Planning applications granted during the lifetime of the existing Westport Town and Environs Development Plan remain valid for the lifetime of the permission, even after the new plan is adopted.
However, once the planning permission runs out, people cannot presume that they will be granted permission again, as further permissions will be governed by the new plan which is almost ready for adoption.
Changes to zoning could have implications for people looking for planning permission.
Committee Chairman Cllr John O’Malley and Cllr Peter Flynn raised this point at the bi-monthly meeting of the Westport electoral area on Tuesday. Cllr O’Malley said people feared that due to zoning changes they would lose their planning permissions.
However, Town Manager and director of services Peter Hynes confirmed that existing permissions are not affected by changes in zoning during the lifetime of the permission.
But the expectation that someone might have that if permission was granted in 2000, it will be granted again in 2010, is only an expectation. He said there was no right or entitlement or expectation to have zoning continue into the future if it is adopted in a plan. The director also confirmed that there was no liability attached to the council as a result of changes in zoning.
The new plan has to be adopted on October 9 and a special meeting of the Westport electoral area committee will take place on August 31 at 10am to specifically look at the Manager’s report which members are due to receive shortly and discuss changes.
Fine Gael Councillor Peter Flynn said when they set out six months ago to look at the adoption of a new plan it was a very different country to what exists today. “Things have changed radically and need to be taken into consideration. A lot of land has been de-zoned,” he said.
Cathaoirleach of Westport Cllr Myles Staunton said it was important a close link was maintained between the town and county councillors. He said one of the difficulties he met during the canvass was the amount of buildings which have been listed. Some people are frustrated with that he explained at Tuesday’s meeting.
He also said the newly elected councillors would have to get up to speed very quickly as the decisions they will be making in the first few months of their political careers will probably be the most important decisions they will have to make during the term of this council.
