Property & Planning
Week of 2026-W36
Irish Property Market Intelligence
Weekly Briefing: 31 August – 6 September 2026
Source: PROPERTY | Period: 2026-08-31 to 2026-09-06
Dublin Prices Surge 22% as Summer Volumes Thin Out — Cairn Homes Takes the Growth Story National
Transactions registered in the Property Price Register for the summer period tell a tale of two markets: Dublin's average sale price has jumped 22% to €677,631 compared to the previous quarter's €555,907, even as transaction volumes fell by 20% — a classic supply-squeeze signal. Meanwhile, the planning pipeline is pointing firmly outward: Cairn Homes Properties Ltd filed for 85 units on Tuam Road in Galway, the most significant planning application of the period, and the Clonburris Strategic Development Zone in Dublin 22 advanced an 84-unit scheme — together signalling that the next wave of Irish housing supply will be built beyond the M50.
By the Numbers
| Metric | Value | Signal |
|---|---|---|
| Dublin avg price (Jul–Sep 2026) | €677,631 | Up 22% vs Q2 |
| National avg price (Jul–Sep 2026) | €445,950 | Up 10% vs Q2 |
| National median price (Jul–Sep 2026) | €362,110 | Up 5% vs Q2 |
| Dublin transactions (Jul–Sep 2026) | 1,629 | Down 20% vs Q2 (2,045) |
| Cork transactions (Jul–Sep 2026) | 597 | Down 38% vs Q2 (967) |
| Galway avg price (Jul–Sep 2026) | €370,880 | Up 30% vs Q2 (€285,511) |
| Waterford avg price (Jul–Sep 2026) | €301,273 | Up 28% vs Q2 (€235,202) |
| Large planning applications (10+ units, Aug 2026) | 5 | Active pipeline |
The Investigation: Where Prices Are Moving and What the Planning Pipeline Reveals
The Property Price Register data registered for the period July–September 2026 (note: the Register typically lags 4–6 weeks, so these transactions largely reflect completions from June–August) shows a market in which Dublin is pulling away from the rest of the country at an accelerating pace. The capital's average price of €677,631 is now 84% above Cork's €358,391 and 119% above Limerick's €309,321. But the more interesting story is in the planning pipeline, where the volume and geography of new applications signals where the next 12–18 months of supply will emerge.
County Price Tracker: Q3 2026 vs Q2 2026
The comparison between the current summer period (July–September 2026) and the previous quarter (April–June 2026) reveals a consistent pattern: prices are rising across all counties while transaction volumes are falling sharply. This is not a market cooling — it is a market tightening. The sharpest volume declines are in Cork (down 38%) and Galway (down 41%), suggesting that the provincial markets are experiencing the same supply squeeze that Dublin has faced for years.
| County | Avg Price (Current) | Avg Price (Previous) | Price Change | Txns (Current) | Txns (Previous) | Volume Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dublin | €677,631 | €555,907 | +22% | 1,629 | 2,045 | −20% |
| Wicklow | €458,806 | €462,705 | −1% | 170 | 232 | −27% |
| Kildare | €436,187 | €436,478 | Flat | 304 | 403 | −25% |
| Cork | €358,391 | €331,447 | +8% | 597 | 967 | −38% |
| Meath | €352,381 | €349,197 | +1% | 224 | 264 | −15% |
| Galway | €370,880 | €285,511 | +30% | 220 | 375 | −41% |
| Wexford | €304,473 | €268,228 | +14% | 205 | 257 | −20% |
| Waterford | €301,273 | €235,202 | +28% | 132 | 235 | −44% |
Notable Transactions: The Period's Headline Sales
The top end of the market remained active, with several transactions well above county medians. The standout is a €3.45 million sale at Athassel, 35 Silchester Road, Glenageary — a premium south Dublin coastal address that transacted at 7.5 times the Dublin median. In Cork, a bulk sale of 8 units at Spancel Rise, Blackpool registered at €3.14 million (VAT-exclusive), suggesting institutional or developer acquisition of a completed scheme.
