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SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, February 10, 2025

QUESTION NO. 19

QUESTION: Councillor F. Timmons

To ask the Chief Executive do current planning applications require that the applicant specifically highlights where existing trees are located on a site and what they plan to do to retain these?

REPLY:

The Planning and Development Regulations 2001 (as amended) have many stringent requirements in order for a planning application to be validated and thereafter considered for permission. These include items such as the scale of maps and plans, requirements around the description of development, if an Environmental Impact Assessment Report is included. The Regulations also require identification of "significant tree stands" in submitted plans as well as other features of a development site. This term is somewhat subjective. 

For large applications or applications where there are large numbers of trees within the boundary of the development site, an applicant will often be required pursuant to County Development Plan policy to provide a tree survey map identifying the quality of current tree cover, rating the quality of individual trees as well as landscaping plans identifying any trees that are proposed for removal and/or replacement and trees that are proposed for retention. These specialist reports are often requested as part of pre-planning consultations or as additional information requests with reference to County Development Plan policy. The Planning Department relies on the expertise of its Parks and Public Realm Department for advise in relation to trees.