I request Leitrim County Council do what it can within its control to help people get planning permission. It would be very helpful if the Council facilitated pre-planning meetings at the site of proposed developments. By having the Planner, Architect, and applicant onsite, everyone should have a clearer understanding of the outcome each person wants to achieve at the end of the meeting. This could help streamline planning applications, make the process less costly on the applicant and improve the success rate of planning applications. We need to change the perception that people can’t get planning permission in County Leitrim.
Minutes:
To consider the following Notice of Motion submitted by Councillor Brendan Barry;
"I request Leitrim County Council do what it can within its control to help people get planning permission. It would be very helpful if the Council facilitated pre-planning meetings at the site of proposed developments. By having the Planner, Architect, and applicant onsite, everyone should have a clearer understanding of the outcome each person wants to achieve at the end of the meeting. This could help streamline planning applications, make the process less costly on the applicant and improve the success rate of planning applications. We need to change the perception that people can’t get planning permission in County Leitrim."
Report by Director of Services for Economic Development, Planning, Environment and Transportation.
"Leitrim County Council provides an effective pre planning service within the resources of a small and busy Planning Authority. As outlined to Cllr. Barry in a similar Notice of Motion at the May meeting in 2020, the purpose of pre planning consultations is to afford the opportunity to an applicant intending to apply for planning permission, to seek advice from the Planning Authority on the proposed development. Pre planning consultations are provided for under the Planning legislation, specifically Section 247 of the Planning and Development Act, 2000, as amended.
In any consultations, the Planning Authority is obliged to advise the potential applicant concerned of the procedures involved in considering a planning application, including any requirements of the permission regulations, and shall, as far as possible, indicate the relevant objectives of the Development Plan which may have a bearing on the decision of the Planning Authority. This is the extent of service to be provided by the planning legislation.
The planners in Leitrim County Council who deal with the assessment of planning applications extend this general advice by visiting the proposed site in advance of any such meeting (where possible and if deemed necessary) co-ordinated with other required site inspections, to advise on the general suitability of the site, submitted design, etc. However, it is not a requirement of the legislation to do so. Any advice given are given in good faith and cannot predetermine the Planning Authority in their assessment and decision of the resultant application. When the advice that is given is acted upon, this results in better success through the planning application process. However, on many occasions, the advice is ignored which then requires issues raised at preplanning becoming the subject of a Further Information request. However, the responsibility for the design and presentation of a planning application is a matter for the applicant and their appointed agent (if any) while the primary role of the Planning Authority is the independent assessment of and decision on the application as presented.
The holding of such suggested meetings would therefore be outside the normal provisions of the Planning Acts in regard to pre planning and as such would undermine the fact that project design is a matter for the applicant and not the Planning Authority. In addition, on site matters also involve areas relevant to a variety of stakeholders such as the District Engineers Office and Environment Department within Leitrim County Council for example and a host of external stakeholders. Finally, there is also a requirement that a record of the pre planning consultation is signed by both parties at the meeting held in the offices of the Planning Authority and the applicant leaves with a copy of the record of the meeting. This would not be possible if the meetings were held on site and as a consequence such adjustment to the pre planning process cannot be implemented."
Councillor Brendan Barry said he received a similar response to a motion he raised 12 months ago.
Councillor Barry referred to the system used by agricultural planners carrying out inspections on farms using technology and he proposed that this could be useful for pre-planning meetings.
Councillor Paddy O’Rourke supported the motion and outlined that the Department of Agriculture visit sites before and after projects are built and this would be equally worthwhile for Planners and would eliminate a lot of grievances and play important role for architects.
Councillor Des Guckian supported the motion stating that Planners are playing games with young peoples lives.
The Cathaoirleach, Councillor Mary Bohan, asked Councillor Guckian to withdraw that comment.
Mr Bernard Greene said the reply is similar to last year, as it is the same motion. He outlined that what is being expected of Planners is above and beyond what is required by the planning legislative provisions and the service is not to be used as a vetting service. Mr Greene outlined that Leitrim County Council Planning Authority offer a much better service than the larger Planning Authorities and all Planners take their role very seriously. He outlined that at present there are no plans in this Authority to provide the technology as referred to by Councillor Barry but as technology advances this may be taken into consideration.