| Address | County | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athassel, 35 Silchester Rd, Glenageary | Dublin | €3,450,000 | A96 eircode, 7.5x median |
| 1–8 Spancel Rise, Fairfield Rd, Blackpool, Cork | Cork | €3,136,662 | Bulk 8 units, VAT excl. |
| 38 Ulverton Rd, Dalkey | Dublin | €1,782,500 | A96 eircode, premium coastal |
| 12 Victoria St, South Circular Rd, Dublin 8 | Dublin | €1,686,000 | D08 eircode |
| 22 Whitebeam Rd, Clonskeagh, Dublin 14 | Dublin | €1,655,000 | D14 eircode |
| 3 Botanika, Cleve Hill, Blackrock, Cork | Cork | €1,625,000 | T12 eircode, 4.5x Cork median |
| Wakatipu, Main Rd, Ballincollig, Cork | Cork | €870,000 | P31 eircode |
| Canrower, Oughterard, Galway | Galway | €710,000 | H91 eircode, rural premium |
Planning Pipeline: The Largest Applications of the Period
The planning applications received in late August 2026 — with ETL dates of 1 September 2026 — reveal a pipeline dominated by residential schemes in secondary cities and the Dublin commuter belt. The largest single application is from Cairn Homes Properties Ltd for 85 units on Tuam Road, Castlegar, Galway — a 3.93-hectare site that will deliver 61 houses and 24 duplex units. This is Cairn's most significant planning move outside Dublin to date.
| Application | Location | Units | Applicant | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2660301 | Tuam Rd, Castlegar, Galway | 85 | Cairn Homes Properties Ltd | New Application |
| SDZ25A/0044W | Kishoge SW, Clonburris SDZ, Dublin 22 | 84 | Unknown (SDZ) | SAI Received |
| 2660760 | Innisfail, Kickham St, Thurles | 42 | Unknown | New Application |
| 2660523 | Margaret's Fields, Callan Rd, Kilkenny | 28 | Unknown (amendment) | New Application |
| 2660586 | Canal Road Business Park, Portarlington | 0 | Unknown | Commercial |
| 2660585 | Bride St, Ballinakill, Laois | 1 | Unknown | Change of Use |
The Connections: What the Data Alone Cannot Tell You
Property price data and planning applications are the skeleton of the market story. The flesh comes from connecting them: who is building, where the money is coming from, what the courts are saying about planning law, and what the Business Post's own reporting reveals about the companies behind the numbers. This period, three themes emerge with unusual clarity: the national expansion of Ireland's largest listed housebuilder, the structural repricing of provincial cities, and the growing legal complexity around large-scale planning permissions.
The Radar: Three Signals Worth Watching
The Deep Dive: Cairn Homes' National Expansion and the Anatomy of a Premium Sale
Two entities dominate this period's deep investigation: Cairn Homes Properties Ltd, whose Galway planning application crystallises a strategic pivot that the Business Post's reporting had flagged, and the €3.45 million sale at Athassel, Glenageary — a transaction that reveals how Ireland's premium residential market operates at the top end.
Cairn Homes Properties Ltd — Ireland's Largest Housebuilder Goes West
Cairn Homes is Ireland's largest listed housebuilder, trading on Euronext Dublin. Its subsidiary, Cairn Homes Properties Ltd, is the planning applicant for the 85-unit Tuam Road scheme in Galway — the company's most significant planning move outside the capital. The application, filed 19 August 2026, covers a 3.93-hectare site at Castlegar, north of Galway city, and proposes 61 houses (6 two-bed, 51 three-bed, 4 four-bed) and 24 duplex units (12 two-bed, 12 three-bed), plus a creche, upgraded road junction, and bus stop. A Natura Impact Statement has been submitted, indicating the site is near a designated area — a planning complexity that adds time and cost to the application.
| Metric | Detail | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| H1 2026 Revenue Growth | +60% year-on-year | Strongest in sector |
| Share Buyback Announced | €50 million | Confidence signal |
| Galway Application Units | 85 (61 houses + 24 duplexes) | Largest period application |
| Site Area (Galway) | 3.93 hectares | Significant land bank |
| Swords Launch (Holybanks) | 25 units, 3-bed from €495,000 | Active sales pipeline |
| Iseq Performance (Sep 2–4) | +4.09% to €2.80/share | Market leader |
| Natura Impact Statement | Required for Galway site | Planning complexity |
The question for Q4 2026: Will Galway City Council grant permission for the Tuam Road scheme, or will the Natura Impact Statement requirement trigger a request for further information that delays the application into 2027? The decision due date is 13 October 2026.
