Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 498: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when he proposes to give powers to the local authorities to allow one-off developments on national secondary routes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28083/10]

Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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The draft Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Spatial Planning and National Roads, which were published for public consultation yesterday, are aimed at ensuring that roads planning and policy, and development planning and management processes are appropriately and effectively aligned, in order to guide development to the most suitable locations to maximise the investment in the national roads network, while also encouraging a shift towards more sustainable forms of travel and transport. The draft Guidelines are available on the Department's website at www.environ.ie.

Section 2.5 of the draft guidelines outlines exceptional circumstances in both the development plan and development management context where limited flexibility in relation to access to national roads may be applied by a planning authority. It should be noted, however, that national secondary roads may provide a strategic function along all or part of their routes, and so any consideration of traffic and safety implications in respect of single rural houses should have regard to this. Planning authorities need to ensure that substantial public investment in national transport infrastructure is not eroded by a lack of overall plan-led development.

In assessing planning applications, planning authorities must continue to consider the proper planning and sustainable development of the area, having regard to the provisions of the development plan, any submissions or observations received, and relevant Ministerial or Government policies, including any guidelines issued by the Department.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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Question 499: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will consider correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28085/10]

Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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Section 42 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 provides that, on application, the duration of a planning permission (normally 5 years) shall be extended, subject to certain requirements being complied with, including that substantial works have been carried out before the expiration of the original permission.

Section 23 of the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009 amends section 42 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 to provide that a planning permission must, on application, be extended for up to 5 years even where substantial works have not been carried out or the development has not been commenced, provided that the authority is satisfied that 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. This provision applies to all permissions.

The Bill is currently progressing through the Houses of the Oireachtas, having passed Committee Stage in the Dáil on 22 June and is expected to be enacted during the current Oireachtas session.