Seán O’Neill McPartlin: Yes. Up to 350,000 properties could accommodate a ‘seomra’
Ireland’s housing debate has been locked in a zero-sum cycle, pitting big, transformative ideas against marginal ones. But there is no silver bullet – we need every viable measure, from ambitious changes to the law to smaller yet impactful solutions. The most recent proposal to exempt small secondary dwellings (seomraí or granny flats) from planning permission is a step in the right direction. It won’t replace big projects but will complement them by offering families immediate relief and flexibility while larger projects come online. If we genuinely want to deliver homes, we must harness every policy tool – big or small – to make housing accessible for everyone.
That said, we shouldn’t understate the value of this proposal. Nationwide, an estimated 350,000 properties could accommodate a seomra – about 160,000 in Dublin alone. Dublin has over 3,300 hectares of private gardens – equivalent to about 300 St Stephen’s Greens. Even if only a small fraction of homeowners opt in, the numbers show that issues such as garden size or lack of access aren’t big barriers. Every seomra built provides a housing option for someone who needs it.
Other jurisdictions have seen seomraí flourish. They are common in Germany where they are called “einliegerwohnungen” and in France where they are called “logement accessoire”. In California, a 2016 rule change led to a 15,000 per cent jump in permits. In Vancouver, a reported 35 per cent of single-family homes include a secondary unit. Sydney’s 2009 reforms spurred a fivefold boom. New Zealand has even made “granny flats” a key part of its housing growth strategy. The lesson is clear: sensible regulations allow these small dwellings to scale up without compromising quality. Their advantage is their cost and location.
To combat climate change and revitalise our cities, we need more compact growth. But this has proved costly: Dublin is the second most expensive city in Europe to deliver an apartment, costing up to €600,000. By contrast, an A2-rated seomra can be built in Dublin for about €70,000. Seomraí are no substitute for tackling the high cost of delivery for big projects head-on, but they complement such efforts by providing homes for small households in built-up areas.
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Critics label seomraí “glorified sheds” but this is highly misleading. The building standards are clear and mandate high-quality and safe homes. What is needed is sensible proposals about the enforcement of the rules, not rejecting an opportunity to provide much needed homes.
Another objection is that “people don’t want to live in gardens”. If true, it would not be much of a problem, since none would be built. Irish policymakers tend to assume, without supporting data, what people want. The State banned bedsits without consulting those who relied on them. It banned co-living. Now, many are suggesting we restrict this positive idea.
The choice before a lot of young people is between living with their parents or emigrating – seomraí will provide another option to a generation stuck for options. Yes, seomraí won’t be for everyone. But as household size trends downward and our population grows older, Ireland lacks homes suitable for small households and rightsizers. Less than 6 per cent of our housing stock is one-bedroom. Ireland’s housing policy needs to reflect this reality and seomraí can play their part in the response.
Some say exempting these homes from planning will invite landlord abuses. This response ignores the abuses caused by chronic undersupply, which leaves people with few options. The answer to the possibility of abuse is to bring seomraí into the regulated market, allowing data to be collected and rules to be properly enforced. The answer is not to continue a de facto ban which has put more pressure on renters and families.
This policy is no magic fix. But if done right, it could play its part in moving us in the right direction.
Seán O’Neill McPartlin is director of housing policy at Progress Ireland
Orla Hegarty: No. Without careful handling, this could be less ‘Dermot Bannon’ and more ‘hermit cabin’
The proposal to permit small homes in back gardens is the offer of a hospital trolley when you really need a bed. In some circumstances it suits people to live in close quarters with others, and the planning system can accommodate this. But the risk is that this proposal represents the continued erosion of hard-won standards, with potential unintended consequences in the housing sector, and new challenges for State authorities.
Currently, a greenhouse, garage, store or shed up to 25sq m is generally exempt from planning permission, but it may not be lived in. The Government’s proposal is to increase this to 40sq m for a separate residence. Worryingly, no minimum has been mentioned, so how low can we go? Irish apartment regulations specify at least 37sq m (equivalent to just three standard parking spaces) for a one-person studio, and 45sq m for a two-person unit. This is important. Space is critical to wellbeing and health, and for human needs, activities, hygiene, comfort, safety, socialising, disability and so on. This is why the recent “co-living” experiment of 15sq m rooms was ended just two years after its introduction.
The small size of a garden cabin suggests the initiative is intended for single people, although the reality will likely mean they are used by couples and families, and overcrowding may ensue. Not being “officially” available for rent will put them outside the scrutiny of the Residential Tenancies Board and inspection of minimum standards. It is already evident from rental and holiday websites that unauthorised “chalets” are in use, some costing more than €100 per night.
A 2021 US study by the National Association of Realtors found that accessory dwelling units (ADUs) added 35 per cent per cent to the value of a home. So, whether the new “site” is developed or not, there could be an inflationary effect in some residential neighbourhoods.
For owners, the costs of building will be a factor of the site conditions, the quality of construction and market capacity. New suppliers will likely enter a deregulated market, but it is not clear what production capacity is available and if new demand will inflate prices. The Office of Public Works' (OPW) programme for modular homes for Ukrainians only completed 310 units in its first year, and the initial estimated cost of €200,000 each ballooned to €442,000 due to problems with inflation and site conditions. While these projects meet a short-term need, they are an expensive, and not an integrated or permanent solution.
Securing utility, water and drainage connections may be significant challenges for owners. Dublin is already running out of water for new homes. Mortgage lenders and home insurance companies will likely require sign-off, or impose conditions on use. New homes under this scheme will still require a commencement notice, a building energy rating certificate and be liable for local property tax.
Any exemption from planning permission does not give exemption from building control and compliance with the technical building regulations. The onus is on building owners to engage competent professionals to ensure provision is made for accessible entrances and bathrooms, fire-safe construction, high energy standards, adequate ventilation, drainage and compliant electrical installations. Building control authorities do have powers of inspection, but limited capacity for active enforcement.
On the outside, the removal of planning controls will be a different matter. Could we see back lanes in some urban areas becoming new narrow streets, without parking, amenity space, bin storage or even access for the fire services? In rural areas, could it mean more septic tanks, and a hodgepodge of log cabins, prefabs and mobile homes in scenic areas? Without very careful handling, this may not bring light-filled, landscaped garden pavilions. It could be less “Dermot Bannon” and more “hermit cabin”.
Orla Hegarty is an assistant professor at the School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy, UCD
