Something you should know about planning

I WOULD like to bring readers’ attention to their entitlement to see details of pre-planning discussions between a local authority and a developer once a planning application has been lodged.

This right arises under section 247 (5) of the Planning and Development Act 2000.

However, Dublin City Council is not making this information available to the public. A record of pre-planning discussions should be available on the file of any application but the council have not implemented this part of the act.

According to Central Statistics Office figures, 3,370 houses or apartments were completed in 2003 in the Dublin city area while planning permission was granted for a further 8,483 residential units in the same year. The 2000 planning act transformed the way planning applications are considered.

Dublin City Council has been willing to implement the restrictive elements of this act, such as the €20 objection fee or strict time limits. They have not been willing to facilitate transparency in the planning system.

Mary Upton TD

Dáil Éireann

Dublin 2