Mr. Dick Roche, T.D., Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, has published Development Plans Guidelines and Development Management Guidelines for Planning Authorities.
"These two sets of Guidelines, which relate to the preparation of development plans and to the processing of individual planning applications, are another step in delivering consistency and a quality customer focus to the Irish planning system" - said Minister Roche.
The aim of the Development Plan Guidelines is to assist and promote consistent best practice among all planning authorities in the preparation of local authority development plans.
"The Development Plan is the strategic framework and policy context for all local planning decisions" - the Minister added. "The objective of these Guidelines is to improve the quality and consistency of the plans, strengthen their strategic content and improve the consensus building in the preparation, implementation and review of development plans. In turn, this should deliver more consistency on actual planning decisions.
"Development plans are a catalyst for positive change and progress - but, this growth must occur in a balanced way throughout the country in accordance with the aims of the National Spatial Strategy. They also operate within the wider policy context of issues such as economic development, transport and education provision. The full suite of planning guidance now in place will assist local authorities in these aims" - the Minister said.
The Development Management Guidelines address the other principal planning function of planning authorities - that is, the processing of planning applications. "These Guidelines are a step-by-step guide to all stages of the planning application process and they will be of great assistance both to local authorities and to their customers" - said Minister Roche.
The Guidelines deal with the planning application process - from pre-application consultation through validating and processing a planning application, to deciding a planning application, formulating planning conditions and enforcing planning decisions.
Both Guidelines were finalised after a public consultation process, which took account of the views of key stakeholders - including local authorities, planners and other professional groups, developers and the general public.
Commenting on the Guidelines, the Minister highlighted the need - "to deliver a more responsive, open, transparent and democratic planning system that is well administered, communicated and is customer orientated. These guidelines provide the framework to assist local authorities towards the achievement of these goals."
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