PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT (HOUSING) AND RESIDENTIAL TENANCIES ACT 2016

An Act to facilitate the implementation of the document entitled “Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness” that was published by the Government on 19 July 2016, and for that and other purposes to amend the Planning and Development Acts 2000 to 2015, the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004 to 2015 and the Housing Finance Agency Act 1981, to amend the Local Government Act 1998 in relation to the Local Government Fund and to provide for connected matters.

[23rd December, 2016]

Be it enacted by the Oireachtas as follows:

PART 1 Preliminary and General

1. Short title, collective citation, construction and commencement

1. (1) This Act may be cited as the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016.

• (2)
• (a) The Planning and Development Acts 2000 to 2015, and this Act, other than paragraphs (b) and (c), Parts 3 to 5 and the Schedule, may be cited together as the Planning and Development Acts 2000 to 2016 and shall be construed together as one.

• (b) The Residential Tenancies Acts 2004 to 2015, this paragraph, Part 3 and the Schedule may be cited together as the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004 to 2016 and shall be construed together as one.

• (c) The Local Government Acts 1925 to 2014, section 57 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014, this paragraph and section 52 may be cited together as the Local Government Acts 1925 to 2016 and shall be construed together as one.

• (3)
• (a) Subject to paragraphs (b) and (c), this Act comes into operation on such day or days as the Minister may appoint by order or orders either generally or with reference to any particular purpose or provision and different days may be so appointed for different purposes or different provisions.

• (b) Sections 33 to 37, sections 46, 47 and 50 come into operation on the day following the passing of this Act.

• (c) Part 5 comes into operation on the passing of this Act.

2. Definitions (general)

2. In this Act—

“Act of 2000” means the Planning and Development Act 2000;

F1[“Act of 2024” means the Planning and Development Act 2024;]

“Minister” means the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government.

PART 2 Planning and Development

Chapter 1 Strategic Housing Developments

3. Definitions (Chapter 1)

3. In this Chapter—

F2["Board" means An Coimisiún Pleanála;]

“consultation meeting” means a meeting to which section 6(5) relates;

F3["development plan" has the same meaning as it has in section 2 of the Act of 2024;]

F4["gross floor space" means the area ascertained by the internal measurement of the floor space on each floor of a building (including internal walls and partitions), disregarding any floor space provided for the parking of vehicles by persons occupying or using the building or buildings where such floor space is incidental to the primary purpose of the building;]

F3["local area plan" means a plan continued in force by section 81 of the Act of 2024;]

“prospective applicant” means a person who—

• (a) is the owner of the land concerned, or

• (b) has the written consent of the owner to make an application under section 4 in respect of that land,

and who intends to apply for permission under that section in respect of that land;

F4["shared accommodation" means a building or part thereof used for the provision of residential accommodation consisting of—

• (a) communal living and kitchen facilities and amenities shared by the residents, and

• (b) bedrooms rented by the residents,

but does not include student accommodation or a building, or part thereof, used for the provision of accommodation to tourists or visitors;]

“specified period” means—

• (a) the period from the commencement of this provision until 31 December 2019, and

• (b) any additional period as may be provided for by the Minister by order under section 4(2);

“strategic housing development” means—

• (a) the development of 100 or more houses on land zoned for residential use or for a mixture of residential and other uses,

• (b) the development of student accommodation units which, when combined, contain 200 or more bed spaces, on land the zoning of which facilitates the provision of student accommodation or a mixture of student accommodation and other uses thereon,

• F4[(ba) development—

• (i) consisting of shared accommodation units that, when combined, contain 200 or more bed spaces, and

• (ii) on land the zoning of which facilitates the provision of shared accommodation or a mixture of shared accommodation thereon and its application for other uses,]

• F5[(c) development that contains developments of the type to which all of the foregoing paragraphs, or any two of the foregoing paragraphs, apply, or]

• (d) the alteration of an existing planning permission granted under section 34 (other than under subsection (3A)) where the proposed alteration relates to development specified in paragraph (a), (b)F4[, (ba)] or (c),

each of which may include other uses on the land, the zoning of which facilitates such use, but only if—

• (i) the cumulative F5[gross floor space] of the F5[houses, student accommodation units, shared accommodation units or any combination thereof] comprises not less than 85 per cent, or such other percentage as may be prescribed, of the gross floor space of the proposed development or the number of houses or proposed bed spaces within student accommodation F4[or shared accommodation] to which the proposed alteration of a planning permission so granted relates, and

• (ii) the other uses cumulatively do not exceed—

• (I) 15 square metres gross floor space for each house or 7.5 square metres gross floor space for each bed space in student accommodation F5[or shared accommodation] in the proposed development or to which the proposed alteration of a planning permission so granted relates, subject to a maximum of 4,500 square metres gross floor space for such other uses in any development, or

• (II) such other area as may be prescribed, by reference to the number of houses or bed spaces in student accommodation F4[or shared accommodation] within the proposed development or to which the proposed alteration of a planning permission so granted relates, which other area shall be subject to such other maximum area in the development as may be prescribed;

“Strategic Housing Division” means the division of the Board referred to in section 11(1);

“student accommodation” has the meaning provided for by section 13.

F4["student accommodation"—

• (a) means a building or part thereof used or to be used to accommodate students whether or not provided by a relevant provider (within the meaning of the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act 2012), and that is not for use—

• (i) as permanent residential accommodation, or

• (ii) subject to paragraph (b), as a hotel, hostel, apart-hotel or similar type accommodation,

and

• (b) includes residential accommodation that is used as tourist or visitor accommodation but only if it is so used outside of academic term times;]

4. Strategic housing developments and planning applications

4. (1) F8[…]

• (2)
• (a) Not later than 30 October 2019, the Minister shall—

• (i) review the operation and effectiveness of this Chapter, and

• (ii) lay before each House of the Oireachtas a report of his or her conclusions from the review.

