Environmental and Planning

Planning Law

This is a specialist area of law which concerns planning applications, appeals against grants of planning permission or individual conditions attached to same and applications to Court for planning injunctions and judicial review.

We have acted for individuals, residents groups and companies both as appellants and respondents in respect of appeals to An Bord Pleanála and Court Applications.

A grant of planning permission is required for all development and the change of use of a property save where exempted under statute.

The term ‘development’ is very narrowly defined under legislation and it is important to confirm that a development or the change of use is exempted from having to obtain planning permission.

It is important to ensure that a grant of planning permission is obtained where required in advance of carrying out any development. If planning permission is required and not obtained the development or use is unauthorised and the owner may be subject to very onerous fines and penalties and may be subject to Court proceedings.

Environmental Law

Areas of concern in environmental law include air quality, water quality, global climate change, agriculture, biodiversity, species protection, pesticides and hazardous chemicals, waste management, remediation of contaminated land and brown fields, smart growth, sustainable development, impact review, and conservation, stewardship and management of public lands and natural resources.

Nearly all Environmental Law in Ireland has been transcribed from European Law and whilst a separate area of law often crosses into Planning Law in areas such as Environmental Impact Statements and in matters arising in infrastructural developments.

For all Planning or Environmental Law queries please do not hesitate to contact our offices at (01)8728233 or by e-mail at bg@bowlergeraghty.ie