Ciara Conway
Question:8. Deputy Ciara Conway asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on the seven villages sewerage scheme in County Waterford. [19457/14]
View answerWater and Sewerage Schemes Provision
Questions (8)
Written answers
The Waterford Grouped Towns and Villages Sewerage Scheme was included in the Water Services Investment Programme 2010 - 2013 as a scheme to start construction during the life of the Programme. The Scheme provides for the construction of new or upgraded wastewater treatment and collection systems in Ardmore, Ballyduff/Kilmeaden, Cappoquin, Dunmore East, Kilmacthomas, Stradbally and Tallow. The scheme was advanced by Waterford County Council on the basis of separate contracts for the collection systems and a single Design Build and Operate (DBO) Contract for the Wastewater Treatment Plants in the towns and villages.
Insofar as the collection networks at the various locations are concerned, the upgrading works to the Ardmore, Ballyduff/Kilmeaden, Cappoquin, Kilmacthomas, Stradbally and Tallow sewerage collections systems were substantially completed under the Water Services Investment Programme. The upgrading of the Dunmore East Collection System Contact commenced in July 2013 and will be substantially completed by the end of 2014.
Waterford County Council’s Report on Tenders for the DBO Contract for the treatment plants in the seven villages was received in my Department on 25 November 2013. It was not possible for my Department to finalise its examination of the Council’s submission prior to the transfer of responsibility for the delivery of water services capital infrastructure to Irish Water on 1 January 2014. Irish Water is currently preparing its Capital Investment Plan for 2014 – 2016 and this will provide for the transition of projects which were included in my Department’s 2010 - 2013 Water Services Investment Programme.
Questions Nos. 9 and 10 answered orally.
Planning Issues
Questions (11)
Patrick O'Donovan
Question:11. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will consider a review of the current planning legislation to allow the extension of planning permission in cases which cannot be pursued due to economic circumstances; if he will allow the applicant the opportunity to prove that they can comply with modern standards by way of submission of information to the planning authorities in order as to keep the applications live; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19459/14]
View answerWritten answers
Section 28 of the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2010 already provides that the duration of a planning permission may be extended where substantial works have not been carried out, or where the development has not even commenced, in cases where the planning authority is satisfied that there were considerations of a commercial, economic or technical nature beyond the control of the applicant which substantially militated against either the commencement of development or the carrying out of substantial works.
This provision is, however, subject to the submission of an application for extension of duration of permission prior to the expiration of the original permission, and the planning authority being satisfied that –
(i) there have been no significant changes in the development objectives in the development plan or in regional development objectives in the relevant regional planning guidelines since the date of the permission, such that the development would no longer be consistent with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area,
(ii) the development would not be inconsistent with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area, having regard to any planning guidelines issued by the Minister under section 28 of the Act after the date of the grant of the original permission , and
(iii) the development has not commenced and that an environmental impact assessment, or an appropriate assessment , or both of those assessments, if required, were carried out before the original permission was granted.
Where the development which has been granted permission is now deemed to be inconsistent with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area, having regard to any subsequent updating of the local development plan and the issue of any ministerial guidelines, it is of course open to the person concerned to re-apply for permission with a plan or design that complies with current guidelines or the current development plan.
Question No. 12 answered orally.