South West TD said Cork City Council had twice voted to carry out a CPO on the Bessborough site, including as recently as two weeks ago. However, the local authority does not have the capital to buy the land itself. She said it was "highly likely burials had taken place on this land", amid claims of as many as 900 burials on the site".

Read the full article @ rte.ie
Article uploaded by BPS Planning & Development Consultants 

New rules for modular homes published — here is what's changed

 Under the new rules, householders will be able to add a detached residential unit linked to the main house, without planning permission, provided it measures between 32sq m and 45sq m. A separate exemption will allow the subdivision of an existing home into two self-contained units. Each unit must have a minimum floor area of 32sq m. The regulations will also permit the addition of a dormer roof box and/or roof lights to a principal residence without planning permission. The exemption limit for house extensions will increase from 40sq m to 45sq m. Meanwhile, the exemption for structures such as sheds, storage units, home offices and gyms in back gardens will rise from 25sq m to 30sq m. However, a subdivided house will not be permitted to have a modular dwelling in its garden without planning permission. Such developments will continue to require formal approval.

Read the full article @ The Irish Independent
Article uploaded by BPS Planning & Development Consultants 

Garden cabin regulations and other planning changes to be signed in the coming days

 REGULATIONS TO ALLOW homeowners to build modular units up to 45 square metres in their back gardens without planning permission will be signed in the coming days.  Appearing before an Oireachtas committee today, Minister of State in the Department of Housing John Cummins said while a lot of media attention has been focused on cabins in gardens, there other planning changes being made too. These include a new exemption that will allow a person subdivide their home into two units, with a minimum floor area for each subdivided unit of 32 square metres. Bike and bin storage units in both the front and back of a property will no longer require planning permission, nor will the insulation on external walls.  Dormer roof box and the insertion of a roof light in a house will also be exempt from planning permission requirements. 

Read the full article @ the journal.ie
Article uploaded by BPS Planning & Development Consultants

Planning granted for 106 apartments at site of former mother and baby home in Cork

A developer has been granted planning permission for more than 100 apartments at the site of the former Bessborough mother and baby home in Cork.
Earlier this year, developer Estuary View Enterprises was granted planning permission by Cork City Council to build 140 apartments at the site.
However, the Bessborough Mother and Baby Home Support Group and Cllr Peter Horgan of the Labour Party lodged appeals with An Coimisiún Pleanála.
On Thursday the commission upheld permission for 106 apartments. One apartment block has been removed from the plans after the appeals body said it would adversely affect the historic landscape and the setting of Bessborough House, which is a protected structure.

Read the full article @ The Irish Times
Article uploaded by BPS Planning & Development Consultants