An Bord Pleanala

Dublin City Council’s ambitious but controversial plan for a €10 million pedestrianised plaza at the capital’s College Green has been rejected by An Bord Pleanála.

Last year An Bord Pleanála struggled to keep pace with a 19 per cent rise in casework, which meant that only 67 per cent of appeal decisions were made within the statutory target, according to the agency’s annual report.

An Bord Pleanála’s latest strategic plan, just published, commits the planning agency to establishing an online digital operation by 2023 with major innovations beginning next year.

County councils and An Bord Pleanála face an added work load from next month now the government has accepted that mineral exploration drilling is covered by EU regulations on environmental impact assessment (EIA).