Do we need ever more newer, taller buildings in the city?

SHD and the plans for this development mention the housing crisis over and over again. But the landscape of demand for housing has changed in the meantime.

Outdated projections

- coming...

- Covid - is leading to a long term move away from cities

- nomadic workers in IT are becoming the norm

- Corporate Tax increasing to 15% worldwide will have an additional effect on what is needed, where

Before embarking on more, new building, these projections need to be re-examined

• Population increase
• (projected?) shortage of single occupancy flats

Increase the density of existing housing first

Existing housing stock could be extended with an easing of the very restrictive planning laws in Dublin.

Just as an example the following kinds of extensions are typical in London:

The roof is raised, but the angle of the roof to the street side remains as before.

This kind of development is generally refused in Dublin.

• height raising is not permitted
• width of this kind of "dormer" may only be 1/3 of width of the roof
• dormers may not be built to the edge where the roof meets the wall

It is hard to believe that these restrictions exist at a time when 70m high towers are even being considered.

This kind of extension would be ideal for single occupancy - and with true double aspect light, far more humane. Quite apart from being far more integrated in the existing community.

And it carries a far lower environmental cost - quite apart from all the new materials needed, the new development for example entails the movement of 46,000 trucks

Again, this is just an example of low impact, low-rise measures Dublin should implement, before going to other alternatives