Planning permission granted to 95% of planning applications in Donegal in 2021

In 2021, 95% of all planning applications were granted permission while 5% were refused in Donegal, according to the Annual Overview of the Planning System which was published by the Office of the Planning Regulator (OPR) today, Friday. 

The report reviews key trends and outputs over the year in the wider planning system in Ireland. It includes a comparison with patterns in previous years and is the only analysis of its kind of the Irish planning system. The report also identifies and makes observations on some of the key trends which reflect Ireland’s and each local authority’s planning performance in 2021. 

The report found that the planning invalidation rate, that is the percentage of invalidated planning applications as a proportion of all applications made, in the county decreased from 20.1% in 2020 to 17.5% in 2021.  In total, there were 1,750 planning applications approved and 101 refused by Donegal County Council in 2021.  Overall in 2021, 3.5% of planning application decisions made by Donegal County Council were appealed to An Bord Pleanála and of these, 48.6% were reversed. The national average rate of appeal in 2021 was 6.7%, the average reversal rate was 27.7%. 

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The Planning Regulator, Niall Cussen said: “2021 was a year in which local authorities such as Donegal County Council continued to deliver key statutory planning functions within strict timelines and in an operational environment that was challenging due to public health restrictions imposed as a result of the Covid pandemic. It is a great credit to the planning process in general that high levels of throughput in handling planning applications and appeals continued despite the pressures. While core planning functions continue to experience high volumes of activity, more is also being asked of local authorities. 2021 was also a year of very significant activity by local authorities in starting to implement funding streams aimed at securing urban and rural regeneration. However, a critical function to such investment will require concerted action on vacant and derelict buildings. While core planning functions continue to experience high volumes of activity, more is also being asked of local authorities.”

The OPR was established in April 2019 on foot of recommendations made by the Tribunal of Inquiry into Certain Planning Matters and Payments (the Mahon Tribunal).

Its purpose is to oversee the continuous enhancement of Ireland’s planning process and its outcomes by driving the co-ordination of planning policy implementation across national, regional and local levels, building a stronger knowledge base and ensuring regular reviews of the performance of planning authorities and An Bord Pleanála.

To coincide with the report, the OPR has also launched a new series of videos and flowcharts aimed at helping people navigate their way through the planning application process.