RTÉ News: Proposed Planning Changes Boost Interest in Modular Homes

In April 2025, RTÉ News correspondent Aengus Cox reported on the growing interest in modular homes and garden structures, prompted by the Irish Government's confirmation that planning regulation changes are in the pipeline. The article featured Sprout Pod alongside other exhibitors at the PTSB Ideal Home Show, where the number of modular home companies represented grew from two to five — a telling indicator of how quickly the category has expanded.

The government's proposed change

The core regulatory shift under discussion is an increase in the maximum footprint of a standalone garden structure that qualifies as exempt development — from 25 square metres to 40 square metres. For context: 25sqm is roughly the size of a generous home office; 40sqm opens up one-bedroom configurations with full bathroom and kitchenette. The Department of Housing told RTÉ that interdepartmental consultation was substantially complete, with a public consultation and parliamentary process to follow.

What Ciarán Kerr told RTÉ

Speaking to RTÉ, Sprout Pod Managing Director Ciarán Kerr described a major surge in enquiries. The nature of those enquiries has shifted too: while the post-Covid period was dominated by home office requests, the conversation has moved toward living-space units — people looking for an additional bedroom, a granny flat, or a first step on the property ladder while continuing to save. Sprout Pod's units carry a minimum 40-year lifespan and are built with galvanised steel frames, significantly reducing long-term maintenance compared to timber-frame alternatives.

Pricing and context

The RTÉ piece referenced Sprout Pod pricing for the living-space configurations: a one-bedroom 25sqm unit at approximately €55,000, with two-bedroom units at around €75,000. These figures reflect the fully-fitted, turnkey cost including foundation, structure, insulation, glazing, electrics, and internal fit-out — not a shell price.

The broader market picture

The article placed the modular home trend in the context of Ireland's broader housing pressures — young people using garden units as transitional housing, multi-generational households needing additional space, and homeowners seeking cost-effective ways to add functional living space without moving. Town planners quoted in the article cautioned against framing garden structures as a solution to the housing crisis, while acknowledging their practical value as inter-generational housing tools where sufficient space exists.