21% fall in planning applications in Offaly – National Housing Construction Index

The latest edition of the National Housing Construction Index compiled and issued by Link2Plans (www.link2plans.com) has shown that planning applications and commencement notices have fallen in Offaly.

The team of researchers at www.link2plans.com have examined every housing construction planning application and planning commencement from January through to December 2012, in the production of the National Housing Construction Index. The Index gives a direct comparison with the exact same period in 2011.

The Index shows that from January to December there was a 21% drop in planning applications in Offaly. The last Index showed a 23% drop in planning applications giving signs of a slow down. Commencement notices show a slight decrease of 1%. This is more positive than the last Index where there was a decrease in commencements of 5%.

According to Managing Director of Link2Plans, Danny O’Shea, “this volume of the National Construction Index shows that there has been a slow down in the rate of decline in planning applications and commencements. This is a trend that we saw in previous volumes of our Index. Looking back at the whole of 2012, the numbers show that while commencements are down 8%, six counties all saw an increase with Westmeath, Mayo, Sligo, Cork, Wicklow and Kilkenny all seeing commencements up on 2011.”

“If these trends continue into 2013, we could expect to see numbers potentially rising in the first half of this year which is potentially very positive news for the sector as a whole.”

Nationally planning applications are down 17% and commencement notices are down 8%.