Former pubs made up around a fifth of the notifications received by local authorities last year to convert vacant commercial properties into homes.
According to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, 53 of the 260 commercial properties exempted from planning permission for the purposed of conversion that were notified were former pubs.
It is expected that the pubs, when converted, will deliver 169 new homes.
In total, the 260 commercial premises notified will yield 665 new homes.
Last year the Minister for Housing altered and extended the existing rule that exempt certain vacant commercial premises from planning permission when they are being converted for use as housing.
The aim is to bring vacant units back into use again, providing place for people to live while also regenerating urban areas.
The exemptions were initially introduced in 2018 and since then notifications have been received about plans to provide over 2,000 homes in former commercial premises.
"These figures show that Government regulations to allow former, vacant pubs be converted into homes without needing planning permission is helping to tackle the problem of vacancy," housing minister, Darragh O'Brien said.
However, the figures also highlight the extent of closures of pubs over recent years as a result of the effects of the pandemic and the changing nature of drinking habits.
Today the department has launched a second phase of its national ad campaign to raise awareness of the Government’s vacant property supports, including the exemptions and the Repair and Leasing Scheme.
