Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

“Iris Oifigiúil” of 13th February, 2018.

I, DAMIEN ENGLISH, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by sections 4(2) and 262 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (No. 30 of 2000) (as adapted by the Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order ( S.I. No. 358 of 2017 )) and by the Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) (No.2) Order 2017 (S.I. 352 of 2017), hereby make the following regulations with respect to which, pursuant to section 262(4) of that Act, a draft has been laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas and a resolution approving the draft has been passed by each such House:

Citation

1. (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2018.

(2) The collective citation “Planning and Development Regulations 2001 to 2018” includes these Regulations.

Amendment of Article 10 of the Principal Regulations

2. Article 10 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 ( S.I. No. 600 of 2001 ) is amended by inserting the following sub-article after sub-article (5):

“(6)(a) In this sub-article—

‘habitable room’ means a room used for living or sleeping purposes but does not include a kitchen that has a floor area of less than 6.5 square metres;

‘relevant period’ means the period from the making of these Regulations until 31 December 2021.

(b) This sub-article relates to a proposed development, during the relevant period, that consists of a change of use to residential use from Class 1, 2, 3 or 6 of Part 4 to Schedule 1.

(c) Notwithstanding sub-article (1), where in respect of a proposed development referred to in paragraph (b)—

(i) the structure concerned was completed prior to the making of the Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2018,

(ii) the structure concerned has at some time been used for the purpose of its current use class, being Class 1, 2, 3 or 6, and

(iii) the structure concerned, or so much of it that is the subject of the proposed development, has been vacant for a period of 2 years or more immediately prior to the commencement of the proposed development,

then the proposed development for residential use, and any related works, shall be exempted development for the purposes of the Act, subject to the conditions and limitations set out in paragraph (d).

(d)(i) The development is commenced and completed during the relevant period.

(ii) Subject to sub-paragraph (iii), any related works, including works as may be required to comply with sub-paragraph (vii), shall affect only the interior of the structure and shall not materially affect the external appearance of the structure so as to render its appearance inconsistent with the character of the structure or of neighbouring structures.

(iii) Any related works for the alteration of existing ground floor shop fronts shall be consistent with the fenestration details and architectural and streetscape character of the remainder of the structure or of neighbouring structures.

(iv) No development shall consist of or comprise the carrying out of works to the ground floor area of any structure which conflicts with any objective of the relevant local authority development plan or local area plan, pursuant to the Part 1 of the First Schedule to the Act, for such to remain in retail use, with the exception of any works the purpose of which is to solely provide on street access to the upper floors of the structure concerned.

(v) No development shall consist of or comprise the carrying out of works which exceeds the provision of more than 9 residential units in any structure.

(vi) Dwelling floor areas and storage spaces shall comply with the minimum floor area requirements and minimum storage space requirements of the “Sustainable Urban Housing: Design Standards for New Apartments — Guidelines for Planning Authorities” issued under section 28 of the Act or any subsequent updated or replacement guidelines.

(vii) Rooms for use, or intended for use, as habitable rooms shall have adequate natural lighting.

(viii) No development shall consist of or comprise the carrying out of works to a protected structure, as defined in section 2 of the Act, save where the relevant planning authority has issued a declaration under section 57 of the Act to the effect that the proposed works would not materially affect the character of the structure or any element, referred to in section 57(1)(b) of the Act, of the structure.

(ix) No development shall contravene a condition attached to a permission under the Act or be inconsistent with any use specified or included in such a permission.

(x) No development shall relate to any structure in any of the following areas:

(I) an area to which a special amenity area order relates;

(II) an area of special planning control;

(III) within the relevant perimeter distance area, as set out in Table 2 of Schedule 8, of any type of establishment to which the Major Accident Regulations apply.

(xi) No development shall relate to matters in respect of which any of the restrictions set out in subparagraph (iv), (vii), (viiA), (viiB), (viiC), (viii) or (ix) of article 9(1)(a), or paragraph (c) or (d) of article (9)(1), would apply.

(xii) No development shall consist of or comprise the carrying out of works for the provision of an onsite wastewater treatment and disposal system to which the code of practice made by the Environmental Protection Agency pursuant to section 76 of the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992 relates and entitled Code of Practice — Wastewater Treatment and Disposal Systems Serving Single Houses together with any amendment to that Code or any replacement for it.

(e)(i) Where a person proposes to undertake development to which sub-paragraph (b) relates, then he or she shall accordingly notify the planning authority in whose functional area that the change of use concerned will occur in writing at least 2 weeks prior to the commencement of the proposed change of use and any related works.

(ii) Details of each notification under subparagraph (i), which shall include information on—

(I) the location of the structure, and

(II) the number of residential units involved, including the unit sizes and number of bedrooms in each unit,

shall be entered in a record by the planning authority maintained for this purpose and the record shall be available for inspection at the offices of the planning authority during office hours and on the planning authority’s website.

(iii) During the years 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, each planning authority shall provide information to the Minister on the number of notifications received by it under this paragraph during the preceding calendar year, including details of the information so received for the purposes of subparagraph (ii).”.

GIVEN under my Hand,

8 February 2018.

DAMIEN ENGLISH,

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation.)

These Regulations amend the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended (the Principal Regulations).

Article 2 of these Regulations amends Article 10 of the Principal Regulations, by inserting a new sub-article, to provide that development consisting of the change of use, and any related works, from an existing specified use class to residential use, in certain circumstances and subject to conditions and limitations, is exempt from the requirement to obtain planning permission. The exemption shall apply from when these Regulations come into force until 31 December 2021.