Development Plan Guidelines for Planning Authorities 2022

The Development Plan Guidelines constitute Ministerial Guidelines under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the Planning Act), and set out national policies and objectives for the preparation, making, variation and implementation of development plans. Section 28 provides that planning authorities and An Bord Pleanála shall have regard to Ministerial Guidelines and shall comply with any specific planning policy requirements contained therein, in the performance of their functions.

The development plan provides the opportunity for national and regional planning policy objectives to be considered in greater detail and applied at a local city or county level.

The Development Plan Guidelines for Planning Authorities, which have been revised for the first time since 2007, include:

  • A clear approach to ensuring that every development plan includes a sustainable long-term housing strategy, consistent with national housing targets and policies
  • A clear method for identifying and zoning lands for new housing, and prioritising lands that can most quickly and appropriately provide new homes. Longer-term development areas and strategic development sites that need more infrastructure work can also be facilitated for development in the future
  • Confirmation that lands that are serviced and available for new housing construction should be retained as such, rather than be de-zoned
  • A shift towards targeting housing output and delivery
  • Facilitation of development activity in cities, towns and urban areas, which creates compact and integrated communities, aides brownfield regeneration, activating greenfield land-banks for housing and supporting place-making and the growth of sustainable communities. This approach is underpinned by the new Residential Zoned Land Tax introduced under the Finance Act 2021 – which will apply where zoned and serviced land for housing remains undeveloped
  • Assistance to local authorities and communities in adapting key national polices, like Town Centre First and the Climate Action Plan, into their local development strategy. Formulating specifically tailored local objectives and policies can greatly assist in accessing key funding opportunities to enable local development initiatives.

Consultation on Developing a Hydrogen Strategy for Ireland

The Climate Action Plan 2021 set out the potential green hydrogen has to support decarbonisation across several sectors, including heavy goods transport, high-temperature heat heat for industry, and electricity generation. Green hydrogen could play a significant role in sector coupling (the increased integration of energy supply and end-use sectors), and in minimising the overall cost of decarbonisation across all sectors.

The National Energy Security Framework was developed to address the challenges of ensuring the ongoing and long-term security of affordable energy supply. A hydrogen strategy for Ireland is one of the key priorities in the Framework. The strategy will outline the pathways towards the production of green hydrogen, and its use in Ireland’s energy mix.

This consultation is being held to gather the views of stakeholders and interested parties, in order to inform the development of a hydrogen strategy for Ireland.

A document has been developed setting out various areas of interest to be considered in the development of the hydrogen strategy, and inviting stakeholders’ views on specific questions to be answered in this regard.

The closing date for submissions in 5:30pm on Friday 2 September 2022.

Open consultations on development plans

Draft Dublin City Development Plan 2022-2028

The Draft Dublin City Development Plan 2022-2028 was placed on public display from the 29 of November 2021 to the 14 February 2022. In accordance with the requirements of Section 12(4)(b) of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended), a Chief Executive’s Report was prepared, which summarised and detailed the submissions received on the Draft City Development Plan and provided the response and recommendations of the Chief Executive to the issues raised for the members to consider.

On foot of this report, motions were received from the elected members and a further CE Report providing a response and recommendations on these motions was issued on the 24th of June 2022. Having considered the CE Report, the Members of Dublin City Council constituted a number of these amendments to material alterations.

The Proposed Material Alteration to the Draft Dublin City Development Plan 2022-2028 are on public display, and written observation or submissions regarding the Proposed Material Alterations only are welcome between Wednesday 27 July 2022 and 4:30pm Thursday 1 September 2022.

The submissions must be through the consultation portal, using the ‘Make a Submission’ link or in writing to:  Development Plan Team, Planning & Property Development Department, Block 4 Floor 3, Civic Offices, Wood Quay, Dublin 8, D08 RF3F