Hogan confirms major planning changes to come

ENVIRONMENT Minister Phil Hogan has confirmed that planning and development regulations which he is putting through the Oireachtas will reduce the exempted development threshold for drainage of wetlands, from 20 hectares to one tenth of a hectare (about quarter of an acre), and reduce the threshold for a mandatory environmental impact assessment (EIA) of drainage of wetlands from 20 to two hectares.

He said planning applications will be required for drainage works less than 0.1 ha, in cases where the drainage would have a significant effect on the environment.

An environmental impact statement will be required with planning applications for drainage of wetlands under 2 ha, where it is determined that the drainage would have a significant effect on the environment.