Major infrastructure projects will face oral hearings, says board

PROMOTERS of major transport and energy projects which are due to enjoy a new fast-tracked planning process will still face oral planning hearings to allow local communities voice their opinions.

Under the Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Act 2006, promoters of projects like roads, railways, power stations, dumps, incinerators or wind farms can avoid the normal planning process by taking planning applications directly to An Bord Pleanála.

The act, due to come into effect this year, was drawn up in response to delays caused to major infrastructural projects by objections and appeals, but it has been criticised for smoothing the path of developers while weakening the public’s say.

But An Bord Pleanála yesterday pledged that communities affected by the projects would be notified and consulted. Chairman John O’Connor said there would be planning notices in newspapers, invitations to submit observations and publication of environmental impact statements.

He added: “The Bord will almost invariably hold an oral hearing, even though the statutory regulations do not insist on it.”

He urged promoters to engage with local communities early and in a meaningful way. Two guides to the act are to be published, one aimed at the public to inform them of their rights and one aimed at developers, telling them their rights and responsibilities.

“The Bord will be extremely anxious to ensure that there is full participation by local communities in the decision-making projects in relation to these strategic infrastructure projects,” Mr O’Connor said.

He was speaking at the publication of the Bord’s annual report for 2005 which showed a record 5,503 appeals for the year.

However, the level of activity has caused delays in decisions. Just 53% of cases handled this year were decided within the target 18-week time-frame set down by law.

About 7% of all planning decisions by local authorities are appealed to the Bord and, in 30% of those cases, the decision of the local authority is overturned.

Rates vary from authority to authority. In 2005, just 15.4% of decisions made by Offaly County Council were reversed on appeal but the figure for Donegal County Council was 56.7%.

Mr O’Connor said: “The authorities with the lowest reversal ratios are running better planning regimes.”