Wednesday, September 25, 2013

25/9/2013: Planning Permissions, Ireland, Q2 2013 and H1 2013

Q2 data for Planning Permissions Granted in Ireland is out today and on the surface it offers some good news reading.

Per CSO: In the second quarter of 2013, planning permissions were granted for 1,926 dwelling units, compared with 1,406 units for the same period in 2012, an increase of 37.0%.

In addition:
  • Planning Permissions were granted for 1,496 houses in the Q2 2013 an increase of 28.3% y/y.
  • Planning permissions were granted for 430 apartment units, an increase of 79.2% y/y. 
  • The total number of planning permissions granted for all developments was 3,368. This compares with 3,672 in the second quarter of 2012, a decrease of 8.3% y/y. 
  • Total floor area planned was 834 thousand square metres in the second quarter of 2013. Of this, 39.9% was for new dwellings, 39.7% for other new constructions and 20.4% for extensions. The total floor area planned increased by 1.2% in comparison with the same quarter in 2012. 

Some encouraging signs up there… although if you think the crisis is over, here's a handy chart from CSO:
The above, as CSO notes, puts things into perspective: we are starting from exceptionally low levels, so even a small uptick translates into large percentage changes. Still, I am happy to spot an improvement.

Now, let's take a closer look. I am dealing from here on with permissions issued, not units covered by these permissions.

  • Total number of planning permissions was down at 3,368 in Q2 2013, a decline of 8.28% y/y. In Q1 2013 there was a decline of 2.76% y/y, so rate of decline increased from the beginning of the year.
  • Total number of planning permissions in H1 2013 stood at 6,643 - down 5.64% y/y.
  • Total number of new permissions for dwellings granted in Q2 2013 was 772, which is down 18.05% y/y, which compares to 9.93% drop recorded in Q1 2013.
  • Total number of planning permissions for dwellings in H1 2013 stood at 1,634 - down massive 13.95% y/y.
  • Total number of new permissions for other new construction (ex-dwellings) granted in Q2 2013 was 754, which is down 8.94% y/y, which compares to a rise of 12.95% recorded in Q1 2013.
  • Total number of planning permissions for other new construction (ex-dwellings) in H1 2013 stood at 1,539 - up barely noticeable 1.05% y/y. At least these series were up.
  • Total number of permissions for extensions granted in Q2 2013 was 1,489, which is down 3.87% y/y, which compares to a decline of 3.21% recorded in Q1 2013.
  • Total number of planning permissions for extensions in H1 2013 stood at 2,785 - down 3.57% y/y.
  • Total number of permissions for alterations, conversions and renovations granted in Q2 2013 was 353, which is unchanged y/y, and compares to a decline of 11.94% recorded in Q1 2013.
  • Total number of planning permissions for ACRs in H1 2013 stood at 685 - down 6.16% y/y.

So in terms of actual permissions issued: we have a bit of a soggy outcome: nothing is up, everything is down y/y… Declines have accelerated in Q2 compared to Q1 in four out of five categories; and H1 figures are very poor for all, but one category. In terms of units approved: we have a decent uptick. I would suggest we use caution and see if the activity picks up from here on.

Three charts to illustrate:



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