There’s been a 6% increase in the number of planning exemption applications received by Donegal County Council to convert commercial properties into new homes.
Planning exemptions were introduced in 2018 to remove the requirement for planning permission for the conversion of certain types of commercial properties into residential units.
Between 2018 and 2024 56 planning exemption applications to convert commercial premises into homes was received by Donegal County Council.
The change of use delivered 116 new homes in the county.
17 applications were received by the council last year, an increase of 6% on the previous year.
The planning exemption was extended to public houses in 2022 and since then, this has resulted in 26 new homes being delivered in Donegal through the conversion of pubs.
Housing Minister James Browne says planning exemptions play a vital role in unlocking the potential of vacant commercial buildings, making it much more straightforward to convert them into much needed homes.
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