24/4/2014: Where's that Fabled Property Boom in Ireland?..

Throughout 2013 and indeed starting from as far back as mid-2011, there has been a never-ending stream of 'good news' stories from the property markets. Many are real. Many are unverifiable. Some a complete nonsense.

Here is one forward-looking indicator for the health of the property market: planning permissions granted. And courtesy of CSO we can now update Q4 2013 data and thus compute full year 2013 results.

Here they are:

1. Planning permissions granted for All Types of Construction fell 3.5% y/y in 2013 to an absolute historical minimum of 13,901 (data from 1992). Between 2011 and 2013 total number of planning permissions is down 13.1%. Compared to peak, these are now down 77.7%. There is no turnaround in sight judging by these numbers. In fact, 2013 was 6th consecutive year of y/y declines.
2. Planning permissions granted for dwelling fell even more steeply: down 9% y/y in 2013 and down 23.6% since 2011. These too are now at historical low and in decline for seven years in a row. There is no turnaround here either.
3. Other new construction (ex-dwellings) planning permissions posted a rise of 0.7% y/y in 2013 and are up 14.9% on 2011 levels. However, at 3,431 total, these are 4th lowest in history and below the levels recorded in any year between 1992 and 2009. Relative to peak these are down 82%, so steep increase since 2011 was (a) exhausted in 2013 (given weak 0.7% rise) and (b) appears to be based on sheer magnitude of the permissions collapse at the height of the crisis. Still, we might call this some evidence of something that might signal a turnaround.
4. Planning permissions granted for extensions fell 3.6% y/y in 2013 and are down 12% on 2011 levels. These series hit absolute historical low in 2013 and mark 6 consecutive years of declines. 
5. Planning permissions granted for alteration, conversion and renovation purposes rose 0.8% y/y in 2013, with series down 6.6% on 2011 levels. 2013 was the second lowest year on record. Again, this evidence is not consistent with a turnaround.

Two charts to illustrate:

In terms of floor area approved:

1. 2013 saw increases of 4.4% y/y for all types of planning permissions granted. However, the increase was from the levels that were so low that even with 4.4% rise in 2013, 2013 levels are still 21.6% below those in 2011. 
2. 2013 was the second lowest year on record for planning permissions (by floor area) granted for All Types of Properties, for dwellings, for other properties ex-dwellings.
3. 2013 was the worst year on record for planning permissions granted on the basis of floor area for extensions.

Key takeaway: Planning permissions granted data shows no signs of a turnaround in building & construction sector in Ireland in 2013 and no signal of such turnaround in early 2014 either.