• (b) The Minister may, by order made before the expiry of the specified period, extend such period during which this section shall continue to apply but—

• (i) no such order shall be made before paragraph (a) has been complied with, and

• (ii) any such extension shall not be made in respect of a period after 31 December 2021.

• (3) Where a request was duly made under section 5(1) during the specified period in respect of a strategic housing development but any matter concerning the development to which Part 2 relates has not been completed before the end of that period, then subject to section 11(10), the other provisions of the Planning and Development Acts 2000 to 2016 shall continue to apply to that matter as if the specified period had not expired.

• (4) In the case of an application for permission for a strategic housing development that is located in a strategic development zone, the applicant may elect to make the application to the planning authority under section 34 of the Act of 2000 rather than under this section and, accordingly, section 170 of that Act applies to the application to which the said section 34 relates.

• (5) The proposed strategic housing development shall not be carried out unless—

• (a) the Board has approved it with or without modifications, or

• (b) it is duly carried out consequent to an election under subsection (4).

5. Request for consultations before making application under section 4

5.(1) Subject to subsection (2), a prospective applicant shall, before making the application in accordance with section 4(1), make a request to the Board to enter into consultations with the Board in relation to the proposed strategic housing development and any such request shall comply with subsection (7).

• (2) A prospective applicant shall, prior to making a request to the Board under subsection (1), have consulted the appropriate planning authority or authorities in whose area or areas the proposed development would be situated, comprising at least one meeting, as if the consultations with the planning authority or authorities concerned were for the purpose of making a planning application to it or to each of them, as the case may be, and for that purpose—

• (a) subject to subsection (3), section 247 of the Act of 2000 applies, with any necessary modifications to those consultations, and

• (b) those consultations shall have regard to so much of Part V of the Act of 2000 as would be relevant to the proposed strategic housing development.

• (3) Consultations under section 247 of the Act of 2000 in relation to proposed development referred to in subsection (2) shall be held within 4 weeks of the date of receipt by the planning authority, or planning authorities, as the case may be, of a request by the prospective applicant for such a consultation, unless the prospective applicant requests that the period be extended by a specified period, in which case—

• (a) the period shall be extended by the planning authority, or planning authorities, as the case may be, by such specified period upon the first such request, and

• (b) the period may be extended, at the discretion of the planning authority or planning authorities, as the case may be, by such specified period upon a second or subsequent such request.

• (4) The failure by a planning authority to comply with the requirement to hold a consultation meeting for the purposes of section 247 of the Act of 2000 by virtue of subsection (3) within the time limits provided for by that subsection shall not prevent the Board from proceeding under this section to deal F10[with the request concerned].

• (5) A request to the Board by a prospective applicant to enter into consultations with the Board shall be in writing and shall include—

• (a) the following:

• (i) the name and address of the prospective applicant;

• (ii) a site location plan sufficient to identify the land;

• (iii) a brief description of the nature and purpose of the development and of its possible effects on the environment;

• (iv) a draft layout plan of the proposal;

• (v) details of the pre-application consultations that have taken place with the planning authority, or planning authorities, as the case may be, under section 247 of the Act of 2000 and that may have taken place with prescribed bodies or the public;

• (vi) such further information as may be prescribed;

• (vii) such other information, drawings or representations as the prospective applicant may wish to provide or make available,

• (b) a statement that, in the prospective applicant’s opinion, the proposal is consistent with both—

• (i) subject to subsection (6), the relevant objectives of the development plan or local area plan concerned, and

• (ii) relevant guidelines issued by the Minister under section 28 of the Act of 2000,

and

• (c) the appropriate fee.

• (6) Where the proposed strategic housing development would materially contravene the development plan or local area plan, as the case may be, other than in relation to the zoning of the land, then the statement provided for the purposes of subsection (5)(b)(i) shall indicate why, in the prospective applicant’s opinion, permission should nonetheless be granted, having regard to a consideration specified in section 37(2)(b) of the Act of 2000.

• (7)
• (a) A request under subsection (1) shall be made by submitting it to the Board in the form of so many printed copies and copies in a machine readable form on digital devices as are prescribed, together with a separate electronic copy if prescribed;

• (b) When a prospective applicant is making a request to the Board under subsection (1), he or she shall also send a copy of the request to the appropriate planning authority or authorities in whose area or areas the proposed strategic housing development would be situated. It shall be so sent in the form of so many printed copies and copies in a machine readable form on digital devices as are prescribed, together with a separate electronic copy if prescribed.

• (8) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (5)(a)(vi), the matters that may be the subject of regulations under that subparagraph may include but shall not be limited to a brief description of—

• (a) the proposed types of houses F11[, student accommodation units or shared accommodation units] and their design, including proposed internal floor areas, housing density, plot ratio, site coverage, building heights, proposed layout and aspect,

• (b) public and private open space provision, landscaping, play facilities, pedestrian permeability, vehicular access and parking provision, where relevant,

• (c) the provision of ancillary services, where required, including child care facilities,

• (d) any proposals to address or, where relevant, integrate the proposed development with surrounding land uses,

• (e) any proposals to provide for services infrastructure (including water, wastewater and cabling, including broadband provision), and any phasing proposals,

• (f) proposals under Part V of the Act of 2000, where relevant,

• (g) details of protected structures or archaeological monuments included in the Record of Monuments and Places, where relevant, and

• (h) any aspect of the proposed development likely to have significant effects on the environment or significant effects on a European site.

