Let's debunk a few Irish planning and construction myths…

OK. Let’s be straight.

There seem to be a lot of urban myths that have sprung up around planning and construction in Ireland.

Do you know how much you need to get done in order to be compliant with your planning permission?

Do you know when you are able to construct an exempted development extension AFTER you’ve constructed your new house?

I’m sure there are stacks. What would you like answered?

Add your ‘Is this an Irish planning myth…’ as a comment to this post and I’ll look into what the true answer is.

Or alternatively CONTACT me using any method and I’ll add your ‘Myth’ to the list.

And starting next week I’ll be doing a week long series of ‘Irish Planning Myths’ and I can guarantee there will be no leprechauns.

8 thoughts on “Let's debunk a few Irish planning and construction myths…

  1. Hi Mark,
    Like the topic.
    One of my favourite myths is that clients need a designer who is ‘in’ with the planners. i.e. has an inside track, wink and nod, a bit of pull (which the Irish fetishise!) in order to be able to ‘get planning’. I am not sure where this comes from, but it stinks of the bad old days when Irish people bowed and scraped to get ahead in life. It is like people do not realise that you have rights, property rights, rights to develop, and the planning process in my opinion is a fairly transparent and predictable process. Sure, a bit of experience helps in understanding development plans, planning policies and good design principles, but given these what the planners want is usually in black and white in the development plan and if you are an architect you will be able to design within that framework.
    Perhaps this is a myth perpetuated by unqualified designers, such as the draughtsperson or engineer in order to balance their inability to design with a comprehensive grasp of aesthetics, context, culture or spatial complexity.

    I am basing this on a wide planning experience covering at least six different rural county councils and as many borough or city councils over 15 years.
    many thanks!
    Paul McNally MRIAI

  2. A regular myth from self builders when planning permission is about the run out, we’ll dig and pour the foundations and we’ll be grand. It couldn’t be further from the truth. Few know that they need to apply for permission for retention and completion if they only get to that stage and the planning expires.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.