Planning

During 2007 the Planning Department received 1,326 planning applications, representing a slight decrease (6%) on the previous year’s intake. This reflects the consistently strong demand for development within the county.

Applications for single dwellings remain the most popular, amounting to 39% of all application types. The Development Management Team issued 1,218 decisions during the year with a refusal rate of 7.5%. Appeals have only been made to An Bord Pleanala in respect of 4% of all decisions made by Sligo County Council.

CUSTOMER SERVICE

The Development Management Team is committed to continuously improving the standards of customer service it provides to all the various stakeholders in the planning process. During 2007 Sligo County Council maintained its excellent record for efficiency when three-quarters of all planning decisions were determined in eight weeks or less. The low number of invalid applications (4%) continues to be amongst the best results of Planning Authorities nationally and it is noticeable that a considerable number of Planning Authorities are now changing their procedures to facilitate same-day validation, which has been in place in Sligo County Council for 3 years. The low invalidity rates can also be attributed to the continuous engagement between the Development Management Team and the Planning Agents who submit the majority of all applications. During 2007 a seminar was organised at County Hall for Planning Agents to introduce them to the Planning and Development Regulations 2006 and to outline the implications for submitting planning applications.

CONSULTATION

The relatively low rate of refusals is in a large part due to the extensive level of pre-planning consultations which take place between County Council Planning Officials and prospective applicants, primarily in the form of face to face meetings held in County Hall or Teach Laighne, Tubbercurry. During 2007 1,394 such meetings took place being the equivalent of more than one meeting for every application received.

ON LINE FACILITIES

Looking forward to 2008 Sligo County Council intends to provide additional on-line facilities to enable customers to interact with the Planning Department by electronic means. One of the most significant developments will be the introduction of a new Self- Service Pre-Planning facility on the Council’s website, which will allow web users to view a map of the county and outline a potential site for planning permission. The system will then generate a brief report outlining the various planning constraints associated with that particular site and will list the most recent planning applications in the vicinity. It is envisaged that the facility will be particularly useful for planning agents, individual land owners and the Elected Members as an information tool. The new technology is not intended to replace pre-planning consultations with area planners but will serve as a preliminary stage prior to such meetings.

DEVELOPMENT PLANNING

The Development Planning Unit is responsible for drafting planning and development policy for Sligo County and City, in consultation with the public, members, officials, prescribed bodies and other stakeholders. The Development Planning team also carries out research, advises on development proposals, facilitates plan implementation and participates in a range of initiatives, at both local and regional level.

SLIGO AND ENVIRONS DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2004 – 2010 (SEDP)

The National Building Agency (NBA) was engaged to prepare the mandatory mid-term progress report on the Sligo and Environs Development Plan. The Report was submitted to the Members in June 2007. The statutory review of the Plan, which commenced in December 2007, will take two years to complete. In order to assist and encourage the public to become actively involved in Plan review and preparation, the Development Planning Unit (DPU) drafted a Guide to the Review of the Sligo and Environs Development Plan, which was made available on Sligo Local Authorities websites. While the review will be carried out inhouse, specialist consultants will be engaged for the preparation of the new Retail Strategy and Housing Strategy, as well as the Strategic Environmental Assessment of the SEDP.

The new SEDP will address a range of issues related to Gateway growth, including land use and transportation, housing and retail strategies, economic development, infrastructural provision, community, social and cultural requirements, urban regeneration and design, recreational amenities, protection of the natural and built heritage and the preservation of landscape character.

The Plan will consolidate the sustainable development framework for making Sligo a more attractive place to live and work, facilitating the provision of housing, employment and recreational amenities for a growing population that could reach 42,000 by the year 2020.

LOCAL AREA PLANS UNDER SLIGO AND ENVIRONS DEVELOPMENT PLAN (SEDP)

Within the SEDP boundary, it was decided to prepare Local Area Plans that will provide detailed development frameworks for various areas such as the North Fringe (Teesan-Lisnalurg area) and the Docklands Quarter.

While the new Development Plan will review the main parameters for the subordinate LAPs (zoning, main policies and objectives), the masterplanning and urban design of these areas would be addressed after specific public consultation.

As part of the Docklands Regeneration Initiative, the Council has commissioned an Urban Design Framework for the Hughes Bridge/Lower Quay Street area and urban design proposals for the Inner Relief Road corridor, including the Docklands area adjoining the Road. Consideration is being given to the holding of an urban design competition as a prelude to the preparation of the Local Area Plan for the Docklands.

TOBERCURRY DRAFT LOCAL AREA PLAN

During 2007, progress has been made on the preparation of the Draft Tobercurry LAP, which should be taken through the adoption procedure in 2008.

Record of Protected Structures (RPS)

During 2006, a National Inventory for Architectural Heritage (NIAH) for Sligo was published which recommended that all structures on this database be protected. Detailed work has been done in 2007 to identify which NIAH structures are not currently included on the RPSs. Specialist consultants were employed to assess the structures that warrant listing or otherwise on both the Sligo and Environs and County RPS. On completion of this exercise, additions and deletions will be formally proposed under Section 55 of the Planning and Development Act.

GATEWAY INNOVATION FUND – SUBMISSION ON BEHALF OF SLIGO LOCAL AUTHORITIES

The establishment of a Gateway Innovation Fund (GIF) as part of the National Development Plan 2007-2013 (NDP) is a recognition of the need for targeted investment and concerted interventions in Gateway Cities. Sligo Local Authorities submitted a detailed proposal, consisting of four projects linked into a coherent vision for the short-term development of Sligo City.

The Development Planning Unit contributed to this submission by drafting sections of the text, providing a brief demographic profile of the City and preparing a set of maps.

The GIF submission was delivered to the Department of Environment and Local Government (DoEHLG) on the 15th of November 2007.

North Fringe Masterplan. The NBA initially produced a draft masterplan for the Teesan-Lisnalurg-Shannon Oughter area of Sligo and Environs. The document, which was presented to the Sligo- Drumcliffe Area Committee Meeting in November 2006, required further changes in order to incorporate infrastructure proposals such as realigned routes of national and local roads in the area.

It was eventually decided to conduct extended consultation with the public and produce a Local Area Plan instead of a Masterplan/variation of the SEDP. Pre-draft consultation is programmed to commence in January 2008. It is envisaged that the North Fringe LAP will be adopted by autumn 2008.

Sligo Docklands Local Area Plan. Sligo County Council assumed responsibility for Sligo Port in April 2006 and has earmarked Docklands regeneration as a priority Gateway initiative. The first task was to identify critical steps and inputs needed to kick-start the regeneration process.

A preliminary Background Information document drafted by the DPU served as a basis for extensive informal consultation with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding the legallyrequired Strategic Environmental Assessment associated with the Docklands Plan.

As part of the Docklands regeneration initiative, the Council has commissioned an Urban Design Framework for the Hughes Bridge/Lower Quay Street area and urban design proposals for the Inner Relief Road corridor, including the Docklands area adjoining the Road.