Identifying Barriers to Compact Urban Growth in the Irish Housing Sector: Insights from Industry Experts

Abstract

Low-rise, low-density housing continues to dominate Ireland’s housing sector, despite policy ambitions and climate targets that promote compact urban growth (CUG). This study investigates the persistent gap between national planning goals and actual housing delivery. Using a qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with developers, architects, and housing experts to examine barriers to implementing CUG. Key themes that emerged include typology viability, embodied carbon, and future housing trajectories. Findings highlight regulatory constraints, car-centric planning practices, and market preferences for low-density housing as key barriers. These insights reveal a critical misalignment between policy and practice, offering a foundation for more targeted interventions to support sustainable, low-rise, medium-density housing in Ireland.