6. Consideration of request under section 5 by Board and consultations

6.(1) (a) Within 2 weeks of the date of the receipt by the Board of the request of a prospective applicant under section 5(1) to enter into consultations the Board shall either—

• (i) accept the request of the prospective applicant to enter into consultations where it decides that the request has complied with section 5, including any regulations made for the purposes of subsection (5)(a)(vi) of that section, or

• (ii) refuse the request of the prospective applicant to enter consultations where—

• (I) the prospective applicant has not complied with subsection (2) of section 5 or paragraph (a) or (b) of subsection (7) of that section, or

• (II) the Board decides that the request does not include some or all of the information, statements or appropriate fee to which subsections (5) and (6) of section 5 relates.

• (b) In any consultations under F13[under this section], the Board may give advice to the prospective applicant regarding the procedures involved in making a planning application and in considering such an application.

• (2) Where the Board refuses under subsection (1)(a)(ii) to consider a request under section 5(1) by a prospective applicant to enter into consultations within 2 weeks from the date of the receipt of the request, then the Board shall—

• (a) subject to subsection (3), return to the prospective applicant concerned the copies of the request and statement submitted to it for the purposes of paragraphs (a) and (b), respectively, of section 5(5), and

• (b) give reasons for its decision to the prospective applicant.

• (3) Subsection (2) is without prejudice to the Board—

• (a) making a copy of the request,

• (b) retaining an electronic copy of the request, or

• (c) by agreement with the prospective applicant concerned, retaining the request,

submitted to the Board for the purposes of section 5(5)(a).

• (4)
• (a) Where subsection (1)(a)(i) applies, then within 2 weeks from the date of the receipt by the Board of the request under section 5(1) the Board shall notify in writing the prospective applicant and the appropriate planning authority or planning authorities, as the case may be—

• (i) that the Board has accepted the request made under section 5(1), and

• (ii) that the Board will convene a consultation meeting between the parties so notified and the Board in the manner provided for by subsection (5) .

• (b) Within 2 weeks of the date of the notification under paragraph (a), each planning authority concerned shall submit to the Board—

• (i) copies of all records of the consultation or consultations held with the prospective applicant by that authority pursuant to section 5(2), and

• (ii) that planning authority’s opinion in writing (including the reasons for its opinion) of what considerations, related to proper planning and sustainable development of the area concerned, may have a bearing on the Board’s decision in relation to the proposed strategic housing development, in particular, that authority’s opinion on the proposed development having regard to the provisions of the relevant development plan or local area plan, as the case may be,

and shall send to that prospective applicant copies of the records and the opinion so submitted.

• (5) The Board shall convene a consultation meeting—

• (a) to take place within 4 weeks of the date of the F13[notification under subsection (4)(a)], and

• (b) to be attended by—

• (i) (I) the prospective applicant, or one or more persons on his or her behalf, or

• (II) the prospective applicant and one or more persons nominated by him or her,

• (ii) the Board, and

• (iii) subject to subsection (6), each planning authority in whose area the proposed strategic housing development would be situated.

• (6) Each planning authority in whose area the proposed strategic housing development would be situated shall ensure that planning authority officials attending the consultation meeting on its behalf have a sufficient level of relevant knowledge and expertise in the matter concerned.

• (7) Within 3 weeks of the holding, in accordance with subsection (5), of the consultation meeting or, if more than one such meeting, the last of F14[…] those meetings, the Board—

• (a) having regard to the consultation that has taken place for the purposes of this section and the submissions under subsection (4)(b) of each planning authority concerned, shall form an opinion as to whether the documents referred to in section 5(5)—

• (i) constitute a reasonable basis for an application under section 4, or

• (ii) require further consideration and amendment in order to constitute a reasonable basis for an application under section 4,

and

• (b) shall issue a notice accordingly to the prospective applicant and to the planning authority or authorities in whose area or areas the proposed strategic housing development would be situated and, where the Board is of the opinion referred to in paragraph (a)(ii), the Board shall set out in the notice its advice as to the issues that need to be addressed in the documents to which section 5(5) relates that could result in them constituting a reasonable basis for an application under section 4.

• (8) Following receipt by a prospective applicant of—

• (a) a notice under subsection (7), and

• (b) where either or both a determination and an opinion have been requested under section 7(1), such a determination or opinion or both,

the prospective applicant may—

• (i) subject to complying with section 8(1) proceed to apply for permission under section 4(1), or

• (ii) seek a further pre-application consultation with the Board pursuant to the provisions of this section.

• (9) Neither—

• (a) the holding of a consultation under this section, nor

• (b) the forming of an opinion under this section,

shall prejudice the performance by the Board, or the planning authority or authorities in whose area or areas the proposed strategic housing development would be situated, of any other of their respective functions under the Planning and Development Acts 2000 to 2016, or any other enactment and cannot be relied upon in the formal planning process or in legal proceedings.

• (10) The Board may, at its absolute discretion, consult with any person who may, in the opinion of the Board, have information which is relevant for the purposes of consultations under this section in relation to a proposed strategic housing development.

• (11) The Board shall keep a record of any consultations under this section in relation to a proposed strategic housing development, including the names of those who participated in the consultations, and a copy of such record shall be placed and kept with the documents to which any application in respect of that proposed development relates.

• (12) A person shall not question the validity of any steps taken by the Board under this section by reason only that the procedures as set out in subsection (1), (2), (4), (5) or (7), as the case may be, were not completed within the time referred to in the subsection concerned.

7. Requests to Board after consultation meeting has been held

7. (1) Following the consultation meeting, a prospective applicant may separately request the Board to do either or both of the following:

• (a) (i) make a determination in relation to a proposed strategic housing development if one or both of the following applies:

• (I) where the development is of a class standing specified in Part 2 of Schedule 5 to the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 (S.I. No. 600 of 2001) that F17[does not equal or exceed, as the case may be,] the relevant quantity, area or other limit standing specified in that Part, whether it is likely to have significant effects on the environment;

• (II) whether the development, individually or in combination with another project, is likely to have a significant effect on a European site;

and

• (ii) inform the prospective applicant of the determination;

• (b) give to the prospective applicant an opinion in writing prepared by the Board on what information will be required to be contained in an F18[environmental impact assessment report or Natura impact statement or both that report and that statement], as the case may be, in relation to the proposed strategic housing development.

