More than 400 planning enforcement complaints remain open in South Dublin

South Dublin County Council says it plans to expand its planning enforcement department as new figures show more than 400 enforcement complaints remain open. More than 1,100 planning complaints were investigated by South Dublin County Council over the past five years, resulting in 64 prosecutions.

From 2011 to October 21st, 2015, the council issued 1,022 warning letters and 415 enforcement notices. Of the 1,148 complaints received, 462 were resolved through negotiations.

In a reply to a question from Fine Gael councillor William Lavelle, South Dublin County Council chief executive Danny McLoughlin said 404 planning enforcement files remained open.

“Since the middle of 2015, a second planner has been assigned to the planning enforcement section to undertake assessments, inspection and reports on planning enforcement complaints,” Mr McLoughlin said. “There are now a total of two assistant planners undertaking this role on a full-time basis and this will continue in 2016. In addition it is hoped to assign a third member of staff to the role of planning enforcement inspector in early 2016.”

Mr Lavelle said he had concerns about the “large number” of open planning enforcement files, many of which were a number of years old. “Residents and communities are being left frustrated in many cases by the delays in responding to their concerns about alleged unauthorised developments,” he added.

“I welcome the efforts by SDCC management to increase the staffing of the planning enforcement section.”