Make an Observation on a SHD Application (Members of the Public)

Before making an observation

What is Strategic Housing Development?

Strategic Housing Developments (SHD) are applications that go directly to An Bord Pleanála for decision. These decisions cannot be appealed. Some of the types of application under strategic housing developments are:

(a) 100 or more houses	The development of 100 or more houses on land which is zoned in the local development plan for residential use. Land may also be zoned for a mixture of residential and other uses.
(b) Student accommodation units	The development of student accommodation units which would contain 200 or more bed spaces. The proposed site is zoned to allow student accommodation in a City Development Plan, or County Development Plan, or City and County Development Plan. The zone may also allow a mixture of student accommodation and other uses on a site.
(c) Mixed development of housing and student accommodation	Development that includes a mix of houses and student accommodation.
(d) Alteration of existing permission from a planning authority	An applicant received planning permission from a local planning authority for a development under section 34 of the Planning and Development Acts. The applicant now wishes to make changes to the development. The changes will now mean the revised development falls into categories (a), (b) or (c) and an application for the change must be made to An Bord Pleanála. For example: a development was granted permission for 96 homes. The developer now wishes to build 5 further homes making a total of 101 homes on the site.
(e) Alteration of existing permission from An Bord Pleanála	An applicant received planning permission from An Bord Pleanála for a development under the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016. The applicant now wishes to make changes to the development.

How will I know when an application is made?

Before an applicant submits a SHD application to An Bord Pleanála, they must do two things:

Publish a newspaper notice about the proposed development. The newspaper must circulate in the local area.
Put up a public site notice at the site of the proposed development.

Both the newspaper notice and site notice should give the location of the application and describe the proposed development. The notices should also inform the public of the times and places where the application can be viewed free of charge.

Where can I see or get copies of the application?

There are two ways you can see or get copies of the application.

A website where the application can be viewed

The applicant must provide a website where the public can view the application. You can find the website address on the newspaper notice and on the site notice. The notices will provide information on how the public can make an observation to An Bord Pleanála about the application. The website must be kept live and available to the public for at least eight weeks after An Bord Pleanála's decision.

Hard copies at An Bord Pleanála's office and local planning authority's office

The applicant must give paper copies of the application to An Bord Pleanála and the local planning authority. The applications can be viewed at An Bord Pleanála's office and the local planning authority's office free of charge. You can also buy a copy of the application for a specified fee. The fee depends on the number and format of the pages in the application documents.

If an Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) is submitted with the application, you can view and buy a copy of it at An Bord Pleanála's office and the local planning authority's offices.

Can I see or get copies of the pre-application consultation file?

Yes. However, before we can make the case file available to the public, two steps need to happen:

The pre-application consultations have finished with the Board issuing an Opinion.
The applicant has made a valid application to An Bord Pleanála.

When these steps are taken, you can view these decided case files by using our public access service. You can find details on our website. The case file will contain the records of any meetings between An Bord Pleanála and the prospective applicant held during the pre-application consultation process.

Can I see or get copies of the scoping case file?
Yes. However, before we can make these documents available to the public, two steps need to happen.

The scoping case has finished with the Board issuing an Opinion.
The applicant has made a valid application to An Bord Pleanála.

Before making an observation

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