Planning chaos as hundreds of applications risk being invalid after regulation error

The problem has arisen, according to the Irish Planning Institute, because the department gave effect to a new regulation, known as a statutory instrument, without any lead-in time or any consultation with planners or other interested parties.

All planning applications submitted since August 6 may be invalid due to errors committed within the Department of Housing, the Irish Examiner has learned.

What are described as “hundreds of applications” could be “deemed to be technically invalid”, the Irish Planning Institute (IPI) says.