Users should note that the number of new dwelling units granted planning permission can vary significantly from quarter to quarter if a large development or a number of large developments are approved within the same reference quarter. Users should therefore exercise caution in extrapolating long-term trends on the basis of a single quarter’s data. Additionally, changes to applications processes for Strategic Housing Developments (SHD) and related issues in An Coimisiún Pleanála (formerly An Bord Pleanála) in 2022 may impact the number of planning permissions granted over recent quarters. Users should also note that the backlog of SHD applications which have been both processed and are still before An Coimisiún Pleanála awaiting decision, may also impact the number of planning permissions granted over recent quarters.
There was an annual increase of 7.9% in the total number of dwelling units granted planning permission in 2025 to 34,974, up from 32,401 units in 2024. This compares with an annual decrease of 21.4% in 2024.
In 2025, the number of apartments granted planning permission rose by 8.8% when compared with 2024, while house approvals were up 7.3%.
There was an annual increase of 8.5% in the number of multi-development houses receiving planning permission in 2025, compared with a rise of 3.9% in one-off houses. There were 20,615 houses granted planning permission in 2025, which was the highest number in 16 years since 26,814 houses were approved in 2009.
Across the four local authorities of Dublin, planning permission was granted for 7,366 apartments in 2025, up 20.3% when compared with 2024. Dublin accounted for more than half (51%) of all apartments granted planning permission in the state in 2025.
In 2025, there was an annual increase of 28% (10,439 to 13,321) in the total number of Strategic Housing Developments (SHD) dwelling units approved, compared with an annual decrease of 46% in 2024.
In Quarter 4 (Q4) 2025, the total number of dwelling units approved planning permission was up 19% to 8,208 units compared with 6,890 units in Q4 2024.
Planning permissions granted for houses rose by 22% in Q4 2025 compared with Q4 2024, while apartment unit permissions granted during the same period were up 16%.
Between Q4 2024 and Q4 2025, an annual growth of 27% was recorded in the number of planning permissions granted for all developments, with 7,455 permissions approved in Q4 2025 compared with 5,878 in Q4 2024.
The headline table shows the total number of dwelling units (Houses and Apartments) granted planning permission in Quarter 4 (Q4) of 2024 and 2025 and the year 2024 and 2025. It also highlights annual percentage changes.
| Dwelling units granted planning permission, 2024 and 2025 | |||||||||
| Quarter 4 | January - December | ||||||||
| 2024 | 2025 | Change | 2024 | 2025 | Change | ||||
| Multi-development houses | 2,737 | 3,572 | 835 | 30.5% | 14,301 | 15,520 | 1,219 | 8.5% | |
| One-off houses | 1,231 | 1,258 | 27 | 2.2% | 4,906 | 5,095 | 189 | 3.9% | |
| All Houses | 3,968 | 4,830 | 862 | 21.7% | 19,207 | 20,615 | 1,408 | 7.3% | |
| Apartments | 2,922 | 3,378 | 456 | 15.6% | 13,194 | 14,359 | 1,165 | 8.8% | |
| Total Dwellings | 6,890 | 8,208 | 1,318 | 19.1% | 32,401 | 34,974 | 2,573 | 7.9% | |
In the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2025 there were 3,378 apartments granted planning permission. During the same period, 3,572 multi-development houses and 1,258 one-off houses were approved.
In 2025 there were 14,359 apartments granted planning permission. During the same period, 15,520 multi-development houses and 5,095 one-off houses were approved.
Apartments accounted for 41.2% of all new dwelling units granted planning permission in Q4 2025 with 3,378 units approved. During the same period, there were 4,830 houses granted planning permission. In each of the four quarters of 2024 and 2025, more houses than apartments have been granted planning permission. In contrast, in Q4 2023, more apartments than houses were granted planning permission.
In total, there were 7,455 applications for planning permissions granted for all developments in Q4 2025. Applications may relate to a single dwelling or a number of dwellings in the case of multi-unit development applications. Of these applications granted permission, 1,647 were for new construction dwellings, 2,603 for other new constructions, 1,828 for extensions, and 1,377 permissions were for alterations and conversions.
Of these 1,647 new construction dwellings granted planning permission, 1,258 were one-off houses, 228 were apartments, 150 were multi-development houses, and 11 were communal dwellings.
| For long labels below use to display on multiple lines | Status |
|---|---|
| New construction dwellings | 1647 |
| New construction other | 2603 |
| Extensions | 1828 |
| Alterations and conversions | 1377 |
| For long labels below use to display on multiple lines | Status |
|---|---|
| Multi-development houses | 150 |
| One-off houses | 1258 |
| Apartments | 228 |
| Communal dwellings | 11 |
Between Q4 2024 and Q4 2025, an annual rise of 26.8% was recorded in the number of planning permissions granted for all developments, with 5,878 permissions approved in Q4 2024 compared with 7,455 permissions approved in the current quarter. There was an annual increase of 5.2% in the number of planning permissions granted for new construction dwellings in Q4 2025. There were also annual increases in approvals for other new constructions (+55.0%), extensions (+3.2%), and alterations and conversions (+59.9%).