• (2)
• (a) On receipt of a request under either paragraph (a) or (b) of subsection (1), which shall be accompanied by the appropriate fee, and except where paragraph (b) of this subsection applies, the Board shall, after consulting such bodies as may be prescribed for that purpose, comply with the request within 8 weeks of receipt of the request.

• (b) Where a prospective applicant intends to make requests to the Board under paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (1), then such requests shall, unless the Board otherwise approves, be made at the same time and, accordingly, on receipt of such a request the Board—

• (i) F17[subject to subsection (2A), shall]comply with the request to which subsection (1)(a) relates within 8 weeks of its receipt, and

• (ii) F17[subject to subsection (2B), shall] then comply with the request to which subsection (1)(b) relates within 16 weeks of its receipt.

• (c) A determination made by the Board for the purposes of subsection (1)(a)(i), or an opinion given by the Board for the purposes of subsection (1)(b) (including the main reasons and considerations on which the determination or opinion are based, as the case may be) shall be placed and kept with the documents relating to the planning application concerned.

F19[(2A)(a) Subject to paragraph (b), where a prospective applicant makes a request to the Board to which clause (I) of subsection (1)(a)(i) applies, the Board shall not be required to comply with subsection (2)(b)(i) within the period specified in subsection (2)(b)(i) where it appears to the Board that it would not be possible or appropriate, because of the exceptional circumstances of the proposed development (including in relation to the nature, complexity, location or size of such development) to do so.

• (b) Where paragraph (a) applies, the Board shall, by notice in writing served on the prospective applicant before the expiration of the period referred to in subsection (2)(b)(i), inform him or her of the reasons why it would not be possible or appropriate to comply with that subsection within that period and shall specify in the notice the date before which the Board intends that the determination concerned shall be made.]

F19[(2B)(a) The period referred to in subsection (2)(b)(ii) shall not apply where a notice under subsection (2A)(b) has been served.

• (b) Where paragraph (a) applies, the Board shall comply with the request under subsection (1)(b) within 8 weeks of making the determination concerned under subsection (1)(a)(i)(I).]

• (3) A person shall not question the validity of a determination by, or opinion of, the Board under this section by reason only that the procedures as set out in subsection (2) were not completed within the time referred to in that subsection.

8. Requirements relating to application for permission under section 4

8. (1) Before an applicant makes an application under section 4(1) for permission, he or she shall—

• (a) have caused to be published, in one or more newspapers circulating in the area or areas in which it is proposed to carry out the strategic housing development, a notice—

• F21[(i) specifying the location of the proposed development and containing a brief description of the proposed development, including a description—

• (I) of the number of houses, student accommodation units or shared accommodation units of which the proposed development is intended to consist, and

• (II) in the case of student accommodation units or shared accommodation units, of—

• (A) the combined number of bed spaces of which the proposed development is intended to consist, and

• (B) any other uses to which those units are intended to be put,]

• (ii) stating that he or she proposes to make an application to the Board for permission for the proposed development,

• (iii) specifying—

• (I) the times and places, including the offices of the Board and the offices of the planning authority or authorities in whose area or areas the proposed development would be situated, and

• (II) the period of 5 weeks from the receipt by the Board of the application,

during which a copy of the application and any F22[environmental impact assessment report or Natura impact statement or both that report and that statement], if such is required, may be inspected free of charge or purchased on payment of a specified fee (which fee shall not exceed the reasonable cost of making such copy),

• (iv) stating that the application contains a statement—

• (I) setting out how the proposal will be consistent with the objectives of the relevant development plan or local area F21[plan, or]

• (II) where the proposed development materially contravenes the said plan other than in relation to the zoning of the land, indicating why permission should, nonetheless, be granted, having regard to a consideration specified in section 37(2)(b) of the Act of 2000,

• (v) stating that in the case of an application referred to in subsection (2), an F22[environmental impact assessment report or Natura impact statement or both that report and that statement], as the case may be, has or have been prepared in respect of the proposed development,

• (vi) where relevant, stating that the proposed development is likely to have significant effects on the environment of a Member State of the European Union or a state that is a party to the Transboundary Convention,

• (vii) inviting the making, during the period referred to for the purposes of subparagraph (iii), of submissions and observations to the Board, including from the public, relating to—

• (I) the implications of the proposed development, if carried out, for proper planning and sustainable development in the area or areas concerned, and

• (II) the likely effects on the environment or the likely effects on a European site, as the case may be, of the proposed development, if carried out,

• (viii) specifying the types of decision the Board may make, under section 9, in relation to the application,

• (ix) stating that a person may question the validity of a decision of the Board by way of an application for judicial review, under Order 84 of the Rules of the Superior Courts (S.I. No. 15 of 1986), in accordance with sections 50 and 50A of the Act of 2000, and

• (x) stating where practical information on the review mechanism can be found,

• F23[(aa) comply with section 172B of the Planning and Development Act 2000,]

• (b) have sent a copy in both printed form and electronic form of the application and any F22[environmental impact assessment report or Natura impact statement or both that report and that statement], if such is required, to—

• (i) the planning authority or authorities in whose functional area or areas the proposed development would be situated, and

• (ii) any authorities, which the Minister may prescribe, together with a notice stating that submissions or observations may, during the period referred to in paragraph (a)(iii), be made in writing to the Board in relation to—

• (I) the implications of that proposed development, if carried out, for proper planning and sustainable development in the area or areas concerned, and

• (II) the likely effects on the environment or the likely effects on a European site, as the case may be, of that proposed development, if carried out,

and

• (c) in the case that the proposed strategic housing development is likely to have significant effects on the environment of a Member State of the European Union or a state that is a party to the Transboundary Convention, have sent a prescribed number of copies of the application and the F22[environmental impact assessment report] to the F21[appropriate authority] of the relevant state or states together with a notice stating that submissions or observations may, during the period referred to in paragraph (a)(iii), be made in writing to the Board.

