Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)

Amendments Nos. 22 to 25, inclusive, are related and may be discussed together. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Government amendment No. 22:

In page 31, to delete page 31 and in page 32, to delete lines 1 to 19 and substitute the following:

23.—The Principal Act is amended by the substitution of the following section for section 42:

"42.—(1) On application to it in that behalf a planning authority shall, as regards a particular planning permission, extend the appropriate period by such additional period not exceeding 5 years as the authority considers requisite to enable the development to which the permission relates to be completed provided that each of the following requirements is complied with:

(a) either—

(i) the authority is satisfied that—

(I) the development to which the permission relates was commenced before the expiration of the appropriate period sought to be extended,

(II) substantial works were carried out pursuant to the permission during that period, and

(III) the development will be completed within a reasonable time,

or

(ii) the authority is satisfied that—

(I) there were considerations of a commercial, economic or technical nature beyond the control of the applicant which substantially militated against either the commencement of development or the carrying out of substantial works pursuant to the planning permission, and

(II) there have been no significant changes in the development objectives in the development plan or in regional development objectives in the regional planning guidelines for the area of the planning authority since the date of the permission such that the authority would not, as a result of those changes, grant an application for permission for the development as being in material contravention of the proper planning and sustainable development of the area of the authority,

(b) the application is in accordance with such regulations under this Act as apply to it,

(c) any requirements of, or made under those regulations are complied with as regards the application,

(d) the application is duly made prior to the end of the appropriate period.

(2)(a) Where an application is duly made under this section to a planning authority and any requirements of, or made under, regulations under section 43 are complied with as regards the application, the planning authority shall make its decision on the application as expeditiously as possible.

(b) Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph (a), it shall be the objective of the planning authority to ensure that it shall give notice of its decision on an application under this section within the period of 8 weeks beginning on—

(i) in case of all of the requirements referred to in paragraph (a) are complied with on or before the day of receipt by the planning authority of the application, that day, and

(ii) in any other case, the day on which all of those requirements stand complied with.

(3) A decision to extend an appropriate period shall be made once and once only under this section and a planning authority shall not further extend the appropriate period.

(4) Particulars of any application made to a planning authority under this section and of the decision of the planning authority in respect of the application shall be recorded on the relevant entry in the register.

(5) Where a decision to extend is made under this section, section 40 shall, in relation to the permission to which the decision relates, be construed and have effect subject to and in accordance with the decision.

(6) In satisfying itself under subsection (1)(a)(ii), a planning authority shall have regard to any guidelines issued by the Minister under section 28, notwithstanding that they were so issued after the date of the grant of permission in relation to which an application is made under this section.

(7) The commencement of this section shall not affect an application to further extend the appropriate period duly made to the planning authority on a date prior to the date of the commencement of this section and in such a case the planning authority shall decide whether to further extend the appropriate period as if this section had not been commenced.".