In 2025 there were 29,574 planning permissions granted for all developments. Of these permissions, 6,622 were for new construction dwellings, 9,251 for other new constructions, 8,232 for extensions, and 5,469 permissions were for alterations and conversions.
Of the 6,622 new construction dwellings granted planning permission in 2025, 5,095 were for one-off houses, 871 for apartments, 620 for multi-development houses, and 36 permissions for communal dwellings.
| For long labels below use to display on multiple lines | Status |
|---|---|
| New construction dwellings | 6622 |
| New construction other | 9251 |
| Extensions | 8232 |
| Alterations and conversions | 5469 |
| For long labels below use to display on multiple lines | Status |
|---|---|
| Multi-development houses | 620 |
| One-off houses | 5095 |
| Apartments | 871 |
| Communal dwellings | 36 |
In 2025 an annual increase of 14.7% was recorded in the number of planning permissions granted for all developments, with 29,574 permissions approved in 2025 compared with 25,785 in 2024. During the same period, an annual increase of 3.9% was recorded in the number of planning permissions granted for new construction dwellings. There were also annual increases in approvals for other new constructions (+24.1%), extensions (+6.3%), and alterations and conversions (+29.7%).
There were 7,455 planning permissions granted for all functional categories in Q4 2025. Dwelling units accounted for 57.1% (4,256) of all permissions granted. Of these 4,256 permissions granted, 1,647 were for new constructions, 1,578 were for extensions, and 1,031 were for alterations and conversions.
There were 14,359 new apartments granted planning permission in 2025.
Dublin had the highest proportion of new apartments approved with 51.3% (7,366) of all apartments granted planning permission in the state, followed by the South-West region with 15.9% (2,287) and the Mid-East region with 14.8% (2,128). The Eastern and Midland Region (Dublin, Mid-East, and Midlands) accounted for 9,834 new apartments, 68.5% of the total number granted planning permission. The Southern Region (Mid-West, South-East, and South-West) accounted for 24.3% (3,484) of all apartment approvals with the Northern and Western Region (Border and West) accounting for the remaining 7.2% (1,041 apartments).
In 2025, within the county of Dublin, Dublin City Council accounted for 21.6% (3,106) and Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council accounted for 11.0% (1,578) of the total number of apartment units granted planning permission in the state. Outside of Dublin, the highest numbers of apartments granted planning permissions were in counties Cork (2,191 units), Meath (772 units), and Wicklow (742 units). The counties with the lowest numbers of apartments granted planning permissions in 2025 were counties Longford (15 units), Roscommon (25 units), Leitrim (30 units), and Carlow (36 units).
There were 20,615 new houses granted planning permission in 2025.
The Mid-East region had the highest proportion of new houses approved with 25.9% (5,342) of all houses granted planning permission in the state, followed by the South-West region with 17.4% (3,588) of house approvals and the West region with 11.3% (2,329 houses). The Eastern and Midland Region (Dublin, Mid-East, and Midlands) accounted for 9,392 new houses, 45.6% of the total number of new houses granted planning permission. The Southern Region (Mid-West, South-East, and South-West) accounted for 32.9% (6,792) of house approvals with the Northern and Western Region (Border and West) accounting for the remaining 21.5% (4,431 houses).
In 2025, there were 20,615 houses granted planning permission in the state. Cork had the highest proportion of houses granted planning permission at 15.2% (3,132 houses), followed by Dublin at 9.6% (1,986 houses) and Wicklow at 8.6% (1,764 houses). Leitrim had the lowest proportion with 102 houses granted planning permission, followed by Longford with 170 houses and Carlow with 203 houses.
Between 2022 and 2025, Dublin accounted for the highest proportion of dwelling units granted planning permission. In 2022, Dublin accounted for 12,156 (35.6%) of all dwelling units granted planning permission, compared with 18,609 units (45.1%) in 2023, 8,386 units (25.9%) in 2024, and 9,352 units (26.7%) in 2025. The number of dwelling units granted planning permission in Dublin increased by 53.1% between 2022 and 2023, compared with an annual decrease of 54.9% between 2023 and 2024 and an annual increase of 11.5% between 2024 and 2025.
| Total Dwelling Units (2025) | Total Dwelling Units (2024) | Total Dwelling Units (2023) | Total Dwelling Units (2022) | |
| Dublin | 9352 | 8386 | 18609 | 12156 |
| Mid-East | 7470 | 6346 | 5095 | 5752 |
| Midlands | 2404 | 2739 | 2177 | 1643 |
| Mid-West | 1949 | 2780 | 2794 | 3183 |
| South-East | 2452 | 2473 | 2794 | 2982 |
| South-West | 5875 | 5286 | 6181 | 4960 |
| Border | 2681 | 1745 | 1797 | 1719 |
| West | 2791 | 2646 | 1778 | 1782 |
The Strategic Housing Development (SHD) process is where applications of at least 100 residential units or 200+ student bed spaces can be made directly to An Coimisiún Pleanála.
