Housing planning permissions show divergent trends in Ireland and UK

Recent data shows diverging trends in housing planning permissions across Ireland and the United Kingdom.

In Ireland, CSO figures indicate a significant increase in dwelling units approved in Q2 2026, reaching nearly 12,000 units—a 60 per cent rise compared to Q2 2025. This represents the highest number of approvals since late 2021. Additionally, nationwide home construction commencements for 2026 have risen by 162 per cent compared to the same period in 2025. Minister of State Niall Collins noted that these figures suggest momentum in addressing the housing supply crisis.

Conversely, data from the Home Builders Federation in the UK shows a 21 per cent decline in planning permissions during Q2 2026 compared to the previous quarter. The decline was most pronounced in larger developments, with permissions for sites containing more than 10 units falling by 21 per cent. While government data suggests an increase in new-build starts in England, industry measures such as NHBC registrations have seen a slight decrease, signaling potential future challenges for the construction supply chain.