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)