Proposals to exempt modular homes from planning permission are set to come under scrutiny this week, with warnings the changes could create a ‘bigger mess’ if not properly regulated.

The Oireachtas Housing Committee is due to discuss plans that would allow homeowners to build detached modular homes of up to 45 square metres in their back gardens without requiring planning permission.

The proposed changes are aimed at making it easier to provide accommodation for family members, but the Government’s decision to allow the homes to be rented on the private market has drawn criticism.

Sinn Féin housing spokesperson Eoin O’Broin said the proposals, as currently drafted, risk creating unintended consequences.

He argued the Government should instead focus on allowing families to build independent residential units specifically for relatives, while giving local authorities greater powers to regulate the number of such homes in any one area.

Mr. O’Broin said councils should be able to intervene where the concentration of modular homes becomes excessive.

Meanwhile, former Housing Agency chairperson Conor Skehan has also raised concerns about the proposals, warning that relaxing planning rules without adequate safeguards could lead to a ‘free-for-all’.

The Housing Committee is expected to examine the proposals later this week as part of ongoing discussions on reforms aimed at increasing housing supply.

If approved, the changes would allow qualifying modular homes to be built without planning permission, marking a significant change to Ireland’s planning system for small detached residential units.