Vol. 541 No. 2
709 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if local authorities are taking necessary steps to introduce the retail planning guidelines into their local development plans; the number of local authorities which adopted the retail planning strategies in their development plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21754/01]
Retail planning guidelines were published on 2 January 2001 and have been issued as ministerial guidelines under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act, 2000, which provides that planning authorities and An Bord Pleanála must have regard to such guidelines in the performance of their planning functions.
The deadlines by which planning authorities have to incorporate retail strategies in their development plans have not yet been reached. The guidelines provide that planning authorities outside of the greater Dublin area, as defined in the strategic planning guidelines for the greater Dublin area, have 18 months from the date of publication of the guidelines, until 30 June 2002, to incorporate retail policies and proposals into their development plans. The guidelines indicate an urgent need to put in place a comprehensive and detailed retail planning strategy in the greater Dublin area. Accordingly, planning authorities in that area were given 12 months, until 31 December 2001, to incorporate retail policies and proposals into their development plans.
