Planning issues - post them here MOD WARNING post #1

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121735011#Comment_121735011

https://www.opr.ie/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2012-Planning-Enforcement-1.pdf

time lines contained wihtin

Keep_Her_Lit

Planning permission for large steel shed

I’m looking to buy a rural property soon and would like to have a large shed on site for personal use (tinkering with cars, purely on a DIY basis). Ideally, it would have the height to allow installation of a garage lift. An example is shown below, with dimensions 47ft x 30ft x 14ft (14m x 9m x 4.3m, floor area 126m2), though I wouldn’t necessarily need it that long. 

What are my prospects of getting planning permission for such a structure? I woud be hoping to place this on a site of 0.5 to 1.0 acre. Would it help my chances if it was not visible from the public road and was not directly bordering any neighbouring residential site? 

Thanks for any feedback. 

sydthebeat

you have to show why you need something that size.

if you just "tinker" with cars youll need to show where the cars come from and where they go to. they will be suspicious of you doing commercial mechanical works for which you wont get permission. So youll need to prove why you need the space for personal use.

muffler

I wouldn't see a stand alone shed on any size of a site getting permission for personal / domestic use. It would possibly be more acceptable if built behind a house. The planners would consider this as commercial development and that gets real awkward then.

Keep_Her_Lit

Thanks for the replies on this, much appreciated. Sounds like I'd be better off keeping my eye out for a property that already has a decent sized shed or garage in situ. I've seen a few.

FWIW, when I said "tinkering with cars, purely on a DIY basis", that's exactly what I meant. I own a couple of older cars, not worth a whole lot, one of which is in need of restoration. I've worked on cars outdoors for years and I'm sick of getting rained on! It's a hobby that needs a bit of indoor space if you're going to do it with any level of comfort.

WallysWorld

Has anyone here ever applied for permission for a small floating dock? We have a property that is on the shores of a lake on the Shannon. I'd like to put in one of those modular floating docks, about 5m X 1.5m and I'm not sure who to go about looking for permission from. Is it Waterways Ireland or would it be the local planning authority? It wouldn't involve any construction really, just a couple of anchor points on the shore which would be removable if needed.

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122133703#Comment_122133703

maybe something here?

https://www.waterwaysireland.org/copy-of-apply/property-leases-and-access/marina-or-jetty-mooring

WallysWorld

I checked their website and must have missed that, thanks. Requires planning permission from the local authority it seems.

Edit: if anyone has successfully applied for permission for something like this I'd love to have a chat. Reply here or dm me. Thanks

Igotadose

Why don’t engineers certify the wastewater treatment systems- septic tanks, pumps, percolation fields – that they build?

Kerry County Council requires certification of newly built wastewater treatment systems by “A suitably qualified person with indemnity insurance,” such as an engineer. Once such a certification letter has been written, it is included in the planning permission for the wastewater treatment system.

Within a 5 minute walk of our house, there are three, recently built, septic systems. Not one such system has a certification letter from the engineer who designed the system, applied for planning permission and oversaw the construction. At least one of these engineers did write such a certification letter for a wastewater project and is therefore clearly qualified. Kerry County Council requires this certification to be submitted within 4 weeks of completion of the wastewater system. At least 2 of those systems are now in excess of 5 years old.

Without exception, all the engineers have indemnity insurance.
This is a big problem if you want planning permission for anything, because the County Council will require the certification prior to granting permission.

Thanks.

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122148397#Comment_122148397

there are specific engineers out there who can certify these systems. Essentially those who are qualified through the FETAC course (or similar approved)

Just because an engineer is indemnified does not make them suitable to certify these systems. the person who designs the system should be the one who certifies it. Just because an engineer is indemnified, that doesnt make them automatically qualifed to sign off on these systems.

Im also not sure what you mean by the engineer who "builds the system".

Are you talking about the contractor who physically installs it, or the manufacturer who builds the treatment system product? neither of those are the "suitably qualified persons" who can sign off the design and installation.

on the 3 incidents you are referring to:

1. how do you know they are not certified?
2. certification is required as part of the planning conditions and you have 5 years to comply
3. if this condition hasn't been complied with, it may (and probably will) lead to problems should certification of the dwelling be required.

Mellor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122148397#Comment_122148397

Engineers do not build treatment systems. They also design them. Those Engineers also certify specific treatment systems.

It is a specific discipline of engineering. Not something a random “engineer” doing planning permission does.

