Ministers highlight outstanding planning cases by An Bord Pleanála   

An Bord Pleanála (the Board) is a critical organisation in the planning hierarchy within Ireland, standing at the apex of our planning system, it plays a crucial role as a final arbiter of many planning applications. 

Following matters arising during the course of 2022, the Board has contended with a large backlog of case files to be determined throughout 2023 and into 2024. Through the provision of additional resourcing by the Department in the form of increased staffing, an increased number of Board members and an increase in funding allocation, significant progress has been made in reducing this backlog.

The total number of cases disposed of in 2024 to the end of November was 3,464, an increase of 13% on cases disposed in the same period for 2023. By the end of November 2024, the number of cases on hand had reduced from

The Board has ensured that it addresses Large Scale Residential Development (LRD), which replaced the former Strategic Housing Development (SHD) process in 2022, within the relevant statutory timelines. To the end of November 2024, 74 LRD cases were disposed of, with the statutory timeline of 16 weeks being adhered to in all cases.  

This reduction in cases on hand, matched with the increased throughput of cases being determined, will see the Board reaching more ‘normal’ levels of operation in Q1 2025. This is a welcome development in advance of the implementation of the Planning and Development Act 2024 in early 2025. 

Resourcing the Board

 Since October 2021, the Department has agreed to 117 new staffing posts in An Bord Pleanála. As of 30 November 2024, 290 people are working in ABP (including Board Members). It is intended that when all the approved posts are filled, over 300 people will be employed by the Board. This will represent an increase in the overall agreed staffing at the Board to in excess of 50% since 2021.

A recruitment campaign for full-term Board members, managed by the Public Appointments Service (PAS), commenced in October 2023. Ten candidates have now been appointed as full-term Board members by the Minister, with a full complement of 15 full term Board members to be in place from January 2025.
 

Planning and Development Act 2024

 The newly enacted Planning and Development Act 2024 provides for the proposed new structure for the Board. An Bord Pleanála is to be renamed An Coimisiún Pleanála to reflect the new organisational structure of the Commission. 

The new Act contains a number of provisions reflecting this new organisational structure and will clearly outline the separate roles of:-

• Planning Commissioners - who will be responsible for all decision-making regarding appeals and applications made and they will be overseen by a newly created position of Chief Planning Commissioner.
• The Governing Board - which will be responsible for the performance and oversight of the organisation.
• Executive and Inspectorate - will undertake and support organisational and operational functions will be overseen by a Chief Executive Officer.

 A campaign to appoint members of the new Governing Board, including a Chairperson, is currently underway and is being facilitated by the Public Appointments Service. It is expected that the new members will be in place within the first quarter of 2025 enabling the commencement of relevant sections of the Act. 

 

Urban Regeneration and Development Fund 2024 Progress Report

Monday 30 December 2024

The following is a progress report on the €137 million of Urban Regeneration and Development Funding provided to towns and cities across Ireland over the last year. 

Launched in 2018 as part of Project Ireland 2024, the €2 billion Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) is continuing to support the National Planning Framework and the delivery of more compact and sustainable development across Ireland’s cities and large towns 

The URDF is providing up to 75% funding for applicant-led projects that will support more compact growth, enabling a greater proportion of residential and mixed-use development to be delivered within the existing built-up footprints of our cities and large towns, while also ensuring that more parts of our urban areas can become attractive and vibrant places in which people choose to live and work, as well as to invest and to visit.

To date, there have been three rounds of funding provided under the URDF with more than €1.9 billion allocated so far. In 2024, over €137 million was provided from the Fund for successful projects. 

As per Budget 2025, funding under the URDF will increase to €186 million for next year (2025) to provide continued support to urban regeneration and development projects.  This will include the 132 successful proposals, comprising over 420 individual projects that were approved for URDF support under the first 2 Calls for proposals. 

With URDF supported projects active in every local authority area in the Country, 2024 saw the launch of a new online project tracker which provides detailed information, imagery and updates on the status of all the successful proposals. With the help of this interactive tool, users can easily navigate through the different URDF projects and gain valuable information about their status, milestones and impact. It provides a user-friendly interface that allows stakeholders, residents and interested individuals to stay informed about the ongoing developments in their area. This interactive webpage can be accessed through the URDF’s main website or directly via the following link: tinyurl.com/urdf-tracker

The third round of support under the URDF (Call 3) is aimed at supporting key objectives of Housing for All and Town Centre First by specifically addressing long term vacancy and dereliction across URDF eligible cities and towns. 

This dedicated €150 million revolving fund allows local authorities to acquire long-term vacant or derelict properties (residential and/or commercial), and to carry out any associated works needed to de-risk or improve the site to make it more attractive for re-use or sale. Acquired properties are then offered by local authorities for private sale at market value to those who in return will commit to bringing the property back into residential use. Proceeds from the sale of these properties will be used to replenish the fund, allowing a local authority to establish a rolling programme to tackle long-term vacancy and dereliction without a requirement for borrowing and the associated financial risk. 

Call 3 continued to progress in 2024, with nearly 50% (621) of the 1,297 properties identified by local authorities for inclusion in the programme actively coming out of vacancy/dereliction.

A further update will be issued 1 February 2025.

ENDS

 

New Planning and Development Bill

 

VIEW HERE

Independent Senator Victor Boyhan Opposed this Bill Saying, 

I know that councillors across the county have ideas for how local development plans could be better, do more and make liveable and better places. All of those ideas are ultimately overwhelmed by the fact that regardless of what goes into the local development plan, this Bill facilitates the complete railroading of that.

Our sitting county councillors have that local context and awareness of local need and local understanding, which they have gained through years of experience. Most of them live in their own communities. Some 99% of councillors live in the community they represent, which is unique among local government in Europe. That is the case and it is worth pointing out.

Most councillors are not planners, architects or engineers. This why they need independent expert advice, guidance and assistance when required. They want to work in unison with people and they want to work with their executives. That is really important. I was a councillor myself, as were most people here. One of the key ways to get things done is to collaboratively work with the chief executive and the management team of the council. 

Many rural Deputies, Senators and county councillors are saying we need to facilitate families in the farming and rural communities to build homes. Invariably, they have their own sites or potential sites. Having a site lowers the cost, which is great. We want to strengthen rural communities and to have vibrant towns and villages all over this country. 

 

Summary of Planning and Development Bill

 

VIEW HERE