• (2) In the case of a proposed strategic housing development that—

• (a) is of a class specified in regulations made under section 176 of the Act of 2000 and is likely to have significant effects on the environment, or

• (b) is likely to have a significant effect on a European site,

the applicant shall prepare, or cause to be prepared, F22[environmental impact assessment report or Natura impact statement or both that report and that statement], as the case may be, in respect of the development.

• (3)
• (a) The Board may decide to refuse to deal with any application made to it under section 4(1) where it considers that the application for permission, or the F22[environmental impact assessment report] or Natura impact statement if such is required, is inadequate or incomplete, having regard in particular to the permission regulations and any regulations made under section 12, or section 177 of the Act of 2000, or to any consultations held under section 6.

• (b) Where paragraph (a) applies, the Board shall, F23[subject to subsection (3A),] within 2 weeks from the date of the receipt by it of the application—

• (i) return to the applicant concerned—

• (I) subject to paragraph (c), the originals of any documents or digital devices containing the information prescribed for the purposes of subsection (1)(a)(iv) of section 4, any F22[environmental impact assessment report or Natura impact statement, or both that report and that statement], as the case may be, and any information prescribed under section 12 to accompany the application, and

• (II) any fee received from the applicant for the purposes of section 4(1)(a)(v),

and

• (ii) give reasons to the applicant for the Board’s decision to refuse to consider the application.

• (c) Clause (I) of paragraph (b)(i) is without prejudice to the Board—

• (i) making a copy of a document,

• (ii) retaining an electronic copy of a document, or

• (iii) by agreement with the F24[…] applicant concerned, retaining a document,

to which that clause relates.

F23[(3A)(a) Subject to paragraph (b), the Board shall not be required to comply with subsection (3)(b), in so far as an environmental impact assessment report is concerned (including the originals referred to in that subsection and the information prescribed under section 12 referred to in that subsection to the extent that such originals or information relate to that report), within the period specified in the subsection where it appears to the Board that it would not be possible or appropriate, because of the exceptional circumstances of the proposed development (including in relation to the nature, complexity, location or size of such development) to do so.

• (b) Where paragraph (a) applies, the Board shall, by notice in writing served on the applicant before the expiration of the period referred to in subsection (3)(b), inform him or her of the reasons why it would not be possible or appropriate to comply with that subsection within that period and shall specify in the notice the date before which the Board intends to comply with that subsection.]

• (4)
• (a) In this subsection and subsection (5) “relevant elected members” means—

• (i) in the case of a local authority referred to in paragraph (b), the elected members of the Area Committee or Area Committees (established under section 50(1) of the Local Government Act 2001) in respect of the area or areas concerned, in which the proposed strategic housing development would be situated,

• (ii) in the case of any other local authority, the municipal district members for the municipal district or districts, as the case may be, in which the proposed strategic housing development would be situated.

• (b) The local authorities referred to in paragraph (a)(i) are as follows:

• (i) Cork City Council;

• (ii) Dublin City Council;

• (iii) Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council;

• (iv) Fingal County Council;

• (v) Galway City Council;

• (vi) South Dublin County Council.

• (c) On receipt, under subsection (1)(b)(i), of a copy of the application and any F22[environmental impact assessment report or Natura impact statement, or both that report and that statement], the planning authority or authorities in whose area or areas the proposed strategic housing development would be situated shall—

• (i) notify the relevant elected members of the making of that application, the information specified for the purposes of subsection (1)(a)(iii) and the information provided for the purposes of subsection (1)(a)(vii), and

• (ii) at the next meeting of each Area Committee concerned, or of the municipal district members for each municipal district concerned, as appropriate, inform the relevant elected members of—

• (I) the details of the application,

• (II) the consultations that have taken place in relation to the proposed development under sections 5(2) and 6(5),

• (III) the notice issued by the Board under section 6(7), and

• (IV) where the meeting concerned takes place after the expiry of the period specified in subsection (1)(a)(iii)(II)—

• (A) information relating to the matters referred to in subsection (5)(a)(i), and

• (B) where the Chief Executive has formed the views referred to in subsection (5)(a)(ii), such views.

• (5)
• (a) The planning authority or authorities in whose area or areas the proposed strategic housing development would be situated shall, within 8 weeks from its receipt of a copy of the application under section 4(1), each prepare and submit to the Board a report of its Chief Executive setting out—

• (i) a summary of the points raised in the submissions or observations duly received by the Board in relation to the application,

• (ii) the Chief Executive’s views on the effects of that proposed development on the proper planning and sustainable development of the area of the authority and on the environment, having regard in particular to—

• (I) the matters specified in section 34(2) of the Act of 2000, and

• (II) submissions and observations duly received by the Board in relation to the application,

and

• (iii) where the meeting or meetings referred to in subsection (4)(c)(ii) has or have taken place, a summary of the views of the relevant elected members on that proposed development as expressed at such meeting or meetings,

and, for the above purposes, the Board shall send to each planning authority concerned copies of any submissions and observations duly received by the Board in relation to the application according as they are received.

• (b) In the report referred to in paragraph (a) the planning authority shall—

• (i) set out the authority’s opinion as to whether the proposed strategic housing development would be consistent with the relevant objectives of the development plan or local area plan, as the case may be,

• (ii) include a statement as to whether the authority recommends to the Board that permission should be granted or refused, together with the reasons for its recommendation, and

• (iii) specify in the report—

• (I) where the authority recommends that permission be granted, the planning conditions (if any), and the reasons and grounds for them, that it would recommend in the event that the Board decides to grant permission, or

• (II) if appropriate in the circumstances, where the authority recommends that permission be refused, the planning conditions, and the reasons and grounds for them, that it would recommend in the event that the Board decides to grant permission.

