Minister of State introduces New Planning Regulations

Minister of State with Special Responsibility for Housing and Urban Development, Damien English, TD, has signed three new sets of exempted development regulations. Planning

The Planning Act provides that the Minister may make regulations to provide that certain classes of development be exempted from the requirement to obtain planning permission, thereby streamlining and creating efficiencies in the planning system, but also reducing the regulatory and administrative burden on those undertaking such works.

As required under the Planning Act, the regulations received a positive resolution from both Houses of the Oireachtas on 25 January 2018.

The new regulations now provide for the following exemptions:

  • Development by Irish Water related to the provision of water services and the undertaking of normal day to day activities relating to same, such as maintenance type works,
  • The change of use, and any related works, relating to the conversion of vacant commercial premises – including “over the shop” type premises for residential use, on foot of the commitment in Rebuilding Ireland in this regard – and
  • Amending existing provisions relating to certain works by statutory undertakers in providing telecommunications services, to support the rollout of the National Broadband Plan and extended mobile phone coverage.

Source: EnviroSolutions