Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North-West, Fianna Fail)
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1602. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the provisions made in the Planning and Development Act 2024 to strengthen, protect and enforce protection of our built heritage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43139/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Part 10 of the Planning and Development Act 2024 provides for protection of both individual structures and areas of special architectural heritage interest. The provisions largely restate those in Part 4 of the Planning and Development Act 2020, with some amendments to content and planning authority procedures.

It remains the case that structures and parts of structures are protected by inclusion in a city/county development plan record of protected structures, and areas are protected by the designation of an architectural conservation area or area of special planning control. The Minister with responsibility for planning may recommend structures and areas for protection, but it is the planning authority which ultimately decides whether to create a designation.

The Act restates the responsibilities of owners / occupiers and planning authorities in respect of buildings with an architectural heritage designation. Works or development require planning permission where they would materially affect the character of a protected structure, the character of an architectural conservation area, or the objectives of an area of special planning control. Endangerment and restoration of character provisions remain substantially as per the 2000 Act, meaning that owners and occupiers are obliged to avoid endangering the character of a protected structure, and that planning authorities have an obligation to intervene where they determine that a protected structure is in danger.

The Part 10 provisions are augmented through the introduction in Part 3 of National Planning Statements, on matters including architectural heritage, and the requirement in section 50 for development plans to have a thematic strategy on conservation etc. of built and natural heritage. More information is available in the Guide to the Planning and Development Act 2024 (2025) available here: assets.gov.ie/static/documents/guide-to-planning-and-development-act-2024.pdf