Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 September 2017
796. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the way in which persons will be able to view documents, drawings, maps and submissions on planning applications for 100 units or more that will be considered by An Bord Pleanála under the strategic housing development planning applications either by hard copy and or online; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39713/17]
View answerThe Planning and Development (Strategic Housing Development) Regulations 2017 (the Regulations) set out procedural and administrative matters relating to proposed strategic housing developments, as provided for under Chapter 1 of Part 2 of the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016.
Article 301 of the Regulations details the requirements for making an application for a strategic housing development available for public inspection. It states that a copy of the application, including any environmental impact statement or Natura impact statement or both of those statements, if required, and all other documents, particulars, plans or information that accompany the application, will be made available for inspection at the offices of An Bord Pleanála (the Board) and in the relevant planning authority(s), from when the application is made and for a period of 8 weeks following the Board’s decision on the application. In addition, the applicant is also required to make the application available for inspection on-line on a website for the same period.
Article 302 of the Regulations provides that submissions or observations in relation to a proposed strategic housing development may be made by members of the public and prescribed bodies to the Board during a 5-week public consultation period, commencing from the receipt by the Board of the application. The Board is also required to send a copy of any submissions or observations received to the relevant planning authority.
In accordance with standard practice relating to planning applications, the submissions and observations received on proposed strategic housing developments are associated with the related planning file and are available for inspection at the offices of the Board and the relevant planning authority.
