What is planning permission
The Planning and Development Acts 1963 - 2000 impose certain requirements on all persons that propose to build or develop. It specifies that a planning permission must be obtained from the relevant Planning Authority. Local Authority building (including housing) is exempt in the case where construction takes place in the Authorities' own area. Planning permission is also needed for development by the State, except where the consultation procedures provided for in the Local Government (Planning and Development) Act 1993 obtain (e.g. national security, public safety or order, the administration of justice etc.)
The CSO planning permissions data is collected and published only in respect of developments within the State which are subject to the requirement to obtain planning permission. Further to that the data is only collected in respect of final grants of permission or approval, i.e. for works involving construction.
Types of non-residential buildings that require planning permission:
- New Construction, broken down between Dwellings and Other,
- Extensions
- Alterations and Conversions
Types of residential buildings requiring planning permission:
- One off houses,
- Apartments
- Communal dwellings
- Multi development houses
What information does the CSO publish on planning permissions?
- Number of permissions granted
- Total floor area
- Type of development and Planning Region
- Permissions by region and county and by building type
The following planning permissions are excluded from the statistics:
- Changes of a technical and business nature as distinct from a building or structural nature;
- Outline permission;
- Retention of an existing building;
- Changes to existing plan;
- Bye-law permission;
- Refusals - permissions subsequently granted on appeal by An Bord Pleanala are included.