The Minister for Housing has called for restrictions on the height of buildings in Dublin City Centre to be relaxed.

The government is launching the ‘Ireland 2040’ action plan this afternoon as new stats show half of all economic activity in the country is generated in Dublin.

The plan will aim to ease the pressure on the capital by providing more homes and services in other parts of the country.

It follows an in-depth report which warns that three-quarters of new homes will soon be clustered around the capital, unless radical action is taken.

The strategy will examine how to speed up development in major cities and towns outside of Dublin - while also ensuring the capital’s infrastructure can cope with increasing demand.

Half a million houses

Housing Minister Simon Coveney told Newstalk Drive this morning that Dublin will need “at least” an additional 500,000 houses by 2040.

“We need to first of all end this perception that height somehow compromises the quality of life in our cities,” he said.

“If you look at how modern cities - like Copenhagen for example - have developed, yes you go higher but you have higher quality buildings and you have open space at the base of them to ensure that you have good high quality common space areas.

“That is the kind of development we need in Dublin if people are going to be able to live near where they are working.”

Glass Bottle Site

The Minister said the proposed redevelopment of the Glass Bottle Site in Poolbeg will be the “highest density housing development in the country.”

He said the development will include between 3,000 and 3,500 housing units - with a mixture of low-rise townhouses and buildings of 15 or 16 stories in height.

“It will also be hugely high quality, there will be open spaces, there will be schools, there will be retail outlets, there will be commercial space; it will be balanced, proper, well designed and urban.”

Dublin City Development Plan

The Dublin City Development Plan (2016 - 2022) aims to protect areas of character and historic centres in the city while also providing for higher future developments.

This development plan “reaffirms Dublin as a predominantly low-rise city with height in limited locations.”

Building Height in Dublin. Image: Dublin City Council

Under the plan there are 10 specific areas in the city where permission can be granted for “mid-rise” buildings - up to 50m in height.

There are four areas where buildings above 50m are permitted - the Docklands Cluster, Connolly, Heuston and George’s Quay.

The policy limits the remaining areas of the city to a maximum height of between 16m and 28m, depending on location.