Services

Pre-Planning Consultations

What is a Pre-Planning Consultation?

Any person who has an interest in land and who intends to make a planning application to Cork City Council may in accordance with Section 247 of the Planning Act request a pre-planning consultation with a planning officer of the Development Management Section regarding his / her development proposal.  The planning authority must advise the potential applicant on:

What procedures are involved in considering a planning application e.g. requirements in relation to Protected Structures; the need for an Environmental Impact Assessment or IPPC licence in certain cases; relevant planning guidelines; implications of Building Control legislation including access for the disabled and fire safety; Seveso site implications

• Requirements of the planning application regulations e.g. site and newspaper notices, documentation required including maps, drawings, and EIS when required
• Relevant objectives of the Cork City Development Plan or Local Area Plans where applicable or other relevant background information.

How Do I Arrange a Pre-Planning Consultation?

In most instances the pre-planning consultation will be in the form of a face to face meeting with the area planner (see attached list) who should be contacted either by phone or by e-mail to arrange same. Subject to resources and work pressures generally requests for a pre-planning consultation will be arranged within 2-3 weeks.

There may be instances where both the applicant and the City Council are agreeable to carry out such a consultation without a face to face meeting either by telephone or by e-mail correspondence e.g. to offset long-distance travel.

Details You Should Submit

In order to try to ensure that the consultation will be productive the applicant should try to ensure that a minimum level of documentation is available at the pre-planning consultation i.e. map / basic drawings.  The planner in arranging the consultation can advise the applicant if the documentation should be forwarded in advance of the meeting.

Keeping a Record of the Consultation

Section 247 of the Planning Act requires that the planning authority keeps a written record of the pre-planning consultation and that this record is retained and placed on the planning file in the event of a subsequent application.  Where the applicant or his / her agent submits their own account of the consultation, this shall also be kept for the planning file.

It should be noted that the carrying out of a pre-planning consultation cannot, however, prejudice the performance by the City Council of any of its functions under the Planning Act including the determination by it of any subsequent planning application.

Relevant Planners for Pre-Planning Consultations:-

City Centre

Dominic O’Briain (SEP) 021 4924732 dominic_obriain@corkcity.ie  

South Side

Kevin O’Connor (SEP) 021 4924715 kevin_oconnor@corkcity.ie

Erin O'Brien (EP) 021 4924313 erin_obrien@corkcity.ie

Brigh Ryan (AP) 021 4924100 brigh_ryan@corkcity.ie  

North Side

Lucy Teehan (SEP) 021 4924349 lucy_teehan@corkcity.ie