Mr. Brian Moran:

The SDRAs are a somewhat lighter form. They are not as complex as an SDZ. Senator Fitzpatrick asked what the problems are with SDZs. From my experience, they are written in a complex manner. There are tables, charts, phasing plans and very prescriptive things in the actual plan and there is no right of appeal. There is a very complex process from a developer perspective and when you go to look at it, sometimes it is almost impossible to lodge a planning application under an SDZ because it has been done to such a level of detail and made very prescriptive and if you do not comply with everything you will not get the permit.

In the SDRA, it is under the city plan and it then paints a picture, if one wants a master plan very similar to an SDZ, but it does not have the same level of prescription that makes it very difficult for deliverability. Deputy Gould's colleague, Deputy Ó Broin, has spoken about this previously at this committee in the context of an urban plan. Where there is a smaller urban plan on a brownfield site, going to the level of detail that one would have in an SDZ would make it inoperable and make it very difficult for a developer. The development plan controls would be there overall, and then there would be a master plan, maybe in 3D, for that site, and then get on with it. A strategic development zone, SDZ, which is a new town that has many roads, parks, and a lot of other things to be delivered, does need a much bigger plan to work it through. I would definitely recommend, in doing an UDZ plan, that you should avoid the level of prescription that creates all these what I believe to be unintended consequences. I can speak about this from personal experience in looking at one particular planning application where there were 112 boxes to be ticked before the planning application could be lodged, and most of them were outside of our control and, indeed, relied on third-party developers and actors even outside the SDZ to actually get it done. This really tied our hands. As I speak, we are sitting on SDZ sites that we could be developing today, but it is going to take us a year or two to work with the council and An Bord Pleanála to bring forward change to a plan that, to be honest, everybody agrees should be done. The process, however, will take one and a half to two years to do. Be careful what you wish for in the level of prescription. I believe these plans are great but I would definitely have a lighter touch for smaller sites, with more prescription for a bigger site. As has been recommended, I would also recommend a workshop with the developers who have been involved in doing this, before it becomes hard-coded in legislation.