Ireland round-up: Scheme for 1,000 new homes to go ahead in Greater Dublin; Shake-up for legal challenges to planning decisions

Scheme for 1,000 new homes to go ahead in Greater Dublin

An Bord Pleanála has approved more than 1,000 homes for a site in South Dublin in what is set to be the first large-scale housing development on local authority land in more than a decade.

The Planner

Shake up for legal challenges to planning decisions

Housing, planning and local government minister Eoghan Murphy has launched a public consultation on well-trailed and highly contentious reforms to the judicial review provisions in the Planning and Development Act 2000 as outlined in the Housing and Planning and Development Bill 2019.

Irish Government

New wind farm development guidelines

Ministers have published for consultation revised wind energy development guidelines covering such issues as noise, visual amenity setback, shadow flicker, consultation obligations, community dividend and grid connections.

Irish Government

Pioneering electric vehicle-charging regs

The administration has launched a public consultation on draft building regulation requirements for electric vehicle-recharging infrastructure on new houses and on existing properties undergoing renovation.

Irish Government

Water quality dips

Water quality in the state’s rivers and lakes is getting worse, with just 20 rivers having “pristine” conditions last year, down from more than 500 in the 1980s, an Environmental Protection Agency study has found.

Irish Times

Broadband roll-out plans

The first 35 areas to be served with high-speed broadband under the National Broadband Plan have been revealed at a private industry meeting that identified that most are in the east and the Midlands.

Irish Times

Knocklyon flats appealed

A Fine Gael TD has lodged a planning objection against proposals for a major housing development of 590 flats on a site once owned by former Taoiseach Liam Cosgrave at Knocklyon, South Dublin.

Irish Independent

Cork solar farm

Terra Solar has been given the go-ahead by An Bord Pleanála for the development of another large solar farm, this one at Ballinvuskig, just to the south of Cork city.

Irish Independent

Dundrum homes approved

Hammerson, part-owner of Dundrum Town Centre, has obtained planning approval to construct a 107-unit flats complex beside the shopping centre – the company’s first foray into residential development in Ireland.

Irish Independent

Capital flag wrangle

One of the country’s best-known private members clubs has run into difficulties with the city council over the unauthorised erection of flagpoles over the main entrance to its headquarters in Dublin city centre.

Irish Times

Housebuilding down

Housebuilding activity has slowed for the first time since 2013, the latest Ulster Bank construction survey has found.

Irish Independent

Murphy defends government’s housing and homelessness record

Housing minister Eoghan Murphy defended the government’s housing and homelessness record in front of an Oireachtas housing committee this week as he pointed to significant increases in homeless adults and families moving into council housing over the past nine months and in the provision of social housing by local authorities.

Irish Government

Cash for senior roles in Louth

The government has announced a grant of €200,000 to Louth County Council for senior posts that will focus on the strategic development of Dundalk and Drogheda, both designated as regional growth centres.

Irish Government

Retail centre approved in Tullamore

Offaly County Council has approved a new €20 million retail centre in Tullamore involving 15 shops, eight homes, a cinema, cafes and restaurants.

Irish Times