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It's time to talk about An Bord Pleanala

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    #32
    plodder
    Registered Users Posts: 7,133 ✭✭✭plodder


    The board have to be able to overrule their inspectors. Planning isn't an exact science. If it wasn't an independent board doing it, it would be a politician eg the minister for the environment, with all the problems that would create.

    I never understood the rationale for bypassing councils though for large (strategic) housing developments. Forcing BP to handle such applications from the start was obviously going to create a bottle-neck, never mind losing the local knowledege/expertise at local authority level.


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    #33
    Dats me
    Registered Users Posts: 333 ✭✭Dats me


    Nimby's hate density, a lot of these would probably get appealed anyway so this bypasses the wait for a council decision and gets "straight to the appeal" in effect


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    #34
    Bray Head
    Registered Users Posts: 892 ✭✭✭Bray Head


    plodder wrote: »

    I never understood the rationale for bypassing councils though for large (strategic) housing developments. Forcing BP to handle such applications from the start was obviously going to create a bottle-neck, never mind losing the local knowledege/expertise at local authority level.

    The logic was that these big developments would get appealed anyway so it made sense to fast track the process.

    I'm a bit sceptical of the need for 30 different planning authorities in the first place tbh.

    The rules are close to identical nationwide and it would make sense to streamline a bit.


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    #35
    mountai
    Registered Users Posts: 952 ✭✭✭mountai


    plodder wrote: »
    The board have to be able to overrule their inspectors. Planning isn't an exact science. If it wasn't an independent board doing it, it would be a politician eg the minister for the environment, with all the problems that would create.

    I never understood the rationale for bypassing councils though for large (strategic) housing developments. Forcing BP to handle such applications from the start was obviously going to create a bottle-neck, never mind losing the local knowledege/expertise at local authority level.

    Whats the point of "local knowledge/expertise at local authority level" if local authority decisions are liable to be overturned at BP level . Are the inspectors not independent also?.


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    #36
    plodder
    Registered Users Posts: 7,133 ✭✭✭plodder


    Bray Head wrote: »
    The logic was that these big developments would get appealed anyway so it made sense to fast track the process.

    I'm a bit sceptical of the need for 30 different planning authorities in the first place tbh.

    The rules are close to identical nationwide and it would make sense to streamline a bit.
    Development plans are not identical and planning doesn't just involve the planning department. Roads, and other services are local authority functions that have a role in planning. Planners also have to visit the relevant site sometimes which is obviously a lot easier when you have "boots on the ground" locally.

    I get the point about speeding up the appeals process, but I would have thought a fast-tracked appeals system might have been better.


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    #37
    plodder
    Registered Users Posts: 7,133 ✭✭✭plodder


    mountai wrote: »
    Whats the point of "local knowledge/expertise at local authority level" if local authority decisions are liable to be overturned at BP level . Are the inspectors not independent also?.
    As far as I know, local authority planning decisions are only overturned 25% of the time. If they were overturning a high percentage, then I think that would be a problem. The inspectors are independent, but it's well known in planning circles that you'll get different decisions from different individual planners. A board comprising several people is more likely to be consistent over time.


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    #38
    Bray Head
    Registered Users Posts: 892 ✭✭✭Bray Head


    plodder wrote: »
    As far as I know, local authority planning decisions are only overturned 25% of the time.
    That's actually quite high when you consider that many large projects get appealed.


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