2019 – A year in review of Mark Stephens Architects

It’s that time of the year when we look back in review and see how good (or bad) the year has been. Here are a couple of other years where I’ve done the same thing: 2018 2016 Well what have Read More …

Withdraw, Reject or Appeal? #Ireland #Planning

This planning conundrum comes up very frequently and it occurs when you’ve exhausted the Further Information route and the planning permission looks as if it’s going to get rejected. Obtaining planning is getting harder – not easier and has generally Read More …

Decisions on 2 planning appeals in. Not good.

Earlier this year I posted that we had 3 planning appeals going in; in fact it turned out to be 2. As one person commented “like buses you wait ages and then 2 come along at once.” You can read Read More …

Planning tips #1-7: Roundup

I peaked a bit too early on this one when I mis-scheduled the posts. Anyway, here they all are in one post: Below are all the recent Planning Tips we’ve posted over the last week (or so) 1. Don’t Participate Read More …

Planning Tip #7 – Sometimes you're just not going to get planning

This is the toughest one to swallow. Sometimes, for whatever the reason. You’re just not going to get planning on your site. Whether it’s a contravention of the Local Authority Development Guidelines or it’s impossible to find an area on Read More …

Planning Tip #6 – Appeal !

Following on from the previous post on ‘Withdrawing your application’ this post takes the next ultimate step of appealing the decision to An Bord Pleanála. The ‘Bord’ has a great guide on it’s website about the Planning Appeal Process. We Read More …

Planning Tip #5 – Withdraw

So you’ve been following the planning tips closely; and your planning application is still destined for a refusal – what can you do? Prior to the notification of the refusal of your Planning Application you can Withdraw it at any Read More …

Planning Tips – RoundUp

Below are all the recent Planning Tips we’ve posted over the last week (or so) 1. Don’t Participate 2. Don’t build a new house – use something existing 3. Maximise your exempted development rights 4. Political Representation 5. Withdraw 6. Read More …

Planning Tip #4 – Political representation

The Irish planning system has a strong emphasis on third party rights where the planning process has three parties: 1. The Planning Authority 2. The applicant 3. The general public There is also the general right of any person to Read More …

Planning Tip #1: Don't participate

As I promised in the last post the next series of posts will give tips on the planning process and how to survive it. The first tip therefore is that unless you really, really need planning then don’t participate in Read More …