Number of dwelling units approved for planning permission down, figures show

A decrease of 1.0% was recorded in the number of dwelling units approved for planning permission in Q1 2026, according to figures released by the CSO (Central Statistics Office).

Houses accounted for 61% of all dwelling units that were granted permission, apartments made up the remaining 39%.

In the first three months of 2026, the number of apartments granted planning permission fell by 2.7%, while the number of houses remained the same.

The figures also show that the number of one-off houses that received planning permission rose by 12.4%.

In Dublin, there was an annual fall of 34% in the number of dwelling units approved in Q1. There was also a 31.65% decline of the number of apartments approved across four local authorities in Dublin.

Shane O’Sullivan, Statistician in the Housing Division, said: “The number of dwelling units granted planning permission in January, February, and March (Q1) 2026 was 8,092, of which 4,939 were for houses, and 3,153 were for apartments.

“The number of apartments approved decreased by 2.7% when compared with Q1 2025. The total number of houses approved in Q1 2026 remained static over the same period. There was an annual fall of 1.0% in the total number of dwelling unit approvals in Q1 2026, following an annual rise of 19.1% in Q4 2025.

“Dublin had the highest number of apartment units granted planning permission in the state in Q1 2026 at 1,064 apartments or 34% of all apartments and accounted for 8% of house units approved (388). These 1,452 dwelling units approved in Dublin made up almost a fifth (18%) of all dwelling units granted permission in Q1 2026.

“During the same period, the Midlands region (Laois, Longford, Offaly, and Westmeath) recorded the lowest number of apartment units (77) granted planning permission. The South-West region (Cork and Kerry) accounted for the highest number of houses (1,045) granted planning, while the Dublin region recorded the lowest number of houses (388).

“Of the 7,933 individual applications for planning permissions granted in Q1 2026, there were 1,789 for new construction dwellings, 2,489 for other new constructions, 2,060 for extensions, and 1,595 permissions were for alterations and conversions."