Housing

Councillors take aim at ‘bizarre’ rule change bypassing them on planning decisions around housing

The Association of Irish Local Government said new planning rules could lead to situations where developments are built with no say from councillors

The government has said it changed planning rules to speed up housing delivery and boost supply. Picture: Getty

County and city councillors have called for their powers to decide on housing developments to be restored.

As part of the government’s overhaul of planning laws, an amendment was recently passed to the Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Act 2022 allowing councils to bypass the normal planning process for housing projects if they feel the schemes are in line with the council’s development plan.

The government has said this was done to speed up ...