In 2025, there was an annual increase of 27.6% (10,439 to 13,321) in the total number of SHD dwelling units approved. There was an annual rise of 24.9% in the number of houses approved under the SHD process, compared with an annual increase of 29.7% in the number of SHD apartments approved. In 2025, almost four in ten (38.1%) of all planning permissions (7,632 apartments and 5,689 houses) were granted under the SHD process. Apartments accounted for 57.3% of all successful SHD applications. Of the 20,615 houses granted planning permission, 27.6% (5,689) were granted under the SHD process.
Please note: The Strategic Housing Development (SHD) process expired to new applications on 25 February 2022. It has been succeeded by the Large-Scale Residential Development (LRD) scheme. Please see Background Notes.
| X-axis label | Non-Strategic Housing Development units | Strategic Housing Development units |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 Q4 - Apartment units | 1431 | 1491 |
| 2024 Q4 - Multi-development house units | 2164 | 573 |
| 2025 Q1 - Apartment units | 1936 | 1304 |
| 2025 Q1 - Multi-development house units | 2675 | 1032 |
| 2025 Q2 - Apartment units | 1498 | 1227 |
| 2025 Q2 - Multi-development house units | 2327 | 1238 |
| 2025 Q3 - Apartment units | 1657 | 3359 |
| 2025 Q3 - Multi-development house units | 2343 | 2333 |
| 2025 Q4 - Apartment units | 1636 | 1742 |
| 2025 Q4 - Multi-development house units | 2486 | 1086 |
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Statistician's Comment
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today (12 March 2026) published Planning Permissions Quarter 4 and Year 2025.
Commenting on the release, Shane O'Sullivan, Statistician in the Housing Division, said: “In 2025, the total number of dwelling units granted planning permission was 34,974, up 7.9% from 32,401 units in 2024. In October, November, and December (Q4) 2025, the total number of dwelling units granted planning permission was 8,208, up 19.1% from 6,890 units in Q4 2024.
Quarterly Comparisons
Apartment units accounted for more than four in ten (41% or 3,378 units) of total dwelling units granted permission in Q4 2025, an increase of 16% when compared with 2,922 units which received approval in Q4 2024.
There were 31% more multi-development houses approved permission in Q4 2025 when compared with Q4 2024. One-off houses were up 2% from 1,231 units in Q4 2024 to 1,258 units in Q4 2025.
Of the 7,455 planning permissions granted for all developments in Q4 2025, 1,647 were for new construction dwellings, 2,603 for other new constructions, 1,828 for extensions, and 1,377 permissions were granted for alterations and conversions.
Dublin accounted for 53% (1,795 units) of all apartments approved during Q4 2025, followed by Cork at 12% (400 units), and Kildare at 6% (202 units).
In terms of house units granted planning permission in Q4 2025, Kildare had the highest number at 421 units (9%), followed by Meath with 414 units (9%), Dublin with 410 units (8%), and Cork with 409 units (8%).
Of the 2,828 units approved in Q4 2025 under the Strategic Housing Development (SHD) scheme, 62% were for apartments and 38% were for houses.
Annual Comparisons
Apartment units accounted for more than four in ten (41% or 14,359 units) of total dwelling units granted permission in 2025, an increase of 8.8% when compared with 13,194 units which received approval in 2024.
There were 3.9% more one-off houses approved permission in 2025 when compared with 2024. In comparison, in 2025 there were 8.5% more multi-development house units approved than during 2024. There were 20,615 houses granted planning permission in 2025, which was the highest number since 2009 when 26,814 houses were approved.
Of the 29,574 planning permissions granted for all developments in 2025, 6,622 were for new construction dwellings, 9,251 were for other new constructions, 8,232 were for extensions, and 5,469 permissions were granted for alterations and conversions.
Dublin accounted for 51% (7,366 units) of all apartments approved in 2025, followed by Cork at 15% (2,191 units), and Meath at 5% (772 units).
In terms of house units granted planning permission in 2025, Cork accounted for the largest number of houses with 3,132 units (15%), followed by Dublin with 1,986 units (10%), and Wicklow with 1,764 units (9%).
On an annual basis, the number of units approved (apartments and total houses) under the SHD scheme rose by 28% in 2025, compared with a decline of 46% in 2024."