Ireland’s housing crisis is being intensified by a planning system that now leaves many homes waiting years before construction can begin. New Central Bank findings, backed by developers and industry representatives, show that the average period from planning application to completed home has reached about four years.
The figures add pressure to the Irish Government as it tries to increase housing supply. Developers say lengthy assessments, appeals, staffing shortages, utility delays and requests for further information are holding back projects in Dublin, Cork and smaller towns across the country.
Breaking News: Ireland homebuilding timeline doubles in a decade
The Central Bank reported that homes completed during 2026 took an average of 44 to 50 months from the submission of a planning application to completion. That compares with approximately 21 to 26 months in 2016, depending on the type of housing involved.
The report found that the increase has developed steadily rather than being caused by one single change. One-off homes and apartments now take around two and a half times as long as they did in 2017, while larger housing schemes take nearly twice as long.
- The average planning-to-completion period for homes completed in 2026 is around four years.
- Large residential developments can spend 18 months to two years in the planning process before construction.
- Between 15 and 20 per cent of schemes completed in 2024 went to An Coimisiún Pleanála.
- Those appealed schemes took an average of 13 to 14 months to process.
Why planning delays are affecting new homes
Michael Prenty, Ballymore’s director of residential operations and chairman of the Irish Home Builders Association, said local-authority planning can take at least 14 months. An appeal can extend the process further, leaving a project in planning for up to two years before work begins.
Large residential developments must also pass through several stages of engagement with local-authority planners. Developers say the meetings, technical reports and requests for additional documentation have made the process more complex than it was a decade ago.
A proposed 272-home development in Confey, Leixlip, illustrates the scale of the documentation involved. Vanisland Limited, a Ballymore subsidiary, submitted about 1,000 pages in support of its application for homes, apartments, a childcare facility, commercial units and a restaurant or café.
Developers argue that local authorities are dealing with a growing workload while competing for a limited pool of experienced planners. Some senior staff have moved to An Coimisiún Pleanála or private-sector roles, creating further pressure across the planning system.
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Appeals, judicial reviews and utility connections
Planning permission is only one part of the route to construction. Appeals to An Coimisiún Pleanála can add significant time, while the Central Bank said it did not measure the additional period associated with judicial reviews.
One small developer described a two-and-a-half-year delay involving a 30-home scheme in south Dublin. The delay arose during the disruption that affected the former An Bord Pleanála in 2022. The developer said the additional time resulted in approximately €320,000 in interest costs on a €4 million loan.
Utility connections are another obstacle. A builder in west Cork said a 60-home development first received online planning permission in the 1990s but remains unfinished because of wastewater-capacity concerns. Although Úisce Éireann confirmed that capacity was available, the developer said discussions between the water utility and Cork County Council continued to generate requests for more information.
Such delays have consequences beyond individual projects. In towns where few homes have been built for several years, families may have limited local options, employers can struggle to attract workers and construction firms face rising financing costs.
What An Coimisiún Pleanála says
An Coimisiún Pleanála said the statutory objective period for deciding a large residential development case is 16 weeks. It added that the timeframe can be extended where further information is required under the appeals process.
The commission said all large residential development cases were decided within the 16-week timeframe last year. In 2026, it had decided 56 such cases at the time of the response, with one exceeding the deadline by two days.
That position highlights an important distinction in the housing debate: the formal decision period for an appeal is not the same as the total time required to prepare an application, complete local-authority stages, respond to information requests, secure utilities and build the homes.
Why the delay matters for Ireland’s housing crisis
Longer delivery times can reduce the number of homes reaching the market in any given year. They also increase exposure to land costs, borrowing rates, labour expenses and construction inflation. Smaller builders may be particularly vulnerable because a single delayed scheme can tie up much of a company’s available capital.
The Construction Industry Federation said local authorities can take about 12 months to assess developments of 100 homes or more. Its housing, planning and development director, Conor O’Connell, attributed the pressure to large numbers of applications arriving while councils are also being asked to revise plans and identify additional land for housing.
The result is a system where the State’s housing targets, planning capacity and infrastructure delivery must work together. Faster decisions alone will not resolve the problem if wastewater, electricity, roads or other essential services are not ready when permission is granted.
What happens next?
The Government has already introduced changes intended to address problems at the former planning board and has reconstituted it as An Coimisiún Pleanála. Developers, however, say reform must extend beyond the appeals body.
Key areas likely to determine whether delivery improves include:
- Recruiting and retaining experienced planners in local authorities and national bodies.
- Reducing duplicated requests for technical information.
- Improving coordination between councils, utilities and developers.
- Providing clearer timelines for large residential applications and appeals.
- Ensuring housing is matched with wastewater, electricity, transport and community infrastructure.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it now take to build a home in Ireland?
For homes completed so far in 2026, the average period from planning application to completion was about 44 to 50 months, or roughly four years.
How long can planning take before construction starts?
Developers quoted in the report said local-authority planning can take at least 14 months, with the full planning process sometimes lasting 18 months to two years before building begins.
What is An Coimisiún Pleanála’s stated timeline?
The commission said the statutory objective period for deciding a large residential development case is 16 weeks, although further information requirements can extend the process.
Who is affected by planning delays?
Home seekers, developers, construction workers, local businesses and communities waiting for new housing can all be affected. Delays can also raise project costs and reduce the pace at which homes reach the market.
Conclusion
The latest Irish news on housing points to a problem that cannot be solved by construction targets alone. Ireland needs a planning and infrastructure system capable of moving viable projects from application to completion within a predictable timeframe. Until delays, staffing gaps and utility coordination are addressed, the four-year homebuilding timeline will continue to weigh on housing supply and deepen pressure on households across the country.
