Government urged on 'use it or lose it' law for housing permissions

Home builders are urging the Government not to introduce a "use it or lose it" requirement for large scale housing permissions. New laws are being considered to compel builders to start work within a fixed period following a Strategic Housing Development (SHD) permission after it emerged that only around 30% had gone ahead. Applications for more 100 homes or 200 student places can go straight to An Bord Pleanála as Strategic Housing Developments as part of a fast-track system introduced in 2017. In a new report on planning reform by the Irish Home Builders Association said delays are being caused by local authorities themselves and by the increasing use of Judicial Reviews by residents and environmentalists to challenge development.

Read the full article @ www.rte.ie

Proper planning has been abandoned

 Sir, – If any of your readers have not read Frank McDonald’s article “Proper planning and sustainable development have effectively been abandoned” (Opinion & Analysis,, (January 30th), they really should. Well done to him and to the “coalition of residents’ associations in the Dublin area” who are shouting stop to the “developer-led design, ministerial directives and planning decisions solely made by An Bord Pleanála”, which they say are “anti-social and have a fundamental democratic deficit. This system does not hear our voices as communities.”

Read the full letter @ The Irish Times

Board grants Strategic Housing Development application at Fortunestown Lane and Garter Lane, Saggart, Co. Dublin

An Bord Pleanála has granted permission for a residential development, as submitted by Greenacre Residential DAC at Fortunestown Lane and Garter Lane, Saggart, Co. Dublin.

The development will consist of 526 number dwelling units comprising 262 number three-bed 2-storey terraced units (ranging from 115 square metres to 132 square metres), 197 number four-bed two and three-storey terraced and end of terrace units (ranging from 131 square metres to 169 square metres) and 37 number two-bed duplex units and 30 number 2-bed apartments (ranging from 90 square metres to 96 square metres) in two and three-storey residential blocks and all associated private amenity spaces comprising gardens and terraces/balconies

The application was submitted to An Bord Pleanála under section 4 of the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 on 21st December 2017 and decided on 26th March 2018.

The application process included a period of public consultation and followed completion of a pre-application consultation with An Bord Pleanála and the relevant local authority.  

The key documents relating to the Board’s decision are available as follows: 

Board Order
Board Direction
Inspector’s Report

This was a straightforward planning application and assessment because the lads were zoned for residential development under both the South Dublin County Development Plan 2016-2022 and the policies and objectives in the Fortunestown Local Area Plan 2012. Also, there is considerable availability in the area of social and transport infrastructure including the Luas.

It would be helpful in the future if all possible Strategic Housing Development sites were identified during the drafting of County Development Plans and Local Area Plans. Those living near to these sites should be clear that such proposals are likely. These projects should not come as a surprise.

Permission refused for a Strategic Housing Development application at Kill Hill and Earls Court, Kill, Co. Kildare.

An Bord Pleanála has refused permission for the proposed development comprising 130 residential houses, as submitted by McCourt Investments Limited at Kill Hill and Earls Court, Kill, Co. Kildare.

The application was submitted to An Bord Pleanála under section 4 of the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 on 22nd December 2017 and decided on 27th March 2018.

The full planning application can be viewed at https://killhill.ie/

The application process included a period of public consultation and followed completion of a pre-application consultation with An Bord Pleanála and Kildare County Council.

The key documents relating to the Board’s decision are available as follows: 

Board Order 

Board Direction 

Inspector’s Report 

The Planning Inspector's conclusion states:

With specific reference to the correspondence and accompanying map dated 01 February 2018 received by An Bord Pleanála from the Development Applications Unit of the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht regarding the reclassification of Recorded Monument KD020-001-003 from enclosure/ringbarrow/tumulus to hillfort and the resultant expanded buffer that corresponds with the area of archaeological potential around the hillfort and the archaeological complex to the south comprising sites and monument numbers KD019-010, KD019-056, KD019057 and KD019-008004 protected by Preservation Order number 3 of 2007 published by the National Monuments Service. It is considered that the archaeological significance of the site is such that any development of the site in advance of a comprehensive archaeological assessment, would be premature and would, therefore, be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.