Large-scale Residential Development Process

Large-scale Residential Developments (LRD) applications are submitted to the local planning authority for decision.  This new process was introduced on 17^th 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:

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. The second step entails a mandatory 8-week consultation phase with the local authority resulting in the holding of an “LRD meeting” and the issuing of an “LRD opinion” as to whether the proposals constitute a reasonable basis for submitting a planning application.

The following form must be completed and submitted to request a pre-planning meeting. The form details information that must be submitted.

Application stage:

This stage involves a standard application to the planning authority with a mandatory 8-week decision timeframe.

The following supplementary form must be completed and submitted with an LRD application.

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.