Retention
Planning Permission

It is compulsory to have the correct planning permission for all of your property when selling it. It is possible in certain circumstances to apply for planning permission to retain a structure that has been built without permission. We can put together a Retention Planning Pack that is tailored to your needs.

Planning Application

People tend to fear the planning permission stage. We hear stories of cousins or neighbours stuck in a planning row for months, sometimes years. In our experience, most of this is either highly exaggerated or is a result of a poorly motivated planning agent or an inadequate application, lacking in the basic facts necessary for the planning authority to grant permission.

Before appointing an agent to act on your behalf you should question whether or not they are suitably qualified. Many self-styled planning consultants possess little or no professional qualifications. A lack of planning expertise can jeopardize the success of your planning application or appeal. It can lead to unnecessary redrafting of drawings and costly changes during the construction stage if the structure is not properly designed and specified. Ensure any agent working on your behalf has appropriate indemnity insurance.

By appointing SOCIAL HOUSING CO., you can be confident in the knowledge that we have the necessary professional qualifications, and experience to provide you with a proficient planning solution. We are also fully insured to protect your interests.

The planning authorities in the main are very fair. However, to gain their respect, you must respect the planning system by preparing the best possible planning application. Give the authority every opportunity to grant you permission. Use a professional organisation like us to avoid the pitfalls of an unsuccessful application.

There are three strands to an exemplary planning application. The first is creating an excellent presentation, which includes completing the appropriate forms and ensuring every box is ticked.  The second is ensuring that all the technical content is correct and presented in a clear format. This includes top quality drawings, as well reports completed to a high standard. Finally, have a clear reasoning behind why you should get planning. This makes your application very difficult to refuse.

SOCIAL HOUSING CO. have been dealing with the planning authorities for many years.  Our vast experience and training mean that we are familiar with the trends and styles that are in favour with the planning authorities. Our record of getting planning permission granted for different projects is exemplary. And on the very rare occasion that we do get a refusal, we see this merely as a hurdle to jump along the way in getting you planning permission. Through negotiation, revision and effective communication with the planning authority often those refusals can be overturned.

We can manage the entire process for you from pre-planning consultations to being granted approval. The likelihood of being granted planning depends on how you approach it from the very beginning. We are experts in formulating successful planning applications and developing a strategy to secure your planning permission in a timely and cost-effective manner. If you fail to plan then you plan to fail therefore having a well thought out strategy in place before your formal submission is vital. We can design an appropriate strategy that meets your exact situation and proposal. Successful planning applications require a confident understanding of planning legislation, planning policy and planning guidelines. Ensure your application is dealt with appropriately and contact us to talk about your planning application.

A Guide to Planning Permission in Ireland

It is compulsory to have planning permission before you start to build a house or, you may even need permission before you even start to clear your site, particularly if you are making or widening access to a public road, demolishing a structure that was last used as a residence or demolishing a building in a terrace or one attached to another in separate ownership.

Proceeding to build without planning permission will go against the planning laws and cause the local planning authority to get involved. This may lead to expensive demolitions, or even imprisonment, and can cause a serious problem for you selling your property at a later date. Lenders will not furnish money to a potential buyer unless your property satisfies the local planning rules.

Before you start planning, you should SOCIAL HOUSING CO.. We are very familiar with Development Plans and Local Area plans. These state your local planning authority’s policies for land use and may advise particular local restrictions in relation to sewage systems, etc.

It is pointless to submit a plan that runs contrary to the Local Authority Development Plan, as it will not be accepted. We will be able to tell you whether your proposals are likely to comply with the Development Plan for your area. This will save you time and money in the long run.

Types of Permission

There are four types of planning permission only three of which are relevant to the current discourse: permission, outline permission and permission consequent on outline permission. The most common type is permission, sometimes called full permission.

However, if you want to see whether the planning authority agrees in principle to your building a house on a particular site or building a large extension, you might apply for outline permission. In this case you only have to produce the plans and particulars that are necessary to enable the planning authority to make a decision in relation to the location, layout or other proposals for development.

If you get outline permission you will have to submit detailed drawings and receive consequent permission before you start building work. Generally, outline permissions have a three-year duration.

It is an offence to carry out any work that requires planning permission without planning permission, and the offence can carry very heavy fines and imprisonment. However, if a genuine mistake has been made, it is possible to apply for planning permission to retain an unauthorised development. This permission may be refused, in which case, the unauthorised development will have to be demolished.

How do you apply?

