Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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418. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government when a review into exemptions for planning permission will conclude; if he will consider including old schoolhouses under exemptions given the number of them in the State and the need to re-use such buildings for residential purposes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29406/24]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, all development, unless specifically exempted under the Act or associated Regulations, requires planning permission.

The Planning and Development Act (Exempted Development) Regulations 2022 provide for an exemption from the requirement to obtain planning permission in respect of the change of use of certain vacant commercial premises to residential use, including the conversion of vacant areas above ground floor commercial premises to residential use. This measure was aimed at facilitating the productive re-use of qualifying vacant commercial buildings as homes, while also facilitating urban renewal and the bringing on stream of increased housing supply.

The exemption relates to a proposed development that consists of a change of use to residential use from Class 1, 2, 3, 6 or 12 of Part 4 to Schedule 2 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended.

Exemptions from the requirement to obtain planning permission in respect of specific forms of development are provided for, when they are considered to be consistent with proper planning and sustainable development. While I have no plans to introduce any further planning exemptions in this area at this point in time, I would propose to keep possible further measures in this area under ongoing review.