Bill contains measures to cut planning appeal delays

An Bord Pleanala is to be given new powers to meet in divisions - in effect, to divide into several smaller boards - to tackle the planning appeals backlog, according to a provision in the Planning and Development Bill, published this week.

Under the terms of the Bill, which is to be introduced by the Minister for the Environment in the coming Dail session, the number of board members may also be increased where the number of appeals before it justifies the appointment of additional members.

The board will now comprise six full-time members and a chairman, an increase of one full-time member. In addition, the Minister says he intends to exercise his new power to appoint an additional 10 members to the board to assist in clearing the backlog of appeals.

To facilitate the division of the board the quorum is to be set at three members.

The new Bill also sets out the procedures under which the power to make compulsory purchase orders is to be transferred from the Minister to An Bord Pleanala.

Other changes affect the way the board processes appeals from third parties. For example, no appeals by third parties will be entertained unless those involved have first made their objections known to the relevant local authority and paid a fee of £20. At present, such submissions are free.

The board will have the power to decide to dismiss appeals if it considers they are vexatious or are designed to blackmail developers.

It will also have the power to require a party or parties, or a local authority, to pay the costs of an appeal.

There are also small changes in the nominating panels for membership of the board. There will be five panels, comprising professional organisations and organisations dealing with conservation and preservation and economic development, and organisations representing the interests of local government and social interests, trades unions or rural and local development partnerships.