Dublin Chamber has expressed alarm over the recent drop in planning permissions in three Dublin council areas.
The trend has seen a significant decline of more than 50% in the past year.
The Chamber warns that this is deeply concerning given the city’s growing population, the ongoing housing crisis, and the urgent need for more sustainable urban development.
The Central Statistics Office recently reported that there was a notable reduction in planning permissions approved across Dublin, with three local authority areas showing declines of over 50%.
“We simply cannot afford to let planning permissions fall off a cliff when we are faced with a population growing rapidly,” said Mary Rose Burke, CEO of Dublin Chamber.
“Dublin is a vibrant, expanding City. We have seen significant growth in recent years, yet our planning processes remain slow and hindered by a mix of objections, judicial reviews, and inefficient procedures. This lack of uncertainty hinders international investment that is critical to addressing our housing shortfall.”
Dublin’s population is growing at an unprecedented rate, and with it, the demand for housing, office spaces, and other essential infrastructure.
According to the most recent CSO data, Dublin’s population reached 1.4 million in 2024, continuing a trend of steady increases. With housing affordability being a primary concern for residents and businesses alike, a reduction in planning permissions can only exacerbate the problem.
“The slow planning process, combined with constant judicial reviews and objections, is a significant barrier to meeting our housing needs,” Burke added. “This is particularly true for much-needed apartment developments, where delays in the approval process and onerous application procedures on Government schemes such as Croí Cónaithe Cities Scheme are not delivering on their proposed mandate of apartments of scale.”
Dublin Chamber calls for a comprehensive review of the planning system and the swift implementation of the Planning and Development Act to streamline approvals and address the barriers that are stifling much-needed development. The city’s infrastructure and housing stock must keep pace with the growing demand, or risk further strain on businesses and residents alike.
Dublin Chamber has called forlocal authorities, along with national government bodies, to work collaboratively on a new approach to planning that is efficient, transparent, and responsive to the needs of the city’s rapidly expanding population.
“Dublin is at a crossroads,” Burke concluded. “We can either continue to struggle with slow, inefficient planning processes, or we can take bold steps now to shape the city of the future. For Dublin’s businesses and people, robust political leadership is needed to address the investment community and construction sectors concerns is vital.”
