The provisions in relation to proposed local authority "own development" projects - commonly referred to as Part 8 projects - are provided for in Section 179 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the Act) and Part 8 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended.
Under these provisions, a planning authority is required to advertise its proposals for such developments and to invite submissions and observations from members of the public as well as from the relevant statutory bodies in respect of such proposals. Under section 179(3) of the Act, the Chief Executive of the local authority is also required to submit a report on the proposed development, taking account of the public submissions received, for consideration of the elected members of the Council. The report of the Chief Executive must include a description of the nature and extent of the proposed development, the principal features thereof, an appropriate plan of the plan of the proposed development and an appropriate map of the relevant area.
The Part 8 proposals, together with a copy of the Chief Executives report, are ultimately required to be submitted to the elected members of the Council for consideration, who may, as a reserved function, resolve to accept, modify or reject the Chief Executive's recommendation on the proposed development. These arrangements in relation to Part 8 projects, as approved by the Oireachtas in the legislative process in the enactment of the Act, apply equally to all local authorities irrespective of their size and I have no plans to amend them.