Planning

Builders, NGOs and planners demanded planning reform - now as it’s being delivered nobody wants it

The government’s landmark planning bill was supposed to speed up planning applications, but many industry observers feel that’s already happened

Having sought reform of the planning system for years, several groups now oppose the government’s landmark Planning and Development Bill 2023 which faces further scrutiny this week. Picture: Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews.ie

Following years of demands for planning laws to be redrafted, many developers, environmental groups, planners and legal experts who spent years pushing for reform are finally in agreement: they no longer want it.

The landmark piece of legislation, which goes before politicians again this week to be scrutinised, was years coming to fruition and the result of 15 months of drafting by the Office of the Attorney General before being presented to government in October ...