At its meeting today, Tuesday 7th May, the Cabinet approved proposals for the preparation of a new Planning and Development Bill to establish a new Planning Regulator.
The establishment of a Planning Regulator was the most significant recommendation regarding planning made by the Mahon Tribunal when it issued its final report in March 2012.
According to Minister for Housing & Planning Jan O’Sullivan T.D., “The Government has given its commitment to implement the recommendations of the Mahon Tribunal and today’s decision represents a milestone in that regard. In formulating this proposal I engaged with a wide variety of stakeholders and I believe the new Planning Regulator will improve the quality of planning in Ireland, increase transparency and accountability and, most importantly increase public trust in our planning system.
“Evidence based, proper forward planning is essential for our country’s future. We need to ensure that the decisions we take regarding local and regional development facilitate sustainable development and enhance the lives of our citizens and the communities in which we live. The Planning Regulator will provide an additional and important check on the quality of forward planning decisions.”
“In addition the new Planning Regulator will have functions regarding planning research, education and investigation. I believe that this reforming measuring has the capacity to transform the forward planning process in Ireland and importantly ensure that citizens have greater influence and understanding of the process.”
According to the Minister for the Environment, Community & Local Government Phil Hogan T.D, “The implementation of this important recommendation is another tangible reform that will achieve the Government’s goal of restoring and maintaining public confidence in our planning system. The independent Planning Regulator will review and assess all forward planning functions by local authorities– such as the drafting of city and county development plans. The Regulator will have the power to advise the Minister to reject or overturn part or all of a plan where it is not up to scratch. This advice will be published. The final decision to act will rest with the Minister of the day, and the Minister will be accountable to the Oireachtas for his or her decision.”
“The new Planning Regulator will bring an additional layer of transparency to the planning system while maintaining democratic accountability which is essential for public trust.”
Ends.
Note for Editors:
A new Office of the Planning Regulator (OPR) will be established as a new and separate corporate identity;
This Office would be staffed and resourced, in so far as possible, by staff taken on secondment or on a permanent basis from An Bord Pleanala;
The Planning Regulator will carry out independent appraisal of all relevant statutory plans – including local area plans, development plans, regional planning guidelines etc;
The Planning Regulator will advise the Minister on the content of the plans and where appropriate provide advice that all or part of a plan should be amended or rejected (through a Ministerial Direction). This advice will be published.
Final decision on whether to issue a Direction will reside with the Minister who will be accountable to the Oireachtas for his or her decision;
The OPR would also be mandated to carry out the research, training and education roles identified by the Tribunal.
The OPR will also have investigative powers along the lines currently provided for by Section 255 of the Planning and Development Acts 2000-2012