Here is today's round-up of town planning news from around Ireland, covering the adoption of Fingal's Dunsink plan, a fast-tracked permission at Shannon Airport, appeals body decisions in Kilkenny and Mayo, and vacant property figures for Cork.
Fingal councillors adopt revised Dunsink Urban Area Plan
After four days of meetings working through some 240 proposed changes, Fingal County Council voted on Thursday evening to make the Dunsink Urban Area Plan for a new town on 435 hectares inside the M50, with 30 of 40 councillors in favour, three abstentions and one vote against. Changes include a wider buffer and lower heights beside existing Finglas neighbourhoods, construction traffic directed to the strategic road network, reduced densities that cut the expected number of homes from 17,500-18,400 to between 5,400 and 15,000, and motions to restrict bulk sales of own-door and duplex homes to institutional investors and to require a Luas Tyrrelstown extension to be under construction or operational in Phase 2. Council planners will now assess whether any changes are material and would need to go back out to public consultation.
Source: Dublin Inquirer (23 October 2026) (https://www.dublininquirer.com/fingal-councillors-approve-revised-plan-for-new-dunsink-town/)
Ryanair granted permission for €50m maintenance hangar at Shannon Airport
Clare County Council has granted permission to Ryanair company Wonderlight Ltd for a new four-bay aircraft maintenance hangar at Shannon Airport, six days after receiving further information on 14 October about a proposed two-metre berm for storing contaminated soils; the decision had not been due until 8 December. Ryanair had warned earlier this month that it would move the investment to Poland if the project faced planning delays. The council planner's report concluded that sufficient information had been provided on soil management, berm design and water protection, and that significant adverse environmental effects were not likely.
Source: RTÉ News (22 October 2026) (https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2026/1022/1596446-ryanair/)
Appeals body refuses 39-home scheme on Sion Road, Kilkenny
An Coimisiún Pleanála has overturned Kilkenny County Council's grant of permission for 39 homes by Oakmane Limited on the former Sion Hermitage lands, a 3.8-hectare site on the Sion Road, following an appeal by two neighbouring residents. The commission found the Natura Impact Statement inadequate and said adverse effects on the River Barrow and River Nore Special Area of Conservation and the River Nore Special Protection Area could not be excluded, and also cited insufficient otter, kingfisher and bat survey information. It raised concerns about layout, privacy and the historic garden, and found the scheme fell short of the 10% public open space required by the county development plan.
Source: Kilkenny Live (22 October 2026) (https://www.ireland-live.ie/south-east/kilkenny-live/kilkenny-housing-scheme-rejected-amid-concerns-for-protected-species-9304523)
Mayo council reacts to refusal of €1.5bn Killala data centre
Mayo County Council's chief executive Kevin Kelly has described An Coimisiún Pleanála's decision to overturn permission for a €1.5 billion data centre at the former Asahi site near Killala as "very disappointing" and "very frustrating". The commission refused the Mayo Data Hub Ltd scheme last month following a third-party appeal, citing among other grounds the failure to demonstrate a fixed grid connection agreement. At the council's October meeting, Cllr Jarlath Munnelly said a developer cannot secure a grid connection until planning permission is in place, and called for talks with EirGrid about the site.
Source: Irish Independent (22 October 2026) (https://www.independent.ie/county/mayo/planning-refused-for-mayo-1.5bn-data-centre-which-had-been-opposed-by-sally-rooney/a/163396126.html)
Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant passes 500 homes in Cork county
New Department of Housing figures for the third quarter of 2026 show the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant has helped bring 547 vacant and derelict properties in the Cork County Council area back into use, backed by over €30.6 million in funding, with 1,712 applications and 1,345 approvals since 2022. Nationally, the scheme has now brought 7,162 properties back into use with over €396 million in grants. Minister of State Christopher O'Sullivan described dereliction as "a scourge that blights communities".
Source: TheCork.ie (22 October 2026) (https://www.thecork.ie/2026/10/22/500-vacant-and-derelict-properties-across-cork-county-council-brought-back-into-use-through-the-vacant-property-refurbishment-grant/)
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