Irishplanningnews.ie

Draft Guidelines for planning authorities have been published in relation to the preparation of Local Area Plans.  There is a 6 week consultation period. The key emphasis will be on an evidenced based approach to informing future development needs.  A best practice manual accompanies the guidelines.

The Guidelines can be found at http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/PlanningDevelopment/Planning/PublicConsultations/

Very interesting article in Mondays Irish Times (25th June 2012) about inroducing new guidelines on reducing planning levies in certain circumstances:

THE GOVERNMENT proposes to significantly lower development levies and give up to a full exemption to projects that create employment.

Development levies peaked in 2007 at more than €900 million but fell to just under €200 million in 2009. Under draft guidelines to be published tomorrow, the Government proposes that local authorities lower charges associated with planning permission.

There are three types of charges: those associated with general development which benefits from local authority services, such as roads and parks; special development contributions where the local authority has to provide special services, such as a new road or relocation of pipes; and supplementary development contributions which support the delivery of schemes such as Luas extensions or the reopened Cork to Midleton railway.

Before the new schemes come into force, Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan and Minister of State at the Department of the Environment Jan O’Sullivan are to encourage local authorities to collect outstanding charges. These sums could be significant.

An estimated €150 million of the €300 million cost of the Luas Cherrywood extension was to be funded by development levies but much of this has yet to be paid for reasons generally associated with the downturn.

The Ministers will also encourage local authorities to continue to levy charges for water services in advance of the formal handover of services to the new authority, Irish Water. Read the rest of this entry »

Kildare County Council has prepared a Local Area Plan for Kildare Town.

Copies of the proposed Local Area Plan and Environmental Reports may be inspected for a period of 6 weeks from 7 June 2012 to 18 July 2012 inclusive at the following locations:

Kildare County Council: 9.00 a.m. – 4.00 p.m., Monday to Friday

Kildare Town Branch Library: Tuesday and Wednesday 2.00pm to 5.00pm; Thursday 1.00pm to 8.00pm; Friday 9.30am to 1.00pm and 2.00pm to 5.00pm; Saturday 9.30am to 12.30pm

Áras Bhríde: Monday to Thursday 9am to 10pm, Friday 9am to 5.30pm

And on the Council’s website www.kildarecountycouncil.ie

Submissions or observations in writing to be received no later than 5pm on 18 July 2012.