Results 4,341-4,360 of 9,814 for speaker:Steven Matthews

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Mar 2023)

Steven Matthews: Okay.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Mar 2023)

Steven Matthews: It would probably be beneficial and constitute a better way to go, but it is a question of the detail involved, the guidance and who in local government approves these plans and at what stage.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Mar 2023)

Steven Matthews: I refer to sections 56 and 57 in the context of varying a plan. We just spoke about the national planning statements and I think it is within six months that you have to make your development plan comply with the national. Section 56 refers to five-year reviews if we are going to ten-year plans. Section 56(4), on page 143, states: "Not later than 5 years after the making of the development...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Mar 2023)

Steven Matthews: Section 56(5) allows them to say they accept the recommendation of the chief executive and they pass this or they do not, and then it goes to the OPR. I am just not clear about the wording and believe that the last five words are unnecessary as they add confusion.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Mar 2023)

Steven Matthews: That is good. Section 57 provides the councillors with the ability to vary a development plan at any stage, not at the five-year review. At that stage, councillors have an opportunity to feed into the variation, make recommendations and pass resolutions on that. Am I correct that the five-year review is not for lodging new objections and is just a review, and that section 57 is where the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Mar 2023)

Steven Matthews: Will Mr. Hogan please explain?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Mar 2023)

Steven Matthews: It is the chief executive who recommends the variations to the planned five-year review, not the members.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Mar 2023)

Steven Matthews: Yes, the decision is made to adopt a review and then it goes to the planning regulator. Members cannot amend the recommendations made by the chief executive. They can only accept or reject.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Mar 2023)

Steven Matthews: Section 336(3) states: "The Commission shall retain all other documents". Will Mr. Hogan describe what is meant by the words "all other documents", which are not available to the public? Section 336(4) mentions that "the documents and information referred to in subsection (3) ... shall be made available for inspection by the owner or occupier of the land". There seems to be a distinction...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Mar 2023)

Steven Matthews: No, there is no conflict. It appears that the documents held by the commission will be made publicly available. As the provisions are at the moment, the documents can be viewed. Section 336(3) states: "The Commission shall retain all other documents ... for a period of 12 years", and, therefore, these are not the ones referred to in section 336(1)(a), (b) and (c). However, section 336(4)...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Mar 2023)

Steven Matthews: Is that similar to planning files in a local authority where certain documents may be submitted with the planning application, which are not available to the public to peruse?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Mar 2023)

Steven Matthews: We have covered section 5. With regard to section 8, it is our view that it would be more beneficial and open to reinstate those who can seek a declaration under the current section 5. The witnesses may have commented on that. Can non-statutory plans be used in a planning decision or a decision by the board or local authority?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Mar 2023)

Steven Matthews: There is a local area plan but is an area action plan a non-statutory plan?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Mar 2023)

Steven Matthews: Will the witnesses explain the two key tests if a plan goes through public consultation and is screened properly?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Mar 2023)

Steven Matthews: Will the priority area plans or urban area plans replace these kind of different non-statutory ones? They sound like area action plans.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Mar 2023)

Steven Matthews: Yes, the planners might make the baseline.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Mar 2023)

Steven Matthews: Let us stick to this one for the moment.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Mar 2023)

Steven Matthews: It will fall to us anyway. I will bring in Deputy Gould.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Mar 2023)

Steven Matthews: I ask for direct questions and answers now. We have three members left to contribute with only 15 minutes left.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Mar 2023)

Steven Matthews: I have to move on. I am next, followed by Deputy Ó Broin and Senator Boyhan.