• (6) In addition to the report referred to in subsection (5), the Board may, where it considers it necessary to do so, require the planning authority or authorities referred to in that subsection or any planning authority or authorities on whose area or areas it would have a significant effect to furnish to the Board such information in relation to the effects of the proposed strategic housing development on the proper planning and sustainable development of the area concerned and on the environment as the Board may specify.

• (7) A person shall not question the validity of a decision of the Board under this section by reason only that the procedures as set out in subsection (3) were not completed within the time referred to in that subsection.

9. Decisions by Board on applications under section 4

9. (1) The Board shall, before making a decision to which subsection (4) relates in respect of the proposed strategic housing development, consider—

• (a) (i) the report of the planning authority or, where the proposed development is in the area of more than one planning authority, the report of each such authority submitted in accordance with section 8(5) ,

• (ii) any submissions or observations duly received by the Board consequent on—

• (I) the publication of a notice pursuant to paragraph (a)(vii) of section 8(1), or

• (II) the sending of a notice pursuant to subparagraph (ii) of paragraph (b), or to paragraph (c), of section 8(1),

and

• (iii) any other relevant information,

in so far as they relate to—

• (A) the likely consequences for proper planning and sustainable development in the area in which it is proposed to situate the development,

• (B) the likely effects on the environment or the likely effects on a European site, as the case may be, of the proposed development, if carried out,

• (b) where required, an F26[environmental impact assessment report or Natura impact statement or both that report and that statement], as the case may be, submitted to the Board pursuant to section 8(2), and

• (c) any report or recommendation prepared in relation to the application in accordance with section 146 of the Act of 2000, including the report of the person conducting any oral hearing of the proposed development.

• (2) In considering the likely consequences for proper planning and sustainable development in the area in which it is proposed to situate the strategic housing development, the Board shall have regard to—

• (a) the provisions of the development plan, including any local area plan if relevant, for the area,

• (b) any guidelines issued by the Minister under section 28 of the Act of 2000,

• (c) the provisions of any special amenity area order relating to the area,

• (d) if the area or part of the area is a European site or an area prescribed for the purposes of section 10(2)(c) of the Act of 2000, that fact,

• (e) if the proposed development would have an effect on a European site or an area prescribed for the purposes of section 10(2)(c) of the Act of 2000, that fact,

• (f) the matters referred to in section 143 of the Act of 2000, and

• (g) the provisions of the Planning and Development Acts 2000 to 2016 and regulations made under those Acts where relevant.

• (3)
• (a) When making its decision in relation to an application under this section, the Board shall apply, where relevant, specific planning policy requirements of guidelines issued by the Minister under section 28 of the Act of 2000.

• (b) Where specific planning policy requirements of guidelines referred to in paragraph (a) differ from the provisions of the development plan of a planning authority, then those requirements shall, to the extent that they so differ, apply instead of the provisions of the development plan.

• (c) In this subsection “specific planning policy requirements” means such policy requirements identified in guidelines issued by the Minister to support the consistent application of Government or national policy and principles by planning authorities, including the Board, in securing overall proper planning and sustainable development.

• (4) The Board may, in respect of an application under section 4 for permission for the proposed strategic housing development, decide to—

• (a) grant permission for the proposed development,

• (b) grant permission for the proposed development subject to such modifications to the proposed development as it specifies in its decision,

• (c) grant permission, in part only, for the proposed development, with or without any other modifications it may specify in its decision, or

• (d) refuse to grant permission for the proposed development,

and may attach to a permission under paragraph (a), (b) or (c) such conditions as it considers appropriate.

• (5) Where the Board did not exercise its functions under section 8(3) to refuse to deal with an application, then nothing in that subsection shall be read so as to prevent the Board from refusing to grant permission for a proposed strategic housing development in respect of an application under section 4 where the Board considers that development of the kind proposed would be premature by reference to the inadequacy or incompleteness of the F26[environmental impact assessment report] or Natura impact statement submitted with the application for permission, if such is required F27[, or where an environmental impact assessment report is required, the application was not accompanied by such report].

• (6)
• (a) Subject to paragraph (b), the Board may decide to grant a permission for a proposed strategic housing development in respect of an application under section 4 even where the proposed development, or a part of it, contravenes materially the development plan or local area plan relating to the area concerned.

• (b) The Board shall not grant permission under paragraph (a) where the proposed development, or a part of it, contravenes materially the development plan or local area plan relating to the area concerned, in relation to the zoning of the land.

• (c) Where the proposed strategic housing development would materially contravene the development plan or local area plan, as the case may be, other than in relation to the zoning of the land, then the Board may only grant permission in accordance with paragraph (a) where it considers that, if section 37(2)(b) of the Act of 2000 were to apply, it would grant permission for the proposed development.

• (7) Without prejudice to the generality of the Board’s powers to attach conditions under subsection (4), the Board may attach either or both of the following to a permission for the development concerned:

• (a) a condition with regard to any of the matters specified in section 34(4) of the Act of 2000;

• (b) a condition requiring the payment of a contribution or contributions of the same kind as the planning authority or authorities in whose area or areas the proposed strategic housing development would be situated could, but for this Part, require to be paid under section 48 or 49 (or both) of the Act of 2000 were that authority to grant the permission (and the scheme or schemes referred to in the said section 48 or 49, as appropriate, made by that authority shall apply to the determination of such contribution or contributions).

