The Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland has said that the new minimum apartment sizes proposed by the Department of the Environment cannot be built.
Smaller apartments were to be permitted under new planning guidelines published by the Department in December last year.
The guidelines on design standards for apartments set the minimum size of one-bedroom units at 45 sq.m, two beds at 73 sq.m and three beds at 90 sq.m.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, RIAI Vice President John O'Mahony said plans by Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly to reduce the overall size of one, two and three bed apartments was not possible.
He said this was because regulations include minimum floor areas but also include minimum sizes for living rooms, dining rooms etc.
Mr O’Mahony said when these are combined they generally work out at around 10% larger than the sizes specified.
He said there is an idea that storage can be put in the basement, but effectively storage should be provided with the units.
He added that in many places storage cannot be put in the basement.
Mr O'Mahony said the RIAI tested the new plans when they were outlined and when it applied the new guidelines, they could not make them work.
