Offaly reports the highest drop in planning applications

The latest edition of the National Housing Construction Index compiled and issued by Link2Plans (www.link2plans.com) illustrates that Offaly has the highest percentage drop in planning applications this year. This is suggests that we may expect to see a significant drop in planning commencements in the near future in Offaly.

The team of researchers at www.link2plans.com have examined every housing construction planning application and planning commencement from January to June 2013, in the production of the National Housing Construction Index. The Index gives a direct comparison with the exact same period in 2012.

Offaly planning applications fell by 37% from 89 in January to June 2012 to 56 in the same period in 2013. Furthermore, planning commencements made in Offaly also decreased by 21% from 48 in January to June 2012, to 38 in the same period in 2013. Other counties that performed badly in the planning applications index are Leitrim, Sligo and Laois recording a fall of applications by 38%, 31% and 28% consecutively.

Compared to Offaly, the outlook is positive for particular pockets around the country which are experiencing an increase in commencements and applications. Although planning applications were down by 10% nationally, four counties show significant increases in applications with Dublin witnessing a rise of 7%. Four counties also show an increase in commencements with Roscommon showing an increase by 41%, Wexford by 19%, Monaghan by 10% and Dublin by 9%. Despite this, commencements are still down by 14% compared to the previous year.

According to the Managing Director of Link2Plans, Danny O’Shea, the index shows that there is an overall trend of falling planning applications and is more pronounced than previous reports which is a major contributory factor leading to a fall in commencements. Therefore Offaly may expect to continue to have dropping commencements based on the fact that the planning applications are dropping at such a steep rate.

O’Shea stated, “The Link2Plans team have seen significant changes in activity throughout the country which in part can be explained by the weather conditions in the first few months of 2013. There are however clear signs that the growth in residential construction activity is being felt in Dublin and other counties are still some way back. It will be interesting to see if the dry weather experienced throughout June and July will see the next edition of the index, register an increase in project commencements.”