• (8) The conditions attached under this section to a permission may provide that points of detail relating to the grant of the permission may be agreed between the planning authority or authorities in whose functional area or areas the development will be situated and the person carrying out the development. If that authority or those authorities and that person cannot agree on the matter the matter may be referred to the Board for determination.

• (9) The Board shall make its decision under this section on an application under section 4—

• (a) where no oral hearing is held, within 16 weeks beginning on the day the planning application was lodged with the Board or within such other period as may be prescribed under subsection (10),

• (b) where an oral hearing is held, within such period as may be prescribed.

• (10) The Minister may by regulations extend the period referred to in subsection (9)(a), where it appears to him or her to be necessary, by virtue of exceptional circumstances, to do so and, for so long as the regulations are in force, this section shall be construed and have effect in accordance therewith.

• (11) The Board may, at any time after the expiration of the period specified in section 8(5)(a), make its decision under this section on the application.

• (12) The Board shall include in each report made under section 118 of the Act of 2000 a statement of—

• (a) the number of matters which the Board has determined within each of the periods referred to in paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (9), and

• (b) the number and the aggregate amount of all sums paid (if any) by the Board under subsection (13) ,

together with such other information as to the time taken to determine such matters as the Minister may direct.

• (13)
• (a) Where the Board has failed to make a decision under this section in relation to an application within the period specified in subsection (9)(a) or as may be prescribed under subsection (9)(b) or (10) as appropriate and becomes aware, whether through notification by the applicant or otherwise, that it has so failed, the Board shall proceed to make the decision notwithstanding that the period has expired.

• (b) Where the Board fails to make a decision within the period referred to in paragraph (a), it shall pay the appropriate sum to the applicant.

• (c) Any payment due to be paid under this subsection shall be paid as soon as may be and in any event not later than 4 weeks after it becomes due.

• (d) In this subsection “appropriate sum” means a sum which is equal to the lesser amount of 3 times the fee paid by the applicant to the Board in respect of his or her application for permission or €10,000.

• (14) Without prejudice to the generality of section 18(a) of the Interpretation Act 2005, a reference, however expressed, in this section, sections 4 to 8 or in regulations made under section 12 to the area in which the proposed strategic housing development would be situated includes, if the context admits, a reference to the 2 or more areas in which that development would be situated and cognate references shall be construed accordingly.

• (15) A person shall not question the validity of a decision of the Board under this section by reason only that the procedures as set out in subsection (9) were not completed within the time provided for by that subsection.

• (16) The failure by the planning authority concerned to comply with the requirement to prepare and submit to the Board a report, under subsection (5) of section 8, within the time limits provided for by that subsection shall not prevent the Board from proceeding to make its decision under this section.

10. Supplemental provisions to section 9

10. (1) The Board shall send a copy of a decision under section 9 to the applicant, to any planning authority in whose area the proposed strategic housing development would be situated and to any person who made submissions or observations on the application for permission.

• (2)
• F29[(a) The Board shall publish on its website both a notice and a copy of a decision under section 9.]

• (b) The notice shall state that a person may question the validity of any such decision by the Board by way of an application for judicial review, under Order 84 of the Rules of the Superior Courts (S.I. No. 15 of 1986), in accordance with sections 50 and 50A of the Act of 2000.

• (c) The notice shall identify where practical information on the review mechanism can be found.

• (3) A decision of the Board to grant a permission under section 9(4) shall state—

• (a) the main reasons and considerations on which the decision is based,

• F30[(aa) the reasoned conclusion, in relation to the significant effects on the environment of the proposed development, on which the decision is based,

• (ab) if that decision arises from the Board’s consideration of the environmental impact assessment report concerned and is different from the recommendation in a report of a person assigned to report on the application concerned on behalf of the Board, the main reasons for not accepting the recommendation in the last-mentioned report to refuse permission,]

• (b) where the Board grants a permission in accordance with section 9(6)(a), the main reasons and considerations for contravening materially the development plan or local area plan, as the case F31[may be,]

• (c) where conditions are imposed in relation to the grant of any permission, the main reasons for imposing F31[them,]

• F30[(d) where a decision to impose a condition (being an environmental condition which arises from the consideration of the environmental impact assessment report concerned) in relation to any permission is materially different, in relation to the terms of such condition, from the recommendation in a report of a person assigned to report on the application for permission on behalf of the Board, the main reasons for not accepting, or for varying, as the case may be, the recommendation in the last-mentioned report in relation to such condition, and

• (e) in relation to the granting or refusal of a permission in respect of an application accompanied by an environmental impact assessment report, subject to or without conditions, that the Board is satisfied that the reasoned conclusion on the significant effects on the environment of the development was up to date at the time of the taking of the decision.]

• F30[(3A) A decision given under section 9(4) in respect of an application accompanied by an environmental impact assessment report and the notification of the decision shall include a summary of the results of consultations that have taken place and information gathered in the course of the environmental impact assessment and, where appropriate, the comments received from an affected Member State of the European Union or other party to the Transboundary Convention, and specify how those results have been incorporated into the decision or otherwise addressed.]

• (4) A grant of permission under section 9(4) shall be furnished to the applicant as soon as may be after the making of the relevant decision.

• (5)
• (a) No permission under section 34 of the Act of 2000 shall be required for any development in respect of which approval has been granted under section 9.

• (b) Part VIII of the Act of 2000 shall apply to any case where a strategic housing development is carried out otherwise than in compliance with a permission under section 9 or any condition to which the permission is subject as it applies to any unauthorised development with the modification that a reference in that Part to a permission shall be construed as a reference to a permission granted under section 9.

• (6) A person shall not be entitled solely by reason of a permission under section 9 to carry out any development.

11. Strategic Housing Division

11. (1) A division of the Board, to be known as the Strategic Housing Division, is established on the commencement of this section.

