Planning | Verde - Complete Environmental Solutions

Planning permission refused for 127ha Carlow solar farm – deemed contrary to Protection of Habitats

Planning permission refused for 127ha Carlow solar farm - deemed contrary to Protection of Habitats Planning permission has been refused for a 127ha solar farm to be developed in Co. Carlow. Terra Solar II Ltd, a Dublin-based solar developer, applied for a 10-year planning permission for a solar farm to be developed in the Ballon and Rathoe area of the county. Carlow County Council refused pe...
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Bill would make it ‘impossible’ to challenge poor planning decisions

Environmental groups have expressed deep concern at a new Bill put forward by the Minister for Planning that they say would make it almost impossible to challenge planning decisions in the courts. The Green News has seen a version of the Heads of the Housing and Planning and Development Bill 2019 sent last week to the Joint Oireachtas Committee for Housing Planning and Local Government. The docu...
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An Bord Pleanála Annual Report 2018

An Bord Pleanála have published their annual report and accounts for 2018. Headline figures show: a 6% increase in cases received; a 32% increase in cases decided; a 10% decrease in cases on hand at year end; 105 Strategic Infrastructure Development applications lodged; 44 Strategic Housing Development applications lodged; 99 vacant site levy appeals; 2018 was the first full year of...
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Planning challenged over traffic noise and air pollution concerns

The High Court has granted a campaign group in Meath permission to challenge a planning decision for a large housing estate just outside of Drogheda over traffic, noise, and air pollution concerns. In May, An Bord Pleanála granted permission for Coreet Limited to develop the 250 dwelling complex in Bryanstown on the outskirts of Drogheda. The proposed development would also inc...
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Nitrate pollution concerns halt housebuilding in UK

Five local authorities in the Solent area have put a hold on determining planning applications for new housing as a result of advice from Natural England about nitrate pollution. Following two rulings by the Court of Justice of the European Union in the ‘Dutch Case’ (C-293/17 and C-294/17) and ‘People Over Wind’ (C-323/17), Natural England has advised local planning authorities in the Solent area...
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Ireland’s planning regulations breach environmental obligations

Ireland has been found to be in breach of its international obligations in relation to access to information on the environment. A decision reached under the United Nations' Aarhus Convention has found that certain Irish planning regulations do not comply with the Convention's provisions on public participation in planning. This is the first decision on an Irish case by the Aarhus Convention Com...
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Northern Ireland 2018/19 Annual Planning Statistical Bulletin published

The key points from the Northern Ireland Planning Statistics 2018/19 Annual Statistical Bulletin include: There were 12,541 planning applications received during 2018/19, a 3% decrease from the previous financial year. This comprised 12,404 local and 137 major applications. During 2018/19, 12,156 planning applications were decided, a decrease of over 1% from the previous financial year. In ...
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Special costs rules governing environmental litigation under Planning & Development Act

Executive summary Heather Hill Management Company CLG and Gabriel McGoldrick (the Applicants) challenged a decision of An Bord Pleanala (the Board) to grant permission for a strategic housing development. The Applicants challenged that decision on a number of grounds and argued that the entire proceedings attracted the special costs rules governing environmental litigation under Section 50B of ...
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A first for Irish planning: The office of the planning regulator is formally established

The Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2018 (the “2018 Act”) provides legislative footing for the National Planning Framework, which was launched in 2018. It is the first time in Ireland a national planning strategy has been given legislative status. In another first for Ireland, an independent regulatory body to oversee planning was created under the 2018 Act. This oversight body comes ...
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Better Green Infrastructure Planning and Ecosystem Restoration Needed -EEA Briefing

Maintaining natural capital is vital for the function of our societies and people’s well-being. A new briefing from the European Environment Agency (EEA), published today, analyses how to plan for green infrastructure and ecosystem restoration, which in turn can enhance biodiversity, support green economy and create job opportunities. The EEA briefing ‘Tools to support green infrastructure plan...
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