Planning

Northern Ireland’s High Court has rejected several grounds of challenge against planning permission for a GAA stadium in Casement Park, Belfast. In a post script, Mr Justice Michael Humphreys also rebuked counsel over an expert witness who said the planning permission was "unlawful", which dem

A judge in Northern Ireland's High Court has rebuked lawyers over an expert witness who said the planning permission at the centre of the case was "unlawful". Mr Justice Michael Humphreys made the remarks after rejecting several grounds of challenge against planning permission for a GAA stadium in C

Allegations of conflicts of interest within An Bord Pleanála risk undermining public confidence in the planning system, the Irish Planning Institute has warned. Remy Farrell SC was appointed by ministers in April to investigate allegations concerning the Board's deputy chairperson Paul Hyde,

Prominent barrister Remy Farrell SC has been appointed to investigate allegations concerning a board member of An Bord Pleanála. The move is believed to relate to a series of reports published by website The Ditch which accuse the board's deputy chairperson Paul Hyde of conflicts of interest,

The new maritime area consent (MAC) regime for renewable energy developments has come into effect, with the first consents expected to be issued to developers in the second half of 2022. The new regime enables the minister for the environment to issue MACs on an interim basis pending the establishme

Developers in Northern Ireland will again be required to hold a public event as part of the pre-application process for major planning applications following the expiration of the temporary suspension. The requirement, which has been suspended since 1 May 2020, will be reinstated for proposed of app

Regulations allowing for vacant pubs to be converted into homes without planning permission have been extended until 2025. Nearly 1,400 vacant pubs have been converted into homes since the exemption was introduced in 2018, and it will now be extended until the end of 2025.

Controversial government plans to restrict judicial reviews of planning decisions could be derailed because of disagreement between Fine Gael and its junior coalition partner, the Green Party, according to reports. Eamon Ryan, the Green leader and transport minister, is opposed to the proposals bein

Northern Ireland's planning system is not working efficiently and has failed to meet many of its main performance targets in recent years, a new report has found. The report, produced by Northern Ireland's comptroller and auditor general Kieran Donnelly CB and the local government auditor Colette Ka

Corporate law firm Philip Lee has announced the appointment of Leonora Mullett as a partner in its planning and environmental department. Ms Mullett has extensive knowledge of planning and environmental law, local government law, litigation, dispute resolution and public law, with significant experi

A judgment handed down by the High Court yesterday in a planning dispute has attracted attention for including images of the site and the proposed development at the centre of the case. The 120-page judgment in Ballyboden Tidy Towns Group v An Bord Pleanala & Ors was authored by Mr Justice David

Legislation establishing a new planning regime for the maritime area has passed through all stages of the Oireachtas. The government has said the Maritime Area Planning Bill 2021 represents the biggest reform of marine governance since the foundation of the State, with a legal and administrative fra

The Oireachtas has approved legislation to introduce a new planning process for large-scale residential developments (LRDs) to replace the controversial fast-track strategic housing development (SHD) process. The Planning and Development (Amendment) (Large-scale Residential Development) Bill 2021 ha

New legislation will require local authorities to ensure home ownership as a tenure type is provided for and estimated in their housing strategies. A legislative amendment approved by ministers will give further legislative effect to ministerial planning guidelines issued in May under section 28 of

Legislation to introduce a new planning process for large-scale residential developments (LRDs) to replace the controversial fast-track strategic housing development (SHD) process has been approved by ministers. The Planning and Development (Amendment) (Large-scale Residential Development) Bill 2021