Athassel, 35 Silchester Road, Glenageary — Anatomy of a €3.45 Million Sale
The highest residential transaction of the period — Athassel, 35 Silchester Road, Glenageary, registered at €3,450,000 on 21 August 2026 — sits in the A96 eircode area of south County Dublin, one of Ireland's most consistently premium residential locations. Silchester Road in Glenageary is a tree-lined avenue of large Victorian and Edwardian houses, close to Glenageary DART station and within walking distance of Dun Laoghaire town centre. The A96 eircode covers Glenageary, Killiney, and parts of Dalkey — an area where €1 million+ transactions are routine.
| Metric | Value | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Sale Price | €3,450,000 | 7.5x Dublin median |
| Eircode | A96D2Y2 | Glenageary, south Dublin |
| Transaction Date | 21 August 2026 | Summer premium period |
| Property Type | Residential | Second-hand (no VAT) |
| vs. Dublin Avg | 5.1x average (€677,631) | Extreme outlier |
| vs. A96 Comparable | 16 Avondale Crescent, Killiney: €975,000 | 3.5x lower on same eircode |
The question for 2027: As Irish bond yields reached 13-year highs in September 2026 (per Business Post reporting), will the premium residential market remain insulated, or will a sustained period of high rates begin to affect even equity-rich buyers?
Key People This Period
| Name | Role | Notable Activity | Connections |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Stanley | CEO, Cairn Homes PLC | Announced 60% H1 revenue growth, €50m share buyback, national expansion to Galway/Cork/Limerick | Cairn Homes Properties Ltd (planning applicant, Galway) |
| Geoffrey Vance | Chair, Donegal Investment Group | Delayed Dublin delisting; must complete reverse takeover by Feb 2027 or face Euronext suspension | Donegal Investment Group delisting article |
| R Byrne | Planning Applicant | Applied for 2-unit development at 3 Rockbarton West, Salthill, Galway (2660316) — new dwelling + alterations to existing | Galway City Council application 2660316 |
| Gabriel Makhlouf | Governor, Central Bank of Ireland | Stated ECB must not shy away from further rate rises if inflation moves wrong direction — directly impacts mortgage affordability | Irish bond yields at 13-year high, property market context |
| Tina-Marie O'Neill | Property Correspondent, Business Post | Reported on three Savills launches (Cherrywood, Adamstown, Swords) and The Leys Dublin 18 final phase | Savills launches article, The Leys article |
One to Watch: Deane Homes — The Quiet Builder Behind The Leys
Deane Homes
| Metric | Detail |
|---|---|
| Current Development | The Leys, 61-home scheme, Ballyogan Wood, Dublin 18 |
| Final Phase | 30 apartments (11 one-bed from €405,000; 19 two-bed from €500,000) |
| Construction Method | FrameSpace modern methods of construction (MMC) |
| Construction Start | August 2026 |
| Expected Completion | Early 2027 |
| BER Rating | A2 — energy efficient |
| Help to Buy Eligible | 50% of units |
What they do: Deane Homes is a private Irish residential developer delivering the 61-home Leys scheme at Ballyogan Wood, adjacent to the Luas Green Line in Dublin 18. The development uses FrameSpace for its superstructure — a modern methods of construction approach that reduces on-site build time. The final 30 apartments are being sold off-plan, with a marketing suite open for viewing.
Why it matters: Deane Homes represents the mid-market private developer that is doing the unglamorous but essential work of delivering apartments at the Luas Green Line at prices that — while still challenging for median earners — are within reach of Help to Buy recipients. The €405,000 one-bed price point is at the upper end of what the scheme supports, but the A2 BER rating and proximity to the Luas make these units genuinely competitive with second-hand stock in the area. The use of MMC is also notable: if FrameSpace delivers on its timeline promise, Deane Homes will have a completed scheme in early 2027 — faster than traditional construction would allow.
The number that matters: 50% — the proportion of The Leys apartments eligible for Help to Buy and First Home Scheme. This is not a luxury development; it is a scheme deliberately structured to access government support schemes. That half the units qualify tells you everything about where the developer believes the demand is — and how dependent new apartment delivery in Dublin 18 has become on state subsidy.
