- How many garden home notifications have been made since July 27
- Which local authorities have received the most notifications
- How the latest figures compare with those reported at the end of August
- Why there is no current national total from the Department of Housing
- What the Class 3A garden home exemption allows
- The concerns raised over renting out back-garden homes
The number of notifications for new ‘garden homes’ has risen by at least 7 per cent in just over two weeks, as Ireland’s new planning exemption reaches its seven-week mark.
At least 110 Class 3A notifications have now been received by local authorities since the new rules came into effect on July 27, based on the latest figures available.
Since then, Cork County Council alone has reported an increase from six notifications to 13.
That means the national number has increased by at least 7 per cent, since The Journal published its figures 15 days ago.
The actual increase is likely to be higher as updated figures haven’t been received from every local authority and the Department of Housing doesn’t currently have a running national total.
The new regulations allow certain detached homes to be built in back gardens without planning permission. Housing Minister James Browne changed legislation to allow the homes be built without planning permission in its latest bid to combat the housing crisis.
However, homeowners still have to notify their local authority before going ahead, with the developments recorded under Class 3A – Detached Auxiliary Dwellings.
When The Journal published its figures, South Dublin had received the highest number of notifications, with 18.
Clare had received 10 and Tipperary eight, while Fingal and Wexford had seven each.
Kildare and Cork County had each received six, while Galway County, Wicklow and Waterford had each received five.
More recent figures obtained directly by Selfbuild.ie from local authorities show notifications have continued to come in.
Cork County has now received 13, more than double the six reported by The Journal at the end of August. Of those 13, the council said nine met the criteria for the exemption and none had been withdrawn.
Wicklow has received five notifications, the same number reported by The Journal.
Other councils which supplied figures said Kerry had received four notifications, Laois four, Offaly four, Carlow two, Donegal two, Mayo two, Louth one and Sligo one.
Roscommon County Council hadn’t received any statutory Class 3A notifications.
However, receiving a notification doesn’t necessarily mean the proposed garden home will ultimately go ahead under the exemption.
Carlow said one of its two notifications didn’t meet the requirements, while Kerry said two of its four didn’t meet them.
Laois said it had received four notifications, with three valid and one withdrawn following planning advice.
Offaly said none of its four notifications had been withdrawn or deemed non-compliant, while Donegal and Sligo also reported no withdrawals.
A number of councils didn’t provide updated figures.
There is also no current national running total available from the Department of Housing.
The Department said planning authorities “report annually to the Minister on the number of notifications received under this Class”.
“So we wouldn’t have any figures at this stage,” a spokesperson told Selbfuild.ie.
Under the new regulations, detached units of between 32 and 45 square metres can be built in the rear garden of a home without planning permission, provided a number of conditions are met.
At least 25 square metres of open space must remain after the unit is built and the homeowner must continue to live in the main house.
The changes were introduced as part of Government efforts to increase housing supply and make it easier to provide additional accommodation.
The Journal reported that the units can also be rented out under the Rent-a-Room Relief scheme, which allows rental income of up to €14,000 a year to qualify for tax relief, subject to the conditions of the scheme.
However, RTÉ.ie previously reported that housing charity Threshold has warned that people renting back-garden homes could fall outside the protections of the Residential Tenancies Act.
In a submission to the Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Threshold said the rules risk creating “a new category of renter” without security of tenure, protection from excessive rent increases or access to the Residential Tenancies Board.
