The total number of new residential and commercial buildings recorded across the country in of 2012 was 12,541 according to new figures released by GeoDirectory. The figures represent a year on year increase of 2% compared to 2011, when 12,237 new buildings were added to the database, and a drop of 87% compared to the record high of 2007, when 96,000 new buildings were identified.
The 12,541 new buildings identified across the country by GeoDirectory consisted of 10,919 residential buildings, 1,245 commercial buildings and 375 dual-purpose buildings with both residential and commercial components. Fourteen counties; (Clare, Cork, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Leitrim, Louth, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Sligo,Tipperaryand Wexford) were in line with the national trend, showing increases in new building additions compared to 2011. The largest increase of 39% was inGalway, where 626 new buildings were identified.
GeoDirectory was jointly established by An Post and Ordnance SurveyIreland(OSi) to create and manageIreland’s only complete database of commercial and residential buildings. The figures are recorded through a combination of the An Post network of 5,600 delivery staff working with OSi.
Continuing the trend across 2012, the new data shows that 1,558 or 12% of this new commercial and residential stock are vacant. The data further indicates that 1,720 buildings across the country were under construction at the end of the year.
In addition, there was a 25% year on year decrease in commercial buildings additions, with 1,245 recorded in 2012 compared to the 2011 figure of 1,661.
Cork Cityand County recorded the largest number of additions for 2012, where 1,373 residential, 130 commercial and 40 dual-purpose buildings were completed during the year. In contrast, Clare recorded the lowest number of new additions with 2 buildings identified. Waterford recorded the largest year on year decrease of 42%, with 253 residential, 21 commercial and 15 dual-purpose properties completed in 2012, compared to figures in 2011 of 353, 105 and 12 respectively.
Dara Keogh, CEO of GeoDirectory, comments: “The end of year figures for 2012 highlight a small increase in building activity. The figures for 2012 and 2011 indicate a bottoming out of the downward curve, and a levelling off of the decrease in building activity. This positive trend is supported by growth in new additions across fourteen counties, with Cork City and County recording the largest number of new buildings.”
He continues: “This contrasts with the figures recorded for commercial buildings, highlighting a year on year decline of 25% in this sector, sustaining a downward trend in the number of new additions over the last five years, from a peak of 4,458 in 2007 to 1,245 buildings identified in 2012.”