The planning system is a primary means to ensure the care and management of built, cultural and natural heritage.
Overview of the Heritage Council’s Planning Role
The Planning and Development Regulations 2001 consider the protection of heritage an integral element of the planning process. Depending on the type of application, its location and potential heritage impacts, prescribed bodies such as the Heritage Council are referred planning applications.
View the examples of recent submissions we have made.
The regulations, through Article 28, require local authorities to send notice to the Heritage Council on applications where it appears that the development may impact on built heritage assets or might have significant effects in relation to nature conservation.
Ireland’s national heritage is defined in the Heritage Act, 1995 as including: ‘monuments, archaeological objects, heritage objects, architectural heritage, flora, fauna, wildlife habitats, landscapes, seascapes, wrecks, geology, heritage gardens, and parks and inland waterways”.
Therefore, the Heritage Council can respond to planning applications which may impact these heritage assets.
The Heritage Council aims to ensure that good heritage practice is enshrined in planning policy and is engaged at various levels of government on the formulation of planning legislation and planning strategies. We also comment on city and county development and local area plans where resources allow as well as county level biodiversity action plans and heritage plans.
Due to the high volume of referrals received, we cannot respond to every planning application, or forward planning proposal, but we monitor all material received.
As a general rule, we focus on applications that involve a nationally important heritage asset, or applications that could set an important precedent with regards to heritage.
What the Heritage Council does not do
Due to the large amount of planning referrals we receive and in the interests of objectivity, the Heritage Council cannot:
- Give pre-application advice to applicants on heritage matters in advance of a planning application.
- Give planning advice to citizens relating to planning issues where they may have a personal interest.
- Input or comment on planning enforcement matters.
On matters of unauthorised development, or other planning related matters, the local authority is the planning authority under the Planning and Development Act 2000, and it is they who should be contacted in the first instance.
For specific heritage questions on local heritage assets, the local authority Architectural Conservation Officer/Heritage Officer/Biodiversity Officer should be contacted.
Other Resources
There are other online resources that can give details of built and natural heritage designations that are dealt with through the planning system which applicants and citizens in general will find helpful, including:
For nature conservation and ecologically important sites including Natura 2000 designations
It is important to note that the mandate for the Record of Protected Structures is with the local planning authority. The Record of Protected Structures will be updated when a local authority is making its county or city development plan or local area plans. Please check your local authority’s planning page to find your area’s most accurate record of protected structures.
Please note also, that due to there being no national legislative provision for proposed Natural Heritage Areas (pNHAs) via the Wildlife Act 1976 (as amended), the local authority’s county development plan does provide a level of protection via the planning system.
You can contact us with any planning related queries at planning@heritagecouncil.ie