Annual Report 2010 Publisher full - Offaly County Council

Planning permission is required for any development of land or
property unless the development is exempted development.
Development management ensures that these developments comply
with the statutory provisions in the County Development Plan, the
Planning Acts and the Regulations.
The continued downturn in the economic activity, particularly in the
construction sector, has been reflected in the number of planning
applications received in 2010. 449 planning applications have been
received in 2010 which compares with 557 for 2009.
The downturn in the planning applications has afforded the
opportunity to the Planning Department to focus on other areas of
activity, such as the compilation of a derelict sites register,
preparation of action plans for sraids and villages, the taking in
charge of housing estates and a more consistent and concerted effort
in relation to enforcement and compliance issues.
that further applications of this nature will be coming before the
Council in 2011 or 2012 for consideration.
Conservation Grants
In 2010, Offaly County Council received an allocation of €124,993
grant assistance from the Department of Environment, Heritage and
Local Government. The objective of the scheme is to assist the
owners or occupiers is a structure, which is protected because of its
architectural, historical, archaeological, artistic, cultural, scientific,
social or technical interest to undertake conservation works on such
structure.
Grants varying from €1,700 to €12,243 were allocated to 23
applicants subject to matching funding of 50% of the cost of the
works.
Derelict Sites were taken over from the Environment Section in
2009. There were 66 Derelict Sites files open at the end of 2009.
There were 24 files opened and 36 files closed in 2010 and
consequently at the end of 2010 there were 54 open files.
All planning applications have been screened for Appropriate
Assessment since January 2010. This is in order to ascertain
whether the proposed development is likely to have significant
effects on the integrity of Natura 2000 sites.
At the start of 2010 Offaly County Council took over the
administrative planning function of Tullamore Town Council.
Strategic Infrastructure
During 2010 two applications to An Bord Pleanala, under the
Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Act 2006 were
decided. These applications referred to the development of a Power
Generation Station at Derrygreenagh which was granted with
modifications on 12 th April 2010 and the Gas Fired Power Station at
Lumcloon which was granted with modifications on 12 th March 2010.
There are a number of major projects that are under consideration
by An Bord Pleanála at the pre-planning stage and it is anticipated
Mount St. Joseph’s Roscrea, Boundary Wall
Compliance/Enforcement
During 2010 a new system came into operation whereby the area
planners undertake enforcement. They take responsibility for the
inspection of, and reporting on, all stages of enforcement cases
(excluding those which relate only to development contributions).
Page 21 | Offaly County Council Annual Report 2010