COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

south dublin county council crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, November 12, 2012

QUESTION NO. 5

QUESTION: Councillor T. Gilligan

To ask that the Manager clarifies the position on property management agencies advertising multiple properties for rent or sale in housing estates?

REPLY:

Under the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 (as amended) the following advertisements are considered to be exempted development (i.e. do not require planning permission);

Advertisements relating to the sale or letting of any structure or other land (not being an advertisement structure) on which they are exhibited, provided that the following conditions and limitations are complied with;

1. The area of any such advertisement shall not exceed (a) in the case of an advertisement relating to the sale or letting of a house, 0.6 square metres,

(b) in the case of an advertisement relating to the sale or letting of any other structure or land, 1.2 square metres.

2. Not more than one such advertisement shall be exhibited on the structure or other land.

3. No such advertisement shall be exhibited, and no advertisement structure erected for the purpose of exhibiting such advertisement shall remain on the structure or land, for more than 7 days after the sale or letting to which the advertisement relates.

All complaints received by the Planning Authority in relation to signage erected by Estate Agents, Auctioneers, Property Management Agents etc. are investigated in a fair and proper manner. Following investigation if it is found that the signage in question does not comply with the Exempted Development Conditions and Limitations (as detailed above), appropriate enforcement action is taken.

In relation to signs which are temporary in nature and exempted under the Planning Acts, the Litter Pollution Act permits the erection of signs only where the express written permission of the owner of the land/building upon which the sign is erected has been given. Where evidence of such permission cannot be produced the Estate Agent in question is liable to be fined under the Litter Pollution Act - such fines are €150. These signs are investigated routinely by the Council's Litter Wardens and fines are issued where confirmation of permission is not available. Fines can and are routinely appealed where the written permission can be provided.