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Planning Department

The purpose of the Planning Section is to provide for the proper planning and sustainable development of the county, to promote and facilitate the development of sustainable communities and enterprise, and to ensure the protection of the natural and built heritage and amenity of the county.

Clarification on the operation of Planning System during COVID-19 Emergency

Despite the current COVID 19 emergency, Waterford City & County Council continues to provide a range of planning services including the processing and determining of planning applications, as well as associated public submissions/observations.

Applicants can continue to lodge planning applications by post and the public can view those applications online via our Online Planning Enquiries system.

Our public office is open by appointment only to members of the public who wish to inspect a current planning application but who cannot examine it on our website due to their lack of internet access. If you wish to request an appointment to inspect a current application for planning permission which you are unable to view on our website please telephone 0818 10 20 20 from 9:30-1:00 or 2:30-4:00.

Members of the public can continue to make submissions by post to the Planning Department, Menapia Building, The Mall, Waterford. Payment is preferred with the submission, however, if you wish to pay by card you must include your contact telephone details, so that we can contact you to take payment. Please note that the Planning Authority will phone you on one occasion to arrange payment and will leave you a message if we cannot speak to you at that time. It is then your responsibility to contact us back on 051-849562 and make payment prior to the submission deadline. Please note that in order for a submission to be valid the fee must be paid and received by the submission deadline. In the event that the payment is not made by the deadline date we can accept no responsibility in the event that your submission is deemed to be invalid for absence of the fee.

In addition, submissions by applicants for planning permission (such as responses to requests for further information) that would normally be presented at the public counters can now be submitted by email and will then be processed in the normal way.

Face-to-face pre-planning meetings with prospective applicants have been temporarily suspended but our District Planners will continue to engage in pre-planning consultations by email and telephone with those who have completed and submitted the form which is available at this link.

The Department of Housing, Planning & Local Government have produced a series of informative leaflets which provide information about a broad range of planning matters. - These leaflets are available in both the Irish and English language.

TEMPORARY PLANNING EXEMPTIONS

The Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government has also introduced two specific temporary planning exemptions to deal with issues arising specifically as a result of the current COVID 19 emergency. These are:

• a) For the period of the emergency, the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) and the associated Regulations will not apply to certain classes of development by or on behalf of a State authority. This may include the change of use and repurposing of existing buildings and facilities, and/or the provision of temporary new-build accommodation and structures to address the COVID-19 civil emergency.
• b) A change in use from a premises selling food for consumption on the premises to one providing food for consumption off the premises, during the period of the emergency, will be considered an exempt development.

Waterford North Quays Planning Scheme

Notice is hereby given pursuant to Section 169 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, (as amended) Article 179 of the Planning and Development (Strategic Environmental Assessment) Regulations 2004 (as amended) and Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC that Waterford City and County Council, at its meeting on the 8th February 2018, having complied with the provisions of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) decided by resolution to make the Waterford North Quays Planning Scheme.

A copy of the Planning Scheme together with accompanying Environmental Report and Natural Impact Report are available via the links below.

Documentation