Planning Authority extends scheme for owners to regularise property

The Planning Authority has decided to extend the regularisation scheme by a further year without increasing the applicable rates for doing so.

The scheme, which was launched in August 2016, aims to facilitate the sale of properties which were idle on the market due to irregularities and illegalities which were not sanctionable. 

"Over the past three years, the Planning Authority has received over 13,000 submissions from owners who wished to regularise their non-sanctionable property. Of these, just under 12,000 submissions got validated resulting in nearly €29 million in revenue through this scheme alone," the PA said in a statement on Wednesday. 

It added that the majority of monies collected from this scheme, up to 70%, are utilised for community schemes such as the Irrestawra Darek grant scheme. 20% is allocated towards the Development Planning Fund, to be utilised by localities in community improvement projects, the PA claimed.

The scheme only applies if a property is located entirely within the development boundaries and appears in the Authority’s aerial photos of 2016 or before. The illegality cannot be creating an injury to amenity and the use of the building must be according to current policies.

"Property owners who wish to regularise their non-sanctionable property in the coming 12 months will not be charged a surcharge of 25% as is prescribed in Legal Notice 285/16. Following the overwhelming response in applications received over the past three years, the Planning Authority decided to retain the applicable rate for a further year, giving owners the chance to benefit from this opportunity," the PA said.