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Commenting on a Planning Application

Anyone in Ireland has the right to view and/or make a comment on planning application made to any local authority.

You have the right to make a written submission/observation on any planning application on payment of the appropriate fee.

Submissions/observations should be forwarded to:  The Planning Department, Waterford City & County Council, Menapia Building, The Mall, Waterford.

Please read the guidelines below in relation to making a submission/observation. Submissions must be made before the expiry of the five-week submission period and accompanied by the statutory fee of €20. Please do not send cash through the post.

Submissions can also be made by email to planning@waterfordcouncil.ie. Submissions made in this manner must include the senders full postal address and telephone number. Staff from the Planning Department will call to take payment of the fee. The submission/observation must be received before the expiry of the five-week submission period.

IMPORTANT:  Submissions will not be validated until payment has been received. If no fee is received, the submission will not be considered and shall be returned as invalid

ePLANNING Portal


Apply for Planning Permission OnlineIt is now possible to make a planning submission/observation on any planning application online through the LGMA ePlanning Portal.

Payment of the statutory fee can be made through this process.  Please read the guidelines below in relation to making a submission/observation.

In the event that you have difficulty using this system you should ensure that you allow yourself sufficient time to lodge your submission by alternative means.

It is your responsibility to ensure that your submission reaches the Planning Authority within the statutory timeframe. Waterford City & County Council cannot take responsibility for any unforeseen system failure which may prevent your submission from being received.

PLEASE NOTE:  If uploading a document with your submission, only ONE document can be uploaded so please ensure all your information including any images, are included in one document (i.e. combine all relevant documents into one pdf or print all relevant information and scan to one pdf).

The Planning and Development Regulations 2001 (as amended) have set out the procedures to be followed in respect of submissions/observations in relation to planning applications; these comments may be positive or negative.

An appeal of a decision by a Planning Authority can only be made to An Bord Pleanala by a third party where a valid submission has been received, except in very limited circumstances by an adjoining landowner who must apply for leave to appeal. Anyone making a written submission/observation on an application is informed of the Council’s decision and of the right to appeal to An Bord Pleanala.

Planning Application Reference Number

When a planning application is received by the Planning Authority it is validated and assigned a planning register number. The planning application must be advertised by way of a site notice, which is erected on the site for development, and in a listed newspaper.

An application must be received by the Planning Authority within 2 weeks of the newspaper notice. The site notice must be put up on or before the date the application is submitted and be kept in position, in a legible condition, for at least five weeks after its submission.

Planning application reference numbers are available on our website or by calling the Planning Office. This is a unique number and should be quoted on your submission/observation and on all correspondence regarding the application.

The planning process is an open and transparent process, and submissions/observations are placed on a public file with all other documents submitted.  This information is also placed on Waterford City & County Council’s website.

A Valid Submission/Observation


Submissions/observations on planning applications, together with the appropriate fee, must be received by the Planning Authority no later than five weeks from the date the application was received. Submissions received after that time will NOT be accepted. If you are unsure regarding the last date for making a submission, please contact the Planning Office.

To ensure your comments are taken into consideration, your submission/observation must comply with the following:

  • Any person or body may make a submission or observation on a planning application.
  • This must be made in writing to the Planning Authority or can be sent by email to planning@waterfordcouncil.ie in accordance with the Planning & Development Regulations 2001 (as amended).
  • Must be made within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the Planning Authority of the application. If the last day of this five-week period falls on a Saturday, Sunday or Public Holiday, submissions/observations can be accepted on the next working day.  Over the Christmas holiday period, the nine days from 24 December to 1 January are disregarded and these nine days are added on to the five-week period within which you must make your submission.
  • A payment of €20 must accompany the submission/observation. Payment is accepted by cash at our public counter, by can be paid by cheque or postal order made payable to Waterford City & County Council. Debit and credit card payments are accepted also. To pay the fee if making a submission by email,  please include a contact telephone number in your email for the Planning Department to call you to take the card payment over the phone.

The submission/observation must include the following:

  • the Planning Register Number
  • Your name and address
  • E-mail address/contact phone number of the person or body making the submission/observation, although not a requirement, would enable the Planning Department to contact you should any issue arise
  • indicate the address to which any correspondence relating to the application should be sent.
  • In the case of a submission/observation with multiple signatories, an acknowledgement will be sent to one signatory only, the address of which should be indicated on the submission/observation.

Ensure the above details are legible (in block capitals) and the submission/observation is also signed and dated.

Should your submission/observation comply with the above, it is acknowledged and receipted by the Planning Department. These are important documents and will be required if you wish to appeal the decision of the Planning Authority to An Bord Pleanála.

Invalid Submission


If the submission/observation does not comply, it is returned with the payment attached.

Defamation Notice


Please be aware that comments involving allegations of any kind against a named or otherwise identifiable person or organisation may be viewed as defamatory by the subject of the comments. Persons making submissions may be sued directly for any defamatory allegations in any submission and should avoid making such allegations. Any submissions made to Waterford City & County Council are made available for public inspection.

 

The Planning Authority is only concerned with issues relevant to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.  Your submission/observation must be based on planning considerations, not on personal dislikes, grievances or opinions. Planning considerations include:

  • National, Regional Plans and Government, Ministerial directives,
  • Development Plan Objectives and Policies,
  • Local Area Plan Objectives and Policies,
  • Development management considerations such as density, parking provision, traffic hazards, overlooking, effects on residential amenities or services,
  • Environmental, amenity and shopping impacts,
  • Public health
  • Other planning matters

Can I withdraw a submission/objection?


There is no mechanism in the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 (as amended) for the withdrawal of a submission/objection. You may however, make a further addition to your submission/objection, instructing the Planning Authority to disregard your original objection.

Please note that both the original submission and request for withdrawal of the submission will remain on the planning file but will then not be considered by the Planning Authority when making a decision.

What the Planning Authority does for a Valid Submission


A person or body which makes a valid submission/observation on a planning application is advised in writing:

  • When further information and/or revised plans that contain SIGNIFICANT additional data is submitted on foot of a request for further information
  • When a decision is made.  You will be provided with a copy of the decision and information regarding the appeal process to An Bord Pleánala
  • When an appeal is made to An Bord Pleánala