One of the largest home builders in Ireland, Glenveagh Properties, has presented the Housing Minister with a plan to reduce the size of back gardens.
At the moment, the permitted distance between the back doors of houses is 22 metres, a figure that dates back to the 1900s when outhouses, fuel storage, and vegetable growing were a popular use of the space.
Glenveagh Properties is proposing the permitted distance between the back doors of houses be reduced to 16 meters.
The company is also suggesting more tightly packed streets and fewer apartments as a solution to the housing crisis.
Joe Kennedy, Managing Director of Smith and Kennedy Architects, says the suggestions have got merit.
"I asked one of my colleagues here to do a quick study on some houses we're working on and in one block we could go from 25 houses to 30 by making the gardens smaller," he said.
He also mentioned that his own garden is 40 squared metres in size and is "absolutely fine."
Glenveagh Properties is the same company that has lodged an application for 99 new homes at 'The Paddocks', Williamstown Road, in Waterford.
The works would include footpaths, cycle paths, parking, drainage, lighting, and amenity areas.
A decision on the application is expected by the 12th of September.
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