Rise in staff allows An Bord Pleanála to almost halve time to make planning decisions

However, An Bord Pleanala is still dealing with Strategic Housing Development (SHD) projects over three years after the process was completed.

A major increase in resources has led to a considerable reduction in the amount of time to process planning files in An Bord Pleanála over the last two years, according to figures released by the board. 

For the first time in recent years, the board has disposed of more appeals than files it opened, leading to a reduction in a backlog that is often cited as a major stumbling block in getting housing units built.