Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Amendments Nos. 459, 460 and 471 concern additions or deletions to the record of protected structures as part of the draft development plan process.

Amendment No. 459 seeks to amend subsection (4) of section 53, which currently requires that where a draft development plan proposes additions to or deletions from the record of protected structures of particular structures, parts thereof or specific features, the planning authority must serve a notice on the owner or occupier of that structure. The amendment also seeks to include a requirement that the planning authority shall erect a site notice detailing the proposed protected structures.

Amendment No. 460 seeks to provide that a copy of proposed additions or deletions must be available for public inspection and shall include the rationale for the proposed action, any reports or recommendations relating to the structure and any submissions received prior to commencing the public consultation process under subsection (4).

Similarly, amendment No. 471 concerns a planning authority notice served on owners or occupiers of protected structures that are added to or deleted from the record following the making of a development plan. This amendment requires that such a notice be displayed on the local authority website and included in the register of protected structures.

We will consider the consequences of these proposed amendments and the revision of publication requirements, which we can see merit in. With respect to site notices, there may be practical issues relating to their placement on land that is not in the ownership or control of a planning authority. The notification procedures are at present designed around informing the owner of the property intended to be protected in order to allow for their views to be considered. The wider public's views are garnered through the public participation exercises that form part of the development plan process. We are open to looking at this issue.