Planning and Development Act, 2000

Application and content of local area plans.

19.—(1) (a) A local area plan may be prepared in respect of any area, including a Gaeltacht area, or an existing suburb of an urban area, which the planning authority considers suitable and, in particular, for those areas which require economic, physical and social renewal and for areas likely to be subject to large scale development within the lifetime of the plan.

(b) A local area plan shall be made in respect of an area which—

(i) is designated as a town in the most recent census of population, other than a town designated as a suburb or environs in that census,

(ii) has a population in excess of 2,000, and

(iii) is situated within the functional area of a planning authority which is a county council.

(c) Section 20 (3)(a) shall be complied with—

(i) in the case of the first local area plan, not later than 2 years after the making of a development plan under this Part, and

(ii) notwithstanding section 18 (5), at least every 6 years after the making of the previous local area plan.

(2) A local area plan shall be consistent with the objectives of the development plan and shall consist of a written statement and a plan or plans indicating the objectives in such detail as may be determined by the planning authority for the proper planning and sustainable development of the area to which it applies, including detail on community facilities and amenities and on standards for the design of developments and structures.

(3) The Minister may provide in regulations that local area plans shall be prepared in respect of certain classes of areas or in certain circumstances and a planning authority shall comply with any such regulations.

(4) (a) A local area plan shall contain information on the likely significant effects on the environment of implementing the plan.

(b) The Minister may by regulations make further provisions in relation to the manner in which paragraph (a) may be complied with.