Comhairle Chontae Chill Chainnigh

Kilkenny County Council

On 15th October 2021, the Minister of State at the Department of the Housing, Local Government and Heritage, consequent to a recommendation made to him by the Office of the Planning Regulator under section 31AM(8) of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended), notified Kilkenny County Council of his intention to issue a Direction to the Kilkenny City and County Development Plan 2021-2027.

View the adopted Kilkenny City and County Development Plan 2021-2027

Draft Direction

The Draft Direction may be inspected for a period of 2 weeks from the 29th of October 2021 at the following locations:

• Online on this website at consult.kilkenny.ie, view Materials. 
• Planning Office, Kilkenny County Council, County Hall, John Street, Kilkenny (by appointment only during normal opening hours as per Covid-19 Guidelines, restrictions and arrangements)
• by appointment at the City Library, Johns Quay, Kilkenny and all the branch Libraries (Callan, Castlecomer, Ferrybank, Graiguenamanagh, Loughboy, Thomastown, Urlingford) in the County during their normal opening hours and subject to Covid -19 restrictions and arrangements in place at the time.

The reasons for the Draft Direction are as follows:

1.  The Development Plan as made is inconsistent with Ministerial Guidelines issued under Section 28 of the Act, specifically item 2 of the Specific Planning Policy Requirement contained in the Interim Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Statutory Plans, Renewable Energy and Climate Change (July 2017), which sets out the requirement for the Planning Authority to comply with the aforementioned Specific Planning Policy Requirement under section 28(1C). In particular, the Development Plan fails to identify renewable energy targets (in megawatts) which Kilkenny can contribute in delivering its share of overall Government targets on renewable energy and climate change mitigation over the plan period.
2. The Development Plan contains conflicting objectives on renewable energy sustainable development and climate action such that the adopted Plan, without providing sufficient compensatory measures, significantly reduced the extent of the areas indicated as ‘acceptable in principle’ that were identified in the draft Development Plan as being necessary to achieve the target of 201MW required to ensure that 100% of electricity demand for Kilkenny is met from renewable sources by 2030 and to ensure consistency with the climate action plan.

III. The Development Plan has therefore not been made in a manner consistent with the recommendations of the Office of the Planning Regulator under Section 31 AM and fails to set out an overall strategy for the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

Have your Say

Written submissions or observations in respect of the Draft Direction may be made to the Planning Authority during the consultation period and these shall be taken into consideration by the Office of the Planning Regulator before it makes a recommendation to the Minister on the matter. All submissions or observations must be received no later than 5.00pm on the 12th of November 2021.  Late submissions will not be accepted.

Observation or submission can be made via the following options:

• Online on consult.kilkenny.ie, by registering and clicking "Make a submission"  
• Via email to ourplan@kilkennycoco.ie ; or
• In Writing marked “Draft Ministerial Direction to the Kilkenny City and County Development Plan” to the Planning Department, Kilkenny County Council, County Hall, John Street, Kilkenny, Co. Kilkenny R95 A39T. Observations or submissions must include the full name and address of the person(s) making the submission and where relevant, the body or organisation represented.

Kilkenny County Council will treat all personal data you may give as confidential. We will retain your data for no longer than is necessary for the purpose of this County Development Plan and in accordance with Kilkenny County Council’s Retention Policy and the relevant Data Protection legislation.

For any queries please email ourplan@Kilkennycoco.ie or phone 056 7794010.

Sean McKeown,

Director of Services,

Planning Department

Kilkenny County Council