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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 19 Apr 1983

Vol. 341 No. 6

Written Answers . - Planning Applications .

641.

asked the Minister for the Environment if he considers that planning permission applications in respect of schools and community halls should be exempt from fees under the regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

: The fees regulations do not provide for any exemptions. The level of fee involved is relatively low in relation to the overall costs involved in the provision of buildings, even allowing for a voluntary input in some cases. It should be borne in mind that the processing of any application, no matter who the applicant may be, involves cost to the planning authority and can raise serious planning issues which must be assessed by the authority in the context of the overall planning and development of its area. In these circumstances and having regard to the need to reduce as far as possible the burden falling on ratepayers and taxpayers, I regret that I cannot provide for exemptions on the lines referred to in the question.

642.

asked the Minister for the Environment if he considers that there should be no fee where a person wishes to apply for planning permission to reconstruct his own private house; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

644.

asked the Minister for the Environment if he considers that there should be no fee where a person wishes to apply for planning permission in respect of the construction of a single house for his own occupation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

: I propose to take Questions Nos. 642 and 644 together. The fee for a planning application for a house is £30 and for an extension to a house, £15. These fees represent a small proportion of the overall costs involved and could not be considered a major burden. Accordingly, I do not propose to provide for exemptions for the cases mentioned in the questions.

643.

asked the Minister for the Environment if he considers that there should be an upper limit on the £1.75 per square metre fee in respect of planning applications for commercial development; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

: The development control system operated by the local planning authorities has significant cost implications — in excess of £9 million in the current year — which up to now have been borne by the public at large through general taxation. At a time when public finances are coming under increasing strain and simply cannot meet all of the demands made on them, it seems reasonable and equitable that the persons who utilise the planning system to develop property from which they will derive enhanced benefit, should make some direct contribution towards the overall cost of the system.

In the case of buildings, the level of fee at £1.75 per square metre of gross floor space represents a small proportion of the overall cost involved and could not be regarded as a major imposition, even in the case of large developments. It is not unreasonable that the amount of the fee should be related to the extent of the development and I do not propose, therefore, to provide for an upper limit on the lines referred to in the question.

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