Council urged to ease planning restrictions during housing crisis

Some planning enforcement cases in Tipperary may be given a stay of execution, according to a local councillor.

Cllr Davy Dunne said at this month’s meeting of the local authority it was decided they may be open to consider giving people more time than an enforcement letter would previously allow.

The Sinn Fein representative says that this small victory will help anyone living in mobile homes that would have to apply for retention, or after that, An Bord Pleanala – which often results in the loss of the home.

He told Tipp FM there are scenarios where temporary planning exemptions should be made.

“A member of the public approached a Councillor about his daughter who was pregnant and had nowhere to go and wasn’t entitled to social housing because she was over the limits and couldn’t find any place to rent.

“He asked the Councillor could he put a mobile home on his land and he was told no.

“What I’m asking is that in the midst of a housing crisis is that a temporary planning exemption should have been made for that to be allowed happen – to give the girl enough time to get her finances together.”