Nora Owen
Ceist:107 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he will amend the planning regulations, in order to ensure that planning permissions do not expire after two years. [32037/01]
Written Answers. - Planning Regulations.
The two year limit in question does not derive from regulations, but from section 96(15) of the Planning and Development Act, 2000. This provides that permissions for residential development on zoned land applied for after 25 August 1999 but before the housing strategy is included in the relevant development plan in accordance with the Act, will last until 31 December 2002 or for two years, whichever is longer. This provision was included in Part V of the Act, with full agreement of both Houses of the Oireachtas to prevent developers stockpiling planning permissions which would not be subject to the requirement to reserve land or houses for social and affordable housing. It will therefore ensure that the Act applies fairly and equally to all developers as soon as possible.
Virtually all local authorities have now varied their development plans to incorporate their housing strategy. Once housing strategies have been incorporated in development plans, planning permissions will be granted for five years.
There is no proposal to amend Part V of the Act which reflects the full and recent consensus of the legislature on an important policy matter.