Posted online: Dec 8th, 2008

By Chris Ashmore
The Mayor of Donegal Co. Council Cllr. Gerry Crawford has called for a major re-think on the deadlines that apply to planning permissions.
Addressing members of the Council this week, he pointed out that some people who have been granted planning permission may now find themselves in a position where they cannot proceed. With the downturn in the economy, the numbers affected could be increasing considerably.
Under current regulations, once a planning permission is granted it is valid for five years.
However, Cllr. Crawford also stressed that an anomaly in the planning system that currently exists, especially in rural areas.
He explained that people who were granted planning permission in an area may have built their homes while others have got planning but have yet to start. However, changing guidelines on rural development means that if the planning deadline expires they may have to lodge a fresh planning application. This second application could then be rejected or granted with conditions because the planning guidelines have changed since their original application.
Cllr. Crawford added that there is also a cost issue as people, through no fault of their own, may have had to delay a project and the deadline on their planning may have expired. In this instance, they will need to go through the whole planning process again.
“This would also mean an increase in the work load for the council,” he stated.
His call for the issue to be raised with the Minister for the Environment John Gormley – and to get the deadline extended – was backed by other councillors.