This article is from page 13 of the 2006-08-15 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 13 JPG
AN BORD Pleanála overturned more than a third of one-off housing planning decisions made by Clare County Council last year, a marked increase on the previous year.
In 2004, the planning appeals board was in agreement with the local authority in 79 per cent of its decisions on one-off houses. Last year, however, the two agreed in just 64.44 per cent of cases. According to the council, a number of permissions were overturned on appeal by the National Roads Authority.
The figures, published in the past week by the Minister for the Environment, Dick Roche, show that 985 individuals applied for planning permission last year. Of those, 422 were decided within eight weeks, while 499 required further information. The average length of time then taken to decide on applications was 75 days.
There was a 28 per cent increase in housing development applications, with 155 in 2005. The local authority attributed the hike to an increase in zoned land around the county under Local Area Plans.
In 2004, there were 585 planning applications, such as extensions, that did not require an environmental impact assessment. A total of 92.8 per cent were granted, although a quarter of the decisions were overturned by An Bord Pleanála.
In 2005, applications not requiring EIAs had increased to 940, 90.85 per cent of which were granted. An Bord Pleanála reversed the decision on 15 per cent of these. Clare County Council investigated 285 planning cases that were subject to complaint, a slight increase on the previous year. Forty-one were dismissed, with 45 resolved through negotiation. As many as 212 warning letters were sent by the council and a further 146 enforcement notices. There were 28 prosecution cases.
In the last 12 months, Clare County Council has received criticism relating to the unavailability of its planners to meet applicants face to face. According to the 2004 figures, applicants had to wait an average of 20 days following a request for a formal pre-planning consultation with a local authority planner.
A note specific to Clare County Council has been recorded in the national report, stating it had “highlighted this area for particular attention in 2005”. In 2005, it had reduced the wait for the meeting to 16 days.