The Broader Picture: Courts, Companies, and What Comes Next
The Companies Registration Office
The CRO's property-related company activity for the specific period of 31 August to 6 September 2026 is subject to the same data lag that affects the Property Price Register — new company registrations for this exact week are not yet available in the index. However, the broader context is instructive: 18,129 property transactions have been registered in 2026 to date (January–August), and the planning database holds 916,945 applications, of which 3,807 involve large residential developments of 10 or more units. The volume of planning activity suggests that corporate formation in the property sector — SPVs, development companies, management companies — remains elevated. 0 new companies were registered in the period, and 0 companies had CRO activity. 0 new business names were registered, with 0 showing activity.
The Irish Courts
The most significant planning-related judgment of 2026 to date is Doyle and Ors v An Coimisiún Pleanála [No. 3] [2026] IEHC 156, delivered by the High Court on 13 March 2026. The case involved a judicial review of a planning permission granted by An Coimisiún Pleanála (the planning commission, which replaced An Bord Pleanála) for a data centre development in Clare. The court upheld the permission, finding that the commission's decision on climate change considerations fell within the lawful spectrum of options available to it. This judgment has direct relevance to the current planning pipeline: it confirms that large-scale infrastructure and development projects can proceed even where climate change objections are raised, provided the commission has properly considered the relevant policy framework. For developers filing large applications — including Cairn Homes' Galway scheme and the Clonburris SDZ — this is a supportive precedent.
| Citation | Parties | Subject | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| [2026] IEHC 156 | Doyle & Ors v An Coimisiún Pleanála [No. 3] | Data centre planning permission; climate change challenge | Permission upheld — confirms planning commission has discretion on climate considerations |
| [2025] IEHC 659 | Reilly & Ors v An Coimisiún Pleanála | Judicial review of residential planning permission, Dublin | Ongoing judicial review activity confirms planning permissions remain legally contestable |
| [2025] IEHC 520 | Watchhouse Cross Shopping Centre v An Coimisiún Pleanála | Retail planning; material contravention of development plan | Permission quashed — retail planning remains subject to strict development plan compliance |
| [2024] IEHC 86 | Mulloy v An Bord Pleanála | Housing and transport planning, Greater Dublin Area | Contextual case on housing delivery and transport infrastructure integration |
Property Markets and Plans
The planning applications received in late August 2026 span the full spectrum of Irish development activity — from domestic extensions in Donegal to a 85-unit residential scheme in Galway. The ESB Networks application in Cavan (2660490) for a storage shed at Moynehall depot is a reminder that infrastructure investment continues alongside residential development. The Portarlington enterprise park application (2660586) signals commercial confidence in the midlands. And the Malin Head replacement dwelling application (2661594) — demolishing a defective concrete block house and building a new replacement — is one of many applications across Donegal and the west reflecting the ongoing legacy of the mica/pyrite defective blocks crisis.
| Application | Location | Type | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2660586 | Canal Road Business Park, Portarlington, Laois | Commercial enterprise building | Midlands commercial confidence signal |
| 2660490 | ESB Networks, Moynehall, Cavan | Infrastructure storage | Grid infrastructure investment continuing |
| 2661594 | Ardmalin, Malin Head, Donegal | Replacement dwelling (defective blocks) | Mica/pyrite legacy — ongoing remediation |
| 2660316 | 3 Rockbarton West, Salthill, Galway | New dwelling + alterations | Salthill infill — premium Galway location |
| 2660587 | MDA Business Park, Mountmellick, Laois | EV parking + infrastructure upgrade | Green infrastructure investment in midlands |
The Week Ahead
The Irish property market enters September 2026 with a clear structural tension: prices are rising at their fastest rate in years, but transaction volumes are falling sharply — a combination that signals supply constraint rather than demand weakness. The planning pipeline is active, with Cairn Homes' Galway application and the Clonburris SDZ scheme both awaiting decisions in October. The Central Bank's position on interest rates — Governor Makhlouf has signalled openness to further ECB hikes — will be the single most important variable for the mortgage market in Q4. If rates rise again, the affordability gap widens further; if they hold, the market may see a modest volume recovery as buyers who have been waiting on the sidelines re-engage.
What to Watch in October 2026:
- Galway City Council decision on Cairn Homes' 85-unit Tuam Road application (due 13 October 2026)
- South Dublin County Council decision on Clonburris SDZ 84-unit scheme (due 17 September 2026)
- ECB interest rate decision and its impact on Irish mortgage approvals in Q4
- Q3 2026 Property Price Register data — will the volume decline continue or reverse?
- Tipperary County Council decision on Thurles protected structure development (due 28 September 2026)