Just over half of one-off rural housing applications in Louth granted planning permission

By Olivia Ryan, The Drogheda Independent

The rate of planning permissions and refusals in Louth since the adoption of the County Development Plan 2021-2027 have emerged.

Cllr. James Byrne asked the council to provide a breakdown of "planning permissions granted and refused to date since the adoption of the County Development Plan 2021-2027 to the present day for the Rural Policy Zones 1 and 2 and under each of the qualifying criteria applicable to both zones.”

Rural Policy Zones are designations within a local authority's County Development Plan that define specific areas in the countryside, like those under strong urban influence and of significant landscape value (Rural Policy Zone 1) or just under strong urban influence (Rural Policy Zone 2), which have different planning rules for development to balance housing needs with environmental protection and rural character.

The RPZ zones are designed to help manage the rate of applications for new housing in the countryside by applying stricter rules in some areas and allowing for more flexibility in others.

In a written reply Deputy Chief Executive, Thomas McEvoy, provided statistics which gave an insight into how applications have been finalised.

A little over half (52pc) of planning applications in Rural Policy Zones (1) in Louth were granted approval to date, while 59pc where approved in Rural Policy Zone 2.

The total number of planning permission granted was 324. This was out of 570 decisions (57pc). The overall number of refusals was 246, out of 570. (43pc)

He added that the council does not maintain records in relation to each of the individual qualifying criteria applicable to both zones.