• (2) The Strategic Housing Division is in addition to any division for the time being constituted under section 112 of the Act of 2000 F35or section 514 of the [Act of 2024] and to the Strategic Infrastructure Division.

• (3) The Strategic Housing Division shall, subject to subsections (8), (9) and (10), determine any matter falling to be determined by the Board under the Planning and Development Acts 2000 to 2016 F35or the [Act of 2024] in relation to strategic housing development other than development to which section 4(4) relates.

• (4) For the purpose of subsection (3), the Strategic Housing Division has all the functions of the Board.

• (5) The Strategic Housing Division consists of 4 members, nominated by the chairperson of the Board to be, for the time being, members of the Division.

• (6) The chairperson of the Board shall appoint one of the members of the Strategic Housing Division to be, for the time being, the chairperson of that Division.

• (7) Where a member of the Strategic Housing Division is absent—

• (a) the chairperson of the Board or deputy chairperson of the Board may act in place of that member, or

• (b) the chairperson of the Board may authorise any other ordinary member to act in place of that member.

• (8) The quorum for a meeting of the Strategic Housing Division is 3.

• (9) Either—

• (a) the chairperson of the Division, or

• (b) the person acting as chairperson of a meeting of the Division,

may, at any stage before a decision is made by the Division, transfer the consideration of any matter from the Strategic Housing Division to a meeting of all available members of the Board where he or she considers the matter to be of particular complexity or significance.

• (10)
• (a) Where at any time after the specified period the Board is of the opinion, having regard to any outstanding matters to which section 4(3) relates and to the dispatch generally of the business of the Board, that the Strategic Housing Division should be dissolved, then the Board may request the Minister to dissolve that Division.

• (b) Where the Minister receives a request from the Board under paragraph (a), then he or she may by direction dissolve the Strategic Housing Division with effect from a specified date and, accordingly, any remaining business of that Division shall be performed—

• (i) by the Board, or

• (ii) to the extent that it may be assigned to the Strategic Infrastructure Division or to that Division or to one or more than one division under section 112(1) of the Act of 2000 F35or section 514 of the [Act of 2024], by each such division so assigned,

as if the Board or each such division, as the case may be, were the Strategic Housing Division for the purposes of section 4(3) and, where appropriate, section 7(2)(a) shall be read accordingly.

• (c) The Minister shall cause notice of the making of the direction under paragraph (b) to be published in Iris Oifigiúil and such notice shall include the date of dissolution.

12. Regulations (sections 4 to 10)

12. (1) The Minister may make regulations to provide for such matters of procedure and administration as appear to the Minister to be necessary or expedient in respect of matters to which sections 4 to 10 relate, including—

• (a) consultations with planning authorities for the purposes of section 5(2) ,

• (b) conducting consultations and forming an opinion under section 6,

• (c) making determinations and giving a written opinion under section 7,

• (d) applications for permission under section 4, and

• (e) decisions under section 9.

• (2) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1), regulations under that subsection may provide for the following matters:

• (a) the procedure for the making of an application under section 4, including the erection or fixing of a site notice, the giving of public notice and the making of applications in electronic form or otherwise;

• (b) the proportion of the fee payable to the Board under section 144(1A)(b) of the Act of 2000 F37or section 376 of the [Act of 2024] in respect of an application under section 4 that shall, on the making of a decision under section 9 on the application, be paid by the Board to the planning authority or authorities concerned, as the case may be, and the circumstances in which the Board shall not pay any proportion of the fee to such planning authority or authorities;

• F38[(c) the making available for inspection by members of the public, at the offices of the Board or the relevant planning authority or authorities in whose area or areas the development will be situated, and in electronic form, of any specified documents, particulars, plans or other information with respect to applications under section 4;]

• (d) the making of submissions or observations to the Board in relation to applications under section 4;

• (e) requiring the Board to publish, or give notice in respect of, its decision regarding the proposed strategic housing development for which permission is sought, including the giving of notice thereof to prescribed bodies and to persons who made submissions or observations in the prescribed manner.

13. Construction of section 2 (interpretation) of Act of 2000 during specified period

13. Section 2 of the Act of 2000 shall have effect in subsection (1) during the specified period—

• (a) as if “, or section 9 of the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016” were inserted after “or 37N” in the definition of “permission”,

• (b) as if “, or section 12 of the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016” were inserted after “or 174” in the definition of “permission regulations”,

• (c) as if the following were inserted after subparagraph (a) in the definition of “strategic infrastructure development”:

• “(aa) any proposed development referred to in section 4 (other than development in respect of which an election has been exercised under subsection (4) of that section) of the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016,”,

• (d) F40[…]

• (e) as if “or under section 9 of the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016,” were inserted after “or 37N of this Act,” in subparagraph (b) of the definition of “unauthorised structure”, and

• (f) as if “or under section 9 of the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016,” were inserted after “or 37N of this Act,” in subparagraph (b) of the definition of “unauthorised use”.

14. Construction of section 41 (power to vary appropriate period) of Act of 2000 during specified period

14. Section 41 of the Act of 2000 has effect during the specified period—

• (a) as if “or under section 9 of the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016,” were inserted after “or 37N,” where it first occurs, and

• (b) as if “, or under section 9 of the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016” were inserted after “or 37N” where it last occurs.

15. Construction of section 96 (provision of social and affordable housing, etc.) of Act of 2000 during specified period

15. Section 96 of the Act of 2000 has effect during the specified period—

• (a) as if in subsection (1) there were substituted “section 34, or section 4 of the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016” for “section 34”, and

• (b) as if in subsection (4) there were substituted “the planning authority or the Board, as the case may be,” for “the planning authority” in both places where it occurs.

16. Construction of section 104 (Board to consist of chairperson and 7 other members) of Act of 2000 during specified period

16. Section 104 of the Act of 2000 has effect during the specified period as if—