Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 12:

In page 3, between lines 22 and 23, to insert the following: "Amendment of section 32B of Principal Act

8.Section 32B of the Principal Act is amended by the insertion of the following subsection after subsection (5):

"(6) A request by a prospective LRD applicant under subsection (1) may include a request that the LRD meeting be treated as a meeting for the purposes of section 32I and such request shall comply with section 32H(2).”.”

This amendment, which depends on the acceptance of amendment No. 13, provides for the prospective applicant for a large-scale residential development, LRD, may request that the existing LRD meeting is also to be held for the purpose of seeking an opinion regarding flexibility.

Amendment No. 13 inserts sections 32H and 32I into the principal Act. These sections set out details regarding the pre-application process for persons seeking to submit a flexible application under section 34 of the principal Act. Section 32H provides that a person who intends to apply for planning permission under section 34 of the principal Act may request a meeting with the planning authority for the purpose of obtaining an opinion as to whether it is appropriate that a flexible application for permission be made. The request must be accompanied by certain specified information, including the circumstances in which the prospective applicant considers it may be appropriate that certain details of the proposed development be unconfirmed at the time of the planning application.

Section 32I provides that the planning authority must issue an opinion or notification as to whether it is appropriate that the proposed application be made and decided before the prospective applicant has confirmed certain details of the application. An opinion must set out the details that may be confirmed at a later stage and the circumstances the planning authority considers appropriate to allow a flexible application to be submitted.

The provisions for sections 32J, 32K and 32L are consequential amendments regarding the pre-application procedure.

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