Planning

Planning - Our Purpose.

The purpose of the Planning Section is to provide for the proper planning and sustainable development of the county, to promote and facilitate the development of sustainable communities and enterprise, and to ensure the protection of the natural and built heritage and amenity of the county.

To contact Planning Department:-

Planning Department,
Longford County Council,
Aras An Chontae,
Great Water Street,
Longford.

Email: planning@longfordcoco.ie for general planning queries

Email: submissions@longfordcoco.ie to make an observation/submission on a planning application (submission must be signed and appropriate fee of €20 must be paid in order to be a valid submission)

Telephone: 043-3343409 / 043-3344247

Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 10am-1pm and 2pm-4pm

Pre-Planning Advice and Consultation

The Council encourages developers to seek pre-planning advice and consultation. All subsequent applications are processed on their merits having regard to the statutory provisions. To initiate this process, applicants should contact the Planning Authority for an application form. The service is provided on a without prejudice basis. Pre-Planning Form

Processing of Planning Applications

The Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) places an obligation to obtain planning permission for development defined under the planning legislation. The application process for planning is set out in the Planning & Development Regulations 2001 (as amended). The applications are accepted by post or by hand at the Planning Department. Applications are assessed in accordance with the statutory provisions and having regard to the proper planning and development of the area and the provisions of the County Development Plan.

Members of the public may inspect an application and make submissions/observations, within 5 weeks from the date of receipt of the application, subject to the payment of a fee of €20. This may be done by hard copy or by emailing submissions/observations to submissions@longfordcoco.ie (this must be followed by payment of appropriate fee in order to be a valid submission). The formal decision on applications is a function of the Chief Executive having regard to reports prepared by the administrative and technical staff of the Council. The applicant or a third party may appeal a decision of the Council or any conditions attached to such decisions to An Bord Pleanála within four weeks. Application forms, site notices are available or can be downloaded from the forms section of this website. The various guidance leaflets are available or can be downloaded from the Planning Leaflets section of this website.

DATA PROTECTION

It is the responsibility of persons or entities wishing to use any personal data on a planning application form for direct marketing purposes to be satisfied that they may do so legitimately under the requirements of the Data Protection Acts 1988 and 2003. The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner state that the sending of marketing material to individuals without consent may result in action by the Data Protection Commissioner against the sender including prosecution.

In accordance with section 38 of the Planning and Development Regulations and the Statutory Instruments S.I. No.180 of 2020, Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended), Longford County Council is legally obligated to make available all planning application documents, documents accompanying planning applications and related documents received after an application is lodged. All documents which may include your personal data shall be made available for public inspection at our offices and published on Longford County Council’s website. For further information on how Longford County Council process personal data, please refer to the Council’s main privacy statement on http://www.longfordcoco.ie/your-council/data-protection/ or email: dpo@longfordcoco.ie

Development Contributions

Where as part of a grant of planning the Council levies a charge as contribution towards infrastructural development, the Planning Department collects such levies. Where permission is granted subject to the provision of a bond by the developers, the Planning Department will require satisfactory evidence of the existence of such a bond before approving the commencement of development.

Before the development is commenced the developer shall lodge with the Planning Authority a Bond in an amount to be stipulated by the Planning Authority, coupled with an agreement to empower the Local Authority to apply such security or part thereof to the satisfactory completion of any part of the development. The Bond shall be from an approved Financial Institution as may be acceptable to the Planning Authority to secure the provision and satisfactory completion and maintenance of roads, footpaths, water supply, septic tank and drainage required in connection with the proposed development. The Bond shall remain in place for a period of 5 years from the date of grant of permission or until such time as the development has been completed to the satisfaction of the Planning Authority in accordance with the conditions of the planning permission granted.

Temporary Time-Limited Waver in Respect of Development Contributions

The temporary development contribution waiver arrangements will apply for 1 year to all permitted residential development –

that commences on site between 25 April 2023 (the date of the Government Decision approving the measure) and 24 April 2024, and
is completed not later than 31 December 2025.
This end date is to facilitate large schemes to be speedily brought forward and progressed, while also incentivising their completion as quickly as possible within a reasonable timeframe. The waiver arrangements are being applied irrespective of the date of planning permission for residential development availing of the scheme. In addition, in recognition of the fact that developers are required to submit “commencement notices” or “7 day notices” to the local authority in accordance with the Building Control Regulations prior to the commencement of works, the waiver arrangements will also apply to developments in respect of which –
(i) “commencement notices” were submitted to the local authority within the 28 day period prior to 25 April 2023 i.e. on or after 28 March 2023; or
(ii) “7 day notices” were submitted to the local authority on or after 4 April 2023.

The full details of the scheme can be accessed here

Taking in Charge Private Housing Developments

Section 180 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 deals with the taking in charge of estates by the local authority. Where the development consists of two or more houses and involved the construction of roads and services to facilitate the houses, then, subject to it being completed to the satisfaction of the Council, it shall be taken in charge when formally requested to do so by the developer.

Enforcement of Planning Conditions and Control of Unauthorised Developments

The Council investigates complaints in respect of non-compliance with planning permissions and unauthorised developments. The Council is empowered to pursue legal proceedings in such cases and in cases where developments generally do not conform to planning conditions. The legislative provision for enforcement is contained in Part XIII – Sections 151-164 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended).

Archived Files

All files previous to 2009 are held in storage and must be requested 7 working days in advance. There is a €10 charge for archive file retrieval (maximum charges apply). The Planning Requisition form can be downloaded here and emailed to planning@longfordcoco.ie or dropped into Planning Office.

Conservation Grant Scheme for Protected Structures

The Planning Authority operates the Conservation Grant Scheme for Protected Structures, on behalf of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. The objective of this scheme is to assist the owner or occupier of a structure, which is protected because of its architectural, historical, archaeological, artistic, cultural, scientific, social or technical interest to undertake conservation works on such structure. There is no automatic right to a grant under the scheme. Each local authority is allocated a fixed amount of money for a calendar year to meet grant payments. This process is managed by the Heritage Section. Contact heritage@longfordcoco.ie for more information.

Defamation notice

Participants in cases before the Planning Authority should be aware that comments involving allegations of any kind against a named or otherwise identifiable person or organisation may be viewed as defamatory by the subject of the comments.

Participants may be sued directly for any defamatory allegations in any appeal or submission and should avoid making such allegations. Any submissions made to the Planning Authority are generally circulated and made available for public inspection

Please note that in the event of any potentially defamatory allegation giving rise to legal action against it, the Planning Authority may seek indemnity from the person making the allegation. It should be understood that the Planning Authority is only concerned with issues relevant to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area and that personalised comments are generally not relevant to its deliberations