Residential Garden Cabins

A small change to the rules

According to a recent think tank, a “small change to the rules” that would let people build residential garden cabins as dwellings in their gardens would result in the addition of 350,000 housing units.

In order to facilitate the construction of garden “seomraí” or granny flats or residential garden cabins, Progress Ireland is requesting that the government amend the planning regulations.

As of right now, individuals are allowed to construct offices or workshops in their backyards, but not new residences.

“All around the country, you’ll see structures erected in gardens,” spokesperson Seán O’Neill McPartlin told Newstalk Breakfast.

“You’ll see home offices, studios perhaps, underused gyms.

“So, what we’re proposing is, where before you were allowed to build these structures, homeowners will instead be allowed to build small homes.”

This is a “small change to the rules,” according to Mr. O’Neill McPartlin, but considering how serious the housing situation is, it makes a lot of sense.

200,000 housing deficit

The Housing Commission claims that Ireland is currently experiencing a 200,000 house deficit and a lack of brownfield land in places where housing demand is highest.

Backyards and progress are two things that Ireland’s towns and cities are not lacking. Ireland believes that restricting development is absurd given that the government’s aim is to expand the supply of dwellings.

“There are restrictions on what they call detached habitable rooms,” he said.

“So, once you make the dwelling in your back garden a home with a separate entrance, then the development plan says, ‘It’s not exempted, it’s not allowed.’”

“No bigger than are currently permitted”

Mr. O’Neill McPartlin reassured those who were concerned about substantial constructions appearing out of nowhere in their neighbor’s backyard that there was no justification for these developments to be larger than already-existing buildings.

“We’re proposing that we… don’t increase the scale of exempted developments,” he said.

“We’re not proposing that now, all of a sudden, you’ll see structures that are huge erected in back gardens.

“From the point of view of neighbours, the structures erected under our proposals will be no bigger than are currently permitted.”

Downsizing

According to Mr. O’Neill McPartlin, those who are now residing on the property will probably gain from the rule change.

“I think a lot of the cases of these new homes will come through people downsizing from their existing home, from young people living with their parents perhaps moving into the back garden,” he said.

“In other words, there wouldn’t be any additional strain on local infrastructure; there’d be people moving from the big house into the small house.”

Current Regulations

As long as it is no taller than four meters, you are permitted to erect a garage, shed, greenhouse, or other comparable structure under the current planning system.

It must also be at the side or back of your home, and it cannot be more than 25 square meters.

Supported by the billionaire Collison brothers, John and Patrick, who founded Stripe, Progress Ireland is a new think tank.

Its goal is to create “workable solutions” that will boost the country’s infrastructure delivery and housing supply.

Give character to your residential garden cabin

Your residential garden cabin can have lots of character. After all, you’ll be starting with a blank slate!

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