COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, December 14, 2015

MOTION NO.5

MOTION: Councillor W. Lavelle

That this Council:

NOTING the unsatisfactory reply from management to Question No. 6 at the July 2015 meeting to the effect that “'Significant' additional information is considered to arise when there is a material alteration in the proposed development that would render it seriously inconsistent with that initially proposed, or where the quantum of development proposed is increased.  Usually where only the quantum of development proposed is decreased, that is not considered 'significant' additional information”;

FURTHER NOTING section 5.9 of the 2007 Ministerial Guidelines to Planning Authorities on ‘Development Management’ states, in relation to ‘”the question of ‘significant additional data’… the impact on the environment and/or the effects on third parties will always be material considerations.”

EXPRESSES ITS CONCERN that the view now being taken by the management of this Council differs from the position set-out in statutory Ministerial Guidelines; in that the view of Council management seems to focus solely on changes to quantum and not to any qualitative changes; and more critically makes no reference whatsoever to ‘the impact on the environment and/or the effects on third parties’ as required by Ministerial Guidelines; and that a result, residents of our County are, in certain exceptional cases, being unfairly denied an opportunity to make submissions or observations on substantial changes to planning application proposals arising from direct additional information requests by planners in the Council;

Therefore REQUESTS the Chief Executive to ensure that the policy and practice of this Planning Authority in classifying whether additional information is ‘significant’ does, in future, comply fully with the Ministerial Guidelines, particularly in ensuring that the impact on the environment and/or the effects on third parties are fully respected; which in turn can only benefit and strengthen the planning system.

 REPORT:

The Council is satisified that the Planning Department assesses all Additional or Further Information associated with Planning Applications in accordance with all relevant Acts, Regulations and Guidelines.   Therefore the assertion in the motion that the view taken by Management of the Council differs from that set out in Ministerial Guidelines is rejected.