The role and function of Kilkenny County Council's Planning Department is:

• to determine the physical planning policy of the county.

• control of new development and building.

• promotion of industrial, commercial and other appropriate development.

Forward Planning - County Development Plan/Local Area Plans

Highlights:

• Kilkenny County Development Plan completed and adopted.

• Kilkenny City & Environs Development Plan completed and adopted.

• Loughmacask Local Area Plan completed and adopted.

• Woodstock Local Area Plan completed and adopted.

• Local Area Plans for Callan, Castlecomer, Thomastown, Graiguenamanagh, Ferrybank/Belview were published in draft form and amended drafts.

• Strategic Environmental Assessments & Appropriate Assessments were completed in parallel for these plans.

• Bennettsbridge Local Area Plan Public consultation exercise completed.

• Kilmacow the Public consultation exercise was commenced.

• Rural House Design Guidelines were published and are for sale.

• Village Design Statements were completed and published for Tullaroan and Newmarket/Hugginstown.

 

Conservation:

Highlights:

• The sum of €190,000 was paid under the Conservation Grant Scheme for improvements and works to protected structures during 2008.

• 2 additions were made to the Record of Protected Structures.

• The N.I.A.H. survey for County Kilkenny commenced in 2005 and was published in 2006 by the Department of Environment Heritage & Local Government, and updating of the Record of Protected Structures is ongoing.

• Kilkenny County Council offers a planning consultancy/advisory system for any persons wishing to carry out works to sensitive buildings and Protected Structures within County Kilkenny.

• A Lime Workshop, "Working with Lime" was carried out in 2008 at Castlecomer Demense, and a total of 88 delegates attended. The event was held over 2 days and included lectures demonstrations and site visits.

• Thatch Survey: there are approx 100 thatch buildings in County Kilkenny and the 'thatch survey' is ongoing. A total of 25 thatch buildings were inspected in 2008 and are ready for the addition process to be included in the Record of Protected Structures

• In conjunction with the Heritage Officer, a Directory was published for consultants, contractors, and trades people who work in the area of the "Built and Natural Heritage".

 

Derelict Sites

Highlights:

• The Council's five Area Offices are responsible for derelict sites with the support of the Director of Service for Planning.

• Notices under the Derelict Sites Act 1990 are issued where appropriate and Derelict sites will continue to be investigated.

• 2 Notices under the Derelict Sites Act 1990 were issued in 2008.

• The County Council continues to identify sites that are suitable for infill housing in order to generate and revive some of the more dilapidated black spots in villages and towns around the County. The acquisition of suitable derelict properties are pursued under the Compulsory Purchase Proceedings of the Derelict Sites 1990.

 

Development Contributions

Highlights:

• The new Development Contribution Scheme was applied to all permissions granted from 1st January, 2004.

• Sum of €7.2m was collected in 2008.

 

Development Control

Highlights:

• 1572 planning applications were received in 2008, and the sum of €700,629.00 was received in planning fees.

• 577 Commencement Notices under the Building Regulations were received.

• The Planning Clinic system continues to operate successfully in each of the Area Offices, and the addition of the Group Clinic facility for 'one off house' and extension applications which was introduced in each clinic in 2007 and continued in 2008.

• A panel for approved Site Suitability Assessors was set up in 2008 and there are a total of 45 on this panel. This has improved the quality and reliability of the information submitted with a planning application, and has resulted in the reduction of referral of planning applications to the Environment Section for verification of the data.

 

Enforcement

Highlights:

• A total of 229 new complaints were received during 2008.

• Enforcement Proceedings are ongoing with approximately 43 cases forwarded for legal action.

• The Council successfully prosecuted 12 cased during 2008.

• A total of 87 cases were brought to conclusion during 2008.

• Fines and costs in the sum of €18,527.00 were imposed by the Courts following legal action taken by the Council.

 

Taking in Charge

Highlights:

During 2008 a total of 26 housing estates comprising of 1283 houses were taken in charge by Kilkenny County Council. "The Taking in Charge Protocol" as operated by the Council is the mechanism under which applications are advanced.

44 applications for Taking in Charge have been received and priority will be given to the applications in respect of the older housing estates.

A total of 297 new housing estates have been granted planning permission over the last 10 years.

 

Town Renewal

The Town Renewal Scheme is a tax relief scheme similar to the Urban Renewal Scheme which has been in operation for a number of years.

Highlights:

• 41 projects have been approved to date under the Town Renewal Scheme.

• The closing date for receipt of applications for the scheme was 31st December, 2004. However, the qualifying dates for tax relief were extended to 31st July, 2008 where additional conditions are met.

 

IT Developments

Highlights:

• ePlan, Kilkenny County Council's internet based Planning and GIS system (which was made available online in 2004), offers a link to a GIS system which allows users to view the location of a planning application on a map register. This has continued to be successful throughout 2008 and has proved very popular with members of the public.

• Throughout the year the Planning Webpage is updated with current events and legislation. 'A Frequently Asked Questions' section was added to assist members of the public with current information and is updated on a regular basis.

• Kilkenny County Council is in the process of scanning planning files with a view to making the files available online. This will allow members of the public to access any planning file online without having to call to the planning office, (which is the current situation), and to download drawings and plans and any other information as may be required.

Wiki

Kilkenny County Councils Planning and IS Departments released a new Planning wiki website: http://wiki.kilkennycoco.ie. The aim of this wiki is to enable interested and engaged members of the public to participate online in a collaborative discussion around the development of future Local Area Plans (LAPs), thereby enhancing public participation in the process. Any interested parties can register themselves on the wiki and can then make changes or additions to articles within the LAPs. Comments can also be made on any of the content of the wiki.

The Planning wiki contains the Draft Callan and Castlecomer Local Area Plans and is used to pilot the work on the project and if successful it is intended to use the system with future Local Area Plans.