According to the Business Post, legal challenges against planning decisions have a hit a new peak this year. The Business Post reveals that An Bord Plenala faced 41 legal cases in 2018 according to its annual report with figures released to the Business Post showing the board have listed 51 cases so far this year.
Of course these revelations come on the back of the news that the government will create new laws to restrict some parties from challenging planning applications and decisions. As previously posted here, the proposed bill will add other restrictions and requirements making it a lot harder for people to object or challenge planning proposals and hamper their access to legally challenge proposed developments. Environmental organisations have been vocal in their criticism of the Minister’s new planning legislations that they consider to be unfair. Their worry is that environmental rights will be compromised and this will lead to a lot of problems in planning objections. Planning objections are notoriously hard to battle and with the new legislation it may make the processes even more technical and arduous.
As reported in the Business Post, legal challenges against planning decisions have risen in recent years and could be why the government has decided to review the planning legislation. The backlog that it causes in the courts is being cited as one main reason why planning legislations need to change. You may have read about RTE investigating the unauthorised quarries in Ireland recently. According to RTE, one in eight quarries across Ireland is operating without planning approval, a survey by RTÉ Investigates has found. The survey of all local authorities found that out of 1,100 active quarries around the country, 151 are deemed to be unauthorised by the planning authorities.
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