The number of home building projects started in Mayo in the first four months of 2014 has increased by a huge 206 per cent on figures from the same period in 2013.
However planning applicatins in the county fell by 11 per cent in the same period.
The data was released this week in the National Housing Construction Index, which is produced by consultants Link2Plans. It records planning applications and planning commencements across local authorities.
Danny O’Shea, managing director of Link2Plans, said some of the growth in housing construction can be attributed to a “phenomenal increase” in the first two months of the year ahead of the new building regulations which came into force on March 1.
While that growth is expected to slow down, he said he is still anticipating an overall increase in 2014 on project commencements.
Nationally planning applications were up by 19 per cent, but Mayo was one of 10 counties across the country to experience a decrease between January and April.
Applications fell from 99 in the first quarter of 2013 to 88 in the same period in 2014 - an 11 per cent reduction.
In Dublin, planning applications have increased by 61 per cent.
Leitrim suffered the most severe drop in planning applications in the first four months of the year - down 52 per cent on figures from the same period last year.
The National Housing Construction Index includes residential developments, one-off housing and one-off housing extensions.
