Introduction
Offaly Local Authorities recognise that engaging with the planning process can be an important time – It may mean a new home, an extension to an existing home, or setting up or expanding a new business. Offaly Local Authorities fully understands how important your planning application is to you, and that it represents a major investment of resources on your behalf.
When an application is not completed correctly (or information is not included), valuable time is lost and hard work is wasted – not just for the Planning Department, but also for the applicant and agent. This Guide to Making A Planning Application is primarily aimed towards applicants, but may also be used by agents. It is intended as a practical guide for applying for planning permission and sets out clearly the information required on submitting a planning application. A core value of Offaly Local Authorities as set out in the Offaly Local Authorities Corporate Plan is ‘quality services’ whereby we strive for continuous improvement in our service delivery. This Guide to Making a Planning Application works towards achieving this improved service delivery.
There are three planning authorities in County Offaly, namely Offaly County Council, Tullamore Town Council and Birr Town Council. A planning application must be made to the planning authority in whose area the application site is located. An application for strategic infrastructure developments should be submitted directly to An Bord Pleanala as listed in Schedule 7 of the Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Act 2006 (available on www.environ.ie)
Please note that Offaly County Council’s website has information on planning within the county which can be viewed on www.offaly.ie. It includes a computer package called ePlan which facilities viewing the status of planning applications. A Geographical Information System (G.I.S.) is available at the public planning counter for planning searches.
This Guide to Making a Planning Application is split into three sections; Section 1 is general planning information, Section 2 is planning information associated with rural housing and Section 3 is miscellaneous planning information. The following table of contents outlines clearly the topics within each section.
Offaly Local Authorities hope that this document will be of assistance to you.
Disclaimer
This Guide is not a definitive legal interpretation of policy, legislation or guidelines. A valid application must be in accordance with Article 26 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 as amended by the 2006 Planning and Development Regulations. Where an application does not comply with these requirements, the application will be declared to be invalid and must be returned to the applicant along with the fee paid explaining why the application is not valid.
The Law governing the Planning system is set out in the Planning and Development Act 2000 to 2006 as amended and the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 to 2008 (plus any future amendments). These are downloadable from www.environ.ie. These may be purchased from the Government Publications Sales Office, Sun Alliance House, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2, or alternatively by mail order through 51 St. Stephen's Green, Dublin 2. Telephone Number: 01 6476995/4.
Please note, new legislation adopted after the publication of this Guide, may supersede the information contained in this Guide