Forward Planning - County Development Plan/Local Area Plans

Highlights:

• Area Plans adopted for Slieverue, Mullinavat, and Stoneyford in 2006.

• Public consultations held for Paulstown, and Woodstock.

• An ammendment to the Mooncoin Local Area Plan was adopted in 2006.

• Extensive Consultations are carried out in the preparation of the Local Area Plans. All sectors of the Community are encouraged to participate in the formal consultation process.

• County Strategy Actions and Community Actions are now being incorporated into Local Area Plans.

• Variation No 7 of the Kilkenny City & Environs Development Plan and the County Development Plan was adopted in 2006.

• The Rural Housing Policy relating to Variation No 8 of the County Development Plan was adopted in 2006, taking into account the Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines.

• The Rural Housing Design Guidelines commenced in 2006, and Consultants were appointed.

• The Review of the County and City Development Plan commenced in 2006. Public consultation was held and the County Managers Report has been prepared.

• The review of the County Development Plan is ongoing.

 

Conservation:

Highlights:

• The sum of €159,000 was paid under the Conservation Grant Scheme for protected structures.

• One addition was made to the Record of Protected Structures.

• Architectural Inventories have been carried out for four villages and Urban Design Studies carried out for a further four villages.

• N.I.A.H. survey for County Kilkenny commenced in 2005 and continued in 2006.

• Kilkenny County Council offer a planning consultancy/advisory system for sensitive buildings and protected structures.

 

Derelict Sites

Highlights:

• The Council's five Area Offices are responsible for derelict sites with the support of a Senior Executive Engineer.

• 74 Notices under the Derelict Sites Act 1990 were issued in 2006.

• Derelict sites will continue to be investigated and notices served as appropriate.

• 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 will commence under the Compulsory Purchase Proceedings of the Derelict Sites Act 1990.

 

Development Contributions

Highlights:

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

• The sum of €13.2m was collected in 2006 - an increase of €2.7.m.

 

Development Control

Highlights:

• 2346 applications were received in 2006 (2046 in 2005).

• The sum of €1,154,509.00 was received in planning fees.

• 526 Commencement Notices under the Building Regulations were received.

• The Planning Clinic system continues to operate successfully in each of the Area Offices.

• Kilkenny County Council was nominated by the Kilkenny Chamber of Commerce for its Planning Service under the National Chambers Ireland Awards and was successful in being shortlisted to the final three Planning Authorities. This award serves to recognise the continuous work being done to improve the customer service in the Planning Department e.g. extended opening hours, over the counter validations service dedicated customer service desk, Frequently Asked Questions's etc.

 

Cathaoirleach Cllr. Billy Ireland, County Manager Michael Malone and Chair of Planning SPC Michael Lanigan with Planning Staff at Chambers Ireland Awards Night

 

A new Protocol to deal with the Taking in Charge of housing estates by the Council was developed and commenced in 2005 and will continue to be developed and utilised for future requests under the Taking in Charge process. All relevant planning applications are now subject to the new protocol and it is a standard condition of planning permission. The Taking in Charge process commenced in respect of 11 housing estates in 2006.

 

Enforcement

Highlights:

• A total of 211 new complaints were received during 2006.

• Enforcement Proceedings were progressed in respect of 231 complaints and approximately 30 cases were forwarded for legal action.

• A total of 80 cases were brought to conclusion during 2006.

• The Council successfully prosecuted 11 cases during 2006.

• Fines and costs in the sum of €8,500.00 were imposed by the Court.

• Development contributions would also be due on foot of a number of applications which were received as a direct result of enforcement action.

• A number of cases investigated by the Office of the Ombudsman were closed, their office being satisfied with our handling of these particular complaints.

 

Town Renewal

• Urlingford - shrub planting/provision of amenity area.

• Kells - provision of paved footpaths in village centre and entrance to Kells Priory.

• Piltown - provision of paved area in village entrance/replastering of walls at County Council depot/tree planting.

• Ballyhale - provision of seating areas/undergrounding of overhead cables.

• 37 projects have been approved to date under the Town Renewal Scheme.The closing date for applications for the scheme was 31st December, 2004 and the qualifying dates for tax relief have been extended to 31st July, 2008 where additional conditions are met.

 

Urban & Village Renewal

Highlights:

• In 2001 a Strategic Plan for the Implementation of the Urban & Village Renewal Scheme was prepared by Kilkenny County Council. This set out the Council's plans for the years 2001 - 2006 in allocating the Urban and Village renewal funding throughout the County.

• The Urban and Village Renewal Scheme is funded by the EU and Exchequer through the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

• The grant allocation for the year 2006 was €387,692.00.

• Phase 6 of the six year programme was undertaken in 2006 and the following projects were carried out:-

Castlecomer	Amenity Area Church Avenue
Kilkenny	River Nore Linear Park Phase 1B & 1C under construction
Knocktopher	provision of paved footpaths and village entrance signs
Paulstown	Tree planting
Rosbercon	Tree planting

 

IT Developments

Highlights:

• EPlan, Kilkenny County Council's new internet based Planning and GIS system which was made available online in 2004 was updated and made more user friendly throughout 2006.

• A new mapping register of Enforcement files was implemented at the end of 2004 which will greatly assist Planning Staff and members of the Public in identifying Enforcement cases which are current and have relevance to any proposed planning applications on a particular site.