Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am glad that on this occasion, on amendment No. 33, we are in agreement, not the exact wording but in the principle of it. I am open to this amendment as I believe that there should be an onus on developers wishing to avail of the fast-track procedures to get things right. When this was first mooted in July the Minister, Deputy Coveney was always very clear that the applications were to be right, and we would encourage that. It was not to give people an easy or quick decision. It was to make sure they submit quality applications which could then be appropriately judged. Applicants should at least submit all the required documentation for the purposes of a pre-application consultation request. Where incomplete documentation is submitted to An Bord Pleanála, which will have to conduct validation checks on the documentation submitted, I am open to the notion of withholding the fee submitted. I can accept this amendment in principle subject to drafting, which will require the submission of a revised wording on Report Stage. We will link up with the Deputy on that.

Amendments Nos. 34 to 36, inclusive, are interesting in that they make proposals aimed at enhancing the awareness of the public of developments that are under consideration by developers, and also at providing further local information to An Bord Pleanála that might assist it in the pre-application consultations on a proposed development. While I cannot accept all of the three amendments as drafted, there are certain aspects of them which have merit and which could perhaps be taken on board either in the Bill or in subsequent regulations made under the Bill. I see some merit in requiring developers who are in the process of submitting a request to An Bord Pleanála for pre-application consultations on a proposed development to place an advertisement in approved newspapers circulating in the area of their intention in this regard. This notion is referred to in amendments Nos. 34 and 36. This would have the effect of providing advance notice to the local public of the likelihood of a planning application being submitted in respect of a particular strategic housing development and would facilitate their engagement in the planning process on the development. I have already given a commitment in the Seanad deliberations on the Bill that we were open to the idea of requiring developers who are submitting a request for pre-application consultations on a proposed development to place a site notice of their intentions. I indicated to Senator Boyhan that this site notice requirement would most appropriately be addressed in regulations to be made following the enactment of the Bill. Deputy Ó Broin’s idea that developers should place an advertisement in local newspapers on a proposed strategic housing development at pre-application consultation stage is a similar idea and consequently, I am open to requiring developers to erect a site notice and to place a press advertisement in advance of submitting a request to An Bord Pleanála for pre-application consultations on a proposed development.

With a view to further enhancing transparency in regard to strategic housing developments, I would also be open to the second part of amendment No. 36 requiring planning authorities to record in their weekly planning register that they have made a submission to An Bord Pleanála in regard to a proposed strategic housing development on foot of An Bord Pleanála receiving a request for a pre-application consultation on a development.