One-off housing planning rules are ‘too strict’ - Minister Jack Chambers

Major shake-up of one-off housing rules in Mayo on the way ‘very shortly’

By Jack Good Published 23rd Jun 2026, 11:00 BST Jack Chambers TD, Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Services, Reform and Digitalisation, Cllr Brendan Mulroy and Noel Brett Officer in Charge of the Westport Coast Guard Unit at Westport Coast Guard Station | The Mayo News Major shake-up of one-off housing rules in Mayo on the way ‘very shortly’ Sign up to our Mayo Live newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know you can manage your profile, and explore all of the available newsletters from Mayo Live within your account.

Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Services, Reform and Digitalisation Jack Chambers TD has assured The Mayo News that reform of the rules governing one-off rural housing is “a real priority” for the Government , with rule changes set to go to Cabinet shortly.

With a father from Newport and a mother from Hollymount, the Fianna Fáil Minister told a Westport party branch breakfast on Friday morning that he grew up “always thinking I was from Mayo.”

After visiting the Westport GAA pitch, he returned to the Westport Coast Guard station, two years after turning the sod on the new station.

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He praised the twenty seven ‘brilliant’ volunteers at the station said “that's why it's so important the state builds these Coast Guard facilities, so that we match the huge bravery and the courage of so many of the volunteers, and it's wonderful to meet with so many of them today, and also commend them for their continued service across the board.”

Read More RIP: Funeral to take place for six-year-old Mayo boy killed in road accident History made as new post office opens in West Mayo New €6.8m coast guard station officially opened in Mayo 'A sad day for Westport' - Historic Post Office closes its doors The Last Post - Iconic Westport post office closes its doors after 125 years Hero Mayo teenager (16) rescues sibling surfers off Carrownisky Beach There are teachers, nurses, civil servants and engineers among the volunteers and last year, they responded to 44 emergencies and so far this year, they have responded to 16 emergencies.

Speaking exclusively to The Mayo News , Minister Chambers said the current planning regime has long been a source of frustration for people in rural Ireland .

"We know it's a big issue in rural Ireland, people who have been frustrated I know for many years about building one-off homes where it's highly restrictive, highly difficult,” he said. “We recognise that people want to build one-off homes, want to live in the community that they've grown up in or indeed have an ambition to live where they're working and living.”

READ NEXT: Big changes in rules for one-off rural homes in Mayo on the way

Chambers said the general improvement to one-off housing guidance would be published by Minister James Browne “very shortly,” and predicted it would give fresh impetus to home-building nationwide.

“That general improvement to the one-off guidance will be brought by Minister Browne very shortly and I think will really help get momentum to build more homes right across the country,” he said, adding that the changes would deliver “a more balanced approach to one-off housing which I think has been a request of so many people I meet in rural Ireland and across our regions.”

Among the specific changes flagged by Chambers is a loosening of the 'local need' test that currently governs many one-off planning applications.

“There will be changes to the local need in the planning,” he said. “I think it's too strict presently and we want to work with local authorities to make sure that there's just a more pragmatic balanced approach to this where people want to build a home.”

His party colleague, Cllr Brendan Mulroy , has repeatedly sought to remove the 'imaginary line' around Westport that prevents residents on its rural fringe from obtaining planning permission.

Minister Chambers expects the public response to the new guidelines, once published, to be a positive one. “That's something I think people will see a positive improvement on when these guidelines are published,” he said.

Related topics: Housing Mayo Government Volunteers Fianna Fáil Newport Prime Minister James Browne Ireland Planning Cllr Brendan Mulroy Sign up to our Mayo Live newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know you can manage your profile, and explore all of the available newsletters from Mayo Live within your account.