It is best advised to use SOCIAL HOUSING CO. to submit your application for you. We will ensure the planning application is up to standard with a high-quality presentation, good technical content and a clear reasoning as to why you should be granted planning permission.

Contact us and we will be happy to make the application on your behalf.

Public Notice

You must give a public notice of your proposals before making an application. This must be done by placing a notice in a locally circulating newspaper from the list published by your local authority and putting up a site notice that can be clearly read.

The application must be received by the local authority within two weeks of the notice appearing in the local newspaper and the erection of the site notice. The site notice must remain in place for at least five weeks from the date of lodgement of the planning application.

Documents to include in your application

  • [Six copies of a location map of sufficient size and containing details of features in the vicinity such as to permit the identification of the site to which the application relates.
  • Site or layout plan (six copies)
  • Other plans, elevations and sections (six copies)
  • The page of the newspaper containing the public notice
  • One copy of the site notice.
  • Copies of public notices (newspaper and site)
  • A plan showing the position of the site notice
  • Where appropriate, a certificate issued by the planning authority stating that compliance with Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 shall not apply to the development. If such a certificate has been applied for but not issued, a copy of the application, which itself must meet specific requirements will suffice.
  • The appropriate administration fee to the local planning authority.
    * Please note that it is necessary to have a license to reproduce maps. Planning applications are screened for unlicensed copied material.

The requirements of the planning and development regulations, as they affect the documentation to be submitted with a planning application, are complex. If the documentation does not comply with the requirements then the application will be returned by the local authority as invalid, thus delaying the process.

How long does it take?

Generally the local planning authority must make a decision on a planning application within eight weeks of receiving the application. However, if the local authority invalidates the application, needs more information, or if the decision is appealed, it will take much longer, so it is important to supply all information correctly.

How much does it cost?

You have to pay a fee to the local planning authority with your application. Different fees apply to different types of development. Social Housing Co. specific to your needs. We are competitively priced and guarantee the highest quality of service.

What happens after you have applied?

Your application will be checked by the local authority and, if it is validated, you will be sent confirmation that your application has been received and, it will be placed on the planning register in the planning authority offices for public inspection. Your application will also be included on the lists of planning applications displayed in council offices, public libraries and circulated to certain interest groups. A council official will usually inspect the development site; you may be asked to make an appointment to allow access.

Any member of the public has the right to inspect or purchase a copy of your planning permission and, on payments of a fee of twenty euros, make a written submission or observation on it. The submission or observation must be made within five weeks of the date of receipt of the planning application. Comments must be based on planning considerations not on personal likes or dislikes.

After considering all information and referring to the local development plan a decision will be made by the local authority on your planning application and it will be relayed in writing to you and anyone who commented on it.

What happens after you receive permission?:
If the local authority decides to grant you planning permission, you will receive a notice of that decision. If no appeals the decision to An Bord Pleanála within four weeks of the date of this decision, you will receive the grant of permission from the local authority.

You must not start building before you receive the grant of permission. Normally, planning permission is subject to conditions, some of which may require changes to your proposals.

Planning permission normally lasts for five years. You may be required to make a financial contribution towards the construction of any road, water supply or sewerage scheme that may be necessary.

What happens if you are refused?

If the local authority refuses your application it will give you the reason for this. You have four weeks from the date of their decision to appeal to An Bord Pleanála. You can also appeal conditions attached to your permission. Your appeal must include the full grounds of the appeal with supporting material and arguments and the appropriate appeal fee required by An Bord Pleanála.

Launching an appeal with An Bord Pleanála is a serious step, as it is really your last resort. Consult with Social Housing Co. and we will assess all the elements of your refusal. We will advise you on what is the best course of action for you. This may not be to launch an appeal straight away. It may be more beneficial to examine the grounds for refusal and submit a new application to the local planning authority. Either way, put our expertise and experience to work for you, so you can be assured your appeal will have the best possible chance of success.

Before making an application to ensure your application gets dealt with as speedily as possible, there are a number of key issues you need to focus on before making your application.

Sight Poles

In areas where the planning authority deem having high amenity value, it is often requested for sight poles to be erected. These are poles painted in one-meter segments in white and red and are erected on site to represent the height and length of the proposed structure. The planning authorities use these sight poles to assess the visual impact of the proposed structure on the landscape and amenity of the area. This will assist the Council in making a more complete assessment of the effect of the proposed development on the amenities of the area. In some cases, it may be necessary to choose an alternative site which has a lesser impact.