Posts by lotus_admin

Following on from our email last week about the true cost to property developers of planning objections, it was interesting to read David McWilliams‘ take on this in the weekend papers. He was, perhaps, less diplomatic, stating: “Want to find the cause of the housing crisis? Look in the mirror. Individuals opposing planning applications drive up house…

Anyone attending the CitA Tech Live event at Croke Park over the next two days will be treated to a host of Irish and international speakers discussing the possible future directions that digital disruption of the construction industry might take. One particular talk title sums it up perfectly: Science Fiction Becomes Science Fact. Key trends…

After years of criticism, and months of speculation, last week Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy announced new proposals for the regulation of short-term lettings (lettings of 14 days or less). These changes will apply in the designated Rent Pressure Zones, or RPZs, specifically, Dublin, Cork, Galway and possibly Limerick – there appears to be some…

Dr. David Duffy, Head of Property Industry Ireland (formerly of the ESRI) addressed an industry event recently and spoke of the importance of the private or ‘small’ landlord in Ireland. He quoted PRTB figures, which show that 90% of landlords in Ireland own fewer than two properties each, suggesting that there is still a massive…

You might recall the recent launch of the Land Development Agency (LDA), the State’s latest ‘great white hope’ to tackle the housing crisis. At the time, the new agency announcement was met with the usual media cynicism, yet, it commanded a certain level of positive expectation from the industry. There was a palpable sense that…

As predictable as the first autumn leaves to fall, Budget Day is once again preceded by a week of political ‘kite-flying’.  While it has become a farcical form of policy-making, there is much to be learned by what gets leaked, and by whom, in the run up to our national budget announcements. In relation to housing, the SSIA-equivalent…

With so much activity happening across the Irish and UK construction market at the moment, it would be easy to focus all of our innovation efforts and business ‘future-proofing’ on responding to these immediate and visible trends. However, from our island base, it is important to raise our collective heads every so often and take…