Igotadose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122148683#Comment_122148683

Where would you find such a specialized engineer? @sydthebeat mentioned FETAC but I don't see any way to locate an engineer with the necessary qualifications. Google hasn't been useful.

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122148706#Comment_122148706

check the online planning portal for your local authority, and check up recently build houses in the countryside.

each one should have an EPA report with the details of who compiled it. They would be the best bet to reach out to first of all.

https://www.limerick.ie/sites/default/files/media/documents/2024-05/list-of-site-assessors-10-05-2024.pdf

theres a few from kerry on this list

Igotadose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122149305#Comment_122149305

Thanks. Kerry County doesn't really have a planning portal - it takes you to a page saying you must submit 4 copies of your request on paper. I can't find anything on EPA reports for houses. Limerick's much better organized.

I've looked at what I can for the neighbours, nothing about an EPA report though I only have online access to planning documents.

Edit: I did find something that claims to be the list of assessors for Kerry, which was published in 2012, and includes 2 of the engineers who claim to not do assessment work. So, I'm dubious of whether these EPA reports actually happen out here at all.

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122149647#Comment_122149647

https://www.eplanning.ie/KerryCC/searchtypes

kerry co co planning portal. its probably what you are already looking at, just calling it another name.

so for example ive looked that the most recent application on the "weekly list" to find an application with a wasterwater treatment system, and ive found application 24/60266

within that i can see the site suitability assessment report

and the contact details of the guy who produced the report is on it.

Igotadose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122149711#Comment_122149711

Yes, know that site. No 'certification of wastewater systems' reports for any of the neighbours, and in fact I took a look at the weekly list, they've approved 1 site conditionally, and asked for a certification of the wastewater systems, i.e., the latest requests don't get them done, either.

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122149792#Comment_122149792

im not sure why youve come back to this?

i dealt with that in my first response post.

can you pm me one of the planning reference number to one of these "neighbour" builds please

Mellor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122148397#Comment_122148397

I think that last line is the issue. The council do not look for certification before granting permission. The suitability report is submitted with the application. The certification is submitted after it has been built. You can’t certify something something pre-grant of permission if it hasn’t been built.

Dr Devious

How close does planning permission usually allow for a pedestrian, e scooter etc walkway WHEN ITS BESIDE a persons driveway which is at an angle, which makes it awkward to enter and exit. Its a new planning application for numerous houses.

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122361849#Comment_122361849

not sure what you mean.

can you show us a sketch?

any driveway should be able to allow the parking of a car completely off the public pathway, therefore in practise front boundaries are usually a min of 6 meters from the front of a house, where on site parking is provided to the front

when on street parking is provided, that a different matter

TheTrueGamer

Hi all,

We're currently in the process of buying a second hand house which was built in 2006. There was an old house and septic tank on the site prior to the house we're looking to buy. The old house was knocked and a new one built but the original septic tank was retained. One of the planning conditions of the new house was that the septic tank was to be built according to regulation SR6:1991. Our engineer has said that the septic tank is not compliant with this regulation and this needs to be addressed. The vendor's engineer has said that because the tank was built prior to this regulation the condition doesn't apply. Could anyone advise on who is right here please?

Thanks in advance!

muffler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122396891#Comment_122396891

If the condition didnt apply then it should have been appealed at the time. Your engineer is correct. It is now up to the vendor to get the matter sorted.

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122396891#Comment_122396891

The vendors engineer is wrong.

If it's a condition of planning when building the replacement dwelling, it should have been complied with.

mel123

I got planning permission to build an extension. It’s a semi d, and upstairs is a large room. On plans it’s on big window but now I’m thinking I’d prefer two windows instead of one. Do I need to reapply for planning or is it ok to do? It’s at the back of the house. I’ve checked online and find conflicting advice, so if anyone here knows for sure advice appreciated

muffler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122407765#Comment_122407765

If you want a "full legal" response then any deviation from the approved plans will require planning permission. However some local authorities may consider the proposed changes to be "de minimus" and would confirm in writing that the change is acceptable. You should talk to your local planner about this.

You may also get your architect or engineer to sign off on it without consulting the planning dept. Again this isn't strictly legal but it is an acceptable practice where professionals certify substantial compliance and this certification is accepted by those who practice the law.

From what you described I can't see any real issue with it providing the combined surface area of both windows doesn't exceed that of the single window and they are located in the same wall.