Thomas Gould (Cork North-Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

626. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of local area plans that he has been notified of in each of the past five years. [61739/25]

John Cummins (Waterford, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The statutory provisions governing the preparation and adoption of Local Area Plans (LAPs) are primarily found in sections 18, 19 and 20 of the Planning and Development Act 2000. Since its establishment in April 2019, the Office of the Planning Regulator (OPR) has had statutory responsibility for the evaluation and assessment of local authority spatial plans in accordance with section 31P of the Act. The OPR is independent in the performance of this function.

Under section 31AO(7), where it considers that it is merited, the OPR may notify the Minister and recommend that he or she issue a direction to a planning authority requiring it to take specified measures to ensure that a LAP complies with the requirements of the Act. In such instances, the OPR issues a notice letter to the Minister notifying him or her of its opinion and setting out its recommendation.

In the five year period cited the Minister has been notified under section 31AO(7) of the Act in respect of the following nine Local Area Plans:

• Athenry Local Area Plan 2024-2030

• Ballina Local Area Plan 2024-2030

• Castlebar Town and Environs Local Area Plan 2023-2029

• Kenmare Municipal District Local Area Plan 2024-2030

• Letterkenny Local Area Plan and Local Transport Plan 2023-2029

• Loughrea Local Area Plan 2024-2030

• Roscommon Town Local Area Plan 2024-2030

• Westport Local Area Plan 2024-2030

• Wicklow Town-Rathnew Local Area Plan 2025-2031

Copies of the notice letters issued to the Minister by the OPR in respect of the LAPs in question can be viewed online at: www.opr.ie/recommendations-made-by-the-opr-to-the-minister/

More broadly, before a planning authority prepares a Local Area Plan it has a statutory obligation to consult with certain prescribed bodies, including the Minister. These requirements are provided for in section 20 of the Act and Article 14 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 to 2025. The Development Applications Unit of my Department coordinates inputs to the plan-making process in relation to the Department’s built and natural heritage functions.

The Deputy may be interested to note that Part 3 of the Planning and Development Act 2024 sets out new legislative provisions relating to the preparation and content of development plans in addition to providing for a new set of area-specific plans which will replace LAPs. These provisions are subject to phased commencement and it is important to note that transitional provisions will provide for the continuation of any LAPs in force at the time of the repeal of the relevant sections of the 2000 Act.