COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

south dublin county council crest

MEETING OF TERENURE-RATHFARNHAM AREA COMMITTEE (1)

Tuesday, May 05, 2009

QUESTION NO. 1

QUESTION: Councillor E. Walsh

"To ask the Manager to outline in detail the requirements in order to make a valid planning application for providing the taking a car into a driveway outside their houses as this is required in many areas to enable bin collection trucks to do their job and to ensure that ambulances and firebrigades have access as quickly as possible?"

REPLY:

Widening of an existing domestic entrance requires planning permission.   In submitting a planning application, a planning application form must be completed and the following documentation in accordance with prescribed regulations must be attached.
 
(a)     Location Map
(b)     Site or Layout Plan
(c)     Other Plans, including specifically elevation of the existing and proposed boundary and its relationship to adjoining boundaries.  Details of gates, if any, are also required.
(d)     Public Notices:in Newspapers (newspaper must be on approved list-click here) 
         Click to view a sample newspaper notice.
(e)     Public Notices on Site (click for a sample site notice and a guide to erecting the notice)
(f)      Fee (click here for more information)

When a planning application is submitted it will be subjected to a validation process within the Planning Department, the requirements are outlined in a checklist.  If an apllication meets the requirements it will be deemed valid, if not it will be deemed invalid and returned to the applicant. Click here for the validation checklist.

A valid application is assessed in accordance with the provisions of the Development Plan.   Widening of an entrance may results in a reduction in on-street parking, depletion of grass verges and loss of trees in verges. It may also allow traffic to enter and exit a curtilage with greater speed, or make it unclear where the entrance is, thus generating a hazard for pedestrians or other road users.  In general, for pedestrian safety and visual reasons, the maximum width of a domestic entrance should be no greater than 3.5m.