Commenting on the package of housing proposals put forward by Ministers Kelly and Noonan this afternoon, John McCartney, Director of Research at Savills said;

“The focus on stimulating the supply side of the market is appropriate and very welcome. In our pre-budget submission we recommended that local authority levies should be cut to reduce development costs and kick-start new construction. We are delighted that this suggestion has been on-board and we are confident that the targeted rebate system will expedite the delivery of new housing in key population hot spots.”

Speaking about the other supply-side measures contained within the package McCartney continued;

“The announced reform of minimum design standards for apartments strikes the right balance between ensuring good quality housing and facilitating development by controlling costs. A scaling back of car parking and dual aspect requirements will make schemes viable without unduly impacting on the quality of the product.”