Large-scale Residential Developments (LRD) applications are submitted to the local planning authority for decision. This new process was introduced on 17th December 2021 and replaced Strategic Housing Development (SHD) applications which were submitted to the An Bord Pleanála.
The types of application under LRD include:
- 100 or more houses.
- Student accommodation comprising of 200 bed spaces or more.
- A combination of the two where the threshold is met for either element.
The new LRD arrangements involve up to three stages as follows:
1. Pre-application stage:
This involves two steps; firstly, the applicant is required to seek standard pre-application consultation as currently mandated for developments of this scale under section 247 of the Planning Act. This step is including the completion of FORM 18 (please see below)The second step entails a mandatory 8-week consultation phase with the local authority resulting in the holding of an “LRD meeting” (4 weeks) and the issuing of an “LRD opinion” (4 weeks) as to whether the proposals constitute a reasonable basis for submitting a planning application.
The following form (FORM 18 Please see below for link) must be completed and submitted to request a pre-planning meeting. The form details the information that must be submitted.
Appropriate applicaton fee €1,500.
2. Application stage:
This stage involves a standard application to the planning authority with a mandatory 8-week decision timeframe. A planning application for an LRD should be made on the Council’s planning application form (please see below for link) and it must be accompanied by an additional supplementary form – Form 19 (please see below for link).
| Fee’s for submitting an LRD application: | Amount of Fee | Fee for Retention Permisson |
| Basic fee structure for each housing unit | €130 per housing unit | €390 per housing unit |
| Fee Structure for other uses on the land, the zoning of which facilitates such use: per square metre of gross floor space to a maximum of 30% of floor space of the entire development | €7.20 per square metre to a maximum of €32,400 | €15 per square metre to a maximum of €65,000 |
| Submission of an EIS/NIS Fee Structure | ||
| Submission of EIS | €10,000 | €10,000 |
| Submission of NIS | €10,000 | €10,000 |
| The maximum fee payable to a planning authority by an applicant in respect of an application for permission for a large scale residential development | €80,000 | |
3. Appeal stage:
The decision of the planning authority may be appealed to An Bord Pleanála, in which case the Board has a mandatory 16-week decision timeframe.