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AN AWFUL LOT can happen in seven days, particularly when it comes to Ireland’s property market. That’s why, each week, we round up the biggest stories hitting the headlines lately.
From controversial town plans to new co-working spaces taking over Dublin’s city centre, here’s a recap of the hottest news stories making the rounds this week, so you’ll be able to hold your own in the house viewing queues.
A new plan to build 8,437 homes between Lucan, Clondalkin and Liffey Valley, has been given the green light – but mayor of South Dublin County Council, Paul Gogarty isn’t happy, calling the plan “one of the worst ever”.
The Irish business group Ibec claims that the country hasn’t had a ‘normal’ property market for two decades and has outlined measures to address the country’s shortage of homes.
Earlier this year, the housing crisis was labelled the country’s ‘most pressing issue’ and it was estimated that supply was well short of the 30,000 to 50,000 homes required to address demand.
Dublin’s future skyline could look vastly different, following the recent approval of a major hotel development that exceeds the height limits in the city’s development plan.
Although the go-ahead received some backlash, An Bord Pleanála noted that the eight-storey hotel, set to be constructed on the old site of Ned’s pub in the city centre, is in line with the guidelines set out in the governments Ireland 2040 policy paper.
The Central Bank has released some new rules, following 2015′s findings that more than one fifth of borrowers could save money by switching mortgages. From next year, banks will have to let variable rate customers know if they can move to a cheaper rate.
Analysis of over half a million mortgages found that approximately 16,000 could save over €1,000 in the first 12 months, and around 27,000 switchers have the potential to save in excess of €10,000 over the lifetime of the mortgage.
Shared office company WeWork is set to lease Central Bank‘s former headquarters on Dublin’s Dame Street. Just last week, planning was granted to reimagine the building, with plans to introduce a new bar and a 360-degree rooftop restaurant as well as accommodating 1,300 office workers.
The announcement moves in Ireland by WeWork, a US company, which has quickly been increasing its presence in the country over the past few months.
And not forgetting, this week’s property buzzword…
We’re breaking down the complicated world of property jargon, one buzzword at a time. This week it’s dormer bungalow. We hear the word bungalow and automatically think of a home that’s solely made up of a ground floor. A dormer, however, utilises the attic space to create an extra floor – just like this home in Swords, our VR tour for this week.
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Thankfully no one was killed or seriously injured! Thinking back of the 2005 crash in Meath..
Donegal again¡¡¡
@Fank Pulman: what do you mean donegal again? Everytime theres multiple road deaths in anyother county its, soo sad this, rip that, but as soon as its in donegal its do they even know how to drive up there? Same crap everytime with you lot.
@Jonathan Kerr: “with you lot”??
@Dave Murray: most people here making comments on the journal.ie can’t stand donegal.
@Jonathan Kerr: the point been made is that you complained that everyone tars Donegal with this big brush. yet you have tarred all journal commantators with the same brush. Pot kettle black sort of situation
@Michael Hayden: ok im sorry about that.
@Fank Pulman: what do you mean ? Plenty of road deaths this week unfortunately were you on those saying cork or mayo again.
@Jonathan Kerr: for a county of a population no more than 160k…. Donegal has way too many accidents. Standards of driving and or the roads must be sub standard.
Can’t argue with statistics.
@Fabio Dillon: there were 10 fatalities on Donegal roads in ’16. 21 in Dublin. 158k ppl in Donegal and 1.8 million in Dublin.
Donegal roads are a joke.
Make everyone in that county resit their driving test.
@Pat Troy: or ban all vehicles¿!
@Pat Troy: glad no one seriously injured in this incident. Jog on Pat
@Fank Pulman: please explain
@Pat Troy: yes cause its not like theres car crashes in any other county in ireland.
@Pat Troy: Or maybe fix the roads which chuck vehicles off them as soon as a wheel slips off when someone coming the other way refuses to move over.
I live in donegal the roads are the problem not the drivers , the government needs to fix our roads too many Potholes and bad attempts to fix them on the cheap rain washes the temporary fillings out of potholes, i am relived nobody injured badly.
have your say