‘Resources key to success of planning bill’ – Fieldfisher
Lawyers at Fieldfisher have stressed the importance of resourcing the planning departments of local authorities, in order to help ensure that new legislation aimed at boosting the supply of housing can succeed.
The proposals in the Planning and Development (Amendment) (Large-scale Residential Development) Bill 2021 include, for developers, a mandatory eight-week consultation phase with the local authority.
In on the firm鈥檚 website. Fieldfisher lawyers Neil Dineen and Simion Curmei describe the bill鈥檚 aims as 鈥渋ndeed ambitious鈥, and say that it could play 鈥渁 significant role鈥 in improving housing supply.
They add, however, that much will depend on local authorities having the resources to engage in a 鈥渕eaningful鈥 pre-application consultation process, and keep within the timeframes outlined in the bill.
Transition period 'reassuring'
Earlier this month, the Government approved the move to replace the (SHD) process with the new system that will give powers back to local authorities.
Under SHD, applications for developments of at least 100 residential units, or 200-plus student bed-spaces, can be made directly to An Bord Plean谩la (ABP).
Darragh O鈥橞rien (Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage) said that the bill would retain what he described as some 鈥減ositive elements鈥 of the SHD arrangements.
The Fieldfisher lawyers describe the plan for a transition period from the SHD arrangements to the new system as 鈥渞eassuring鈥 for developers.
鈥淏oth planning-consent schemes will operate concurrently for a limited period, as developers already in the SHD system will be able to continue to decision-making stage,鈥 they say.