During 2024 a total of 287 new planning enforcement cases were opened following complaints made to Wexford County Council.
Legal proceedings commenced on 19 cases, 21 cases were resolved following instigation of legal proceedings, and 4 cases were successfully prosecuted during the year.
At the end of 2024, 415 planning enforcement cases were actively under investigation.
Wexford County Council has just released a Planning Enforcement Infographic. This Infographic explains how the planning enforcement process works and when enforcement action is undertaken. It highlights the extent of activity the Planning Enforcement team in Wexford County Council undertook in 2024 and over a 5-year period from 2020 to 2024.
The Planning Enforcement team in Wexford County Council carried out 339 inspections in 2024 and received and replied to 2,152 queries in the same period. A total of 437 warning letters were issued in 2024, up 18% on 2023 and 238 Enforcement Notices were issued to alleged offenders, also up 19% on 2023.
Cllr Pip Breen commented “Planning Enforcement ensures that good decisions taken at the planning application stage, are carried out according to the permission granted and that fairness applies to ensure proper development is carried out, which happens in the majority of cases. ”
The Planning Authority stated that where individuals or businesses flout the law by ignoring, or not complying with the planning legislation, Wexford County Council will take planning enforcement action.
The new enforcement report demonstrates the activity of the planning enforcement team since 2020 and progress last year, highlighting the successful outcomes throughout the process. The Planning section makes every effort to resolve planning enforcement cases before they get to court.
Warning letters issued by the council increased from 247 letters in 2020 to 437 in 2024. A warning letter is the first step in the enforcement process. A warning letter will issue to the registered owner, developer, or occupier of the land in response to a complaint of possible non-compliance with a planning permission or unauthorised development. The warning letter gives the alleged offender an opportunity to respond to the allegations within 4 weeks.
Enforcement Notices have increased from just 33 in 2020 to 238 in 2024. An Enforcement Notice is an instruction to carry out works to rectify unauthorised development or non-compliance with planning conditions. A clear instruction and timeline are provided in an Enforcement Notice to an alleged offender.
Legal proceedings have remained consistent over the 5-year period from 2020 to 2024 with between 13 and 22 cases proceeding to legal action each year during this time.
Commenting on the figures released today by the Council, Tom Banville, Senior Executive Officer, Planning Enforcement said “The Planning Enforcement figures released today as part of a detailed infographic from the Planning Department, demonstrate the enforcement action in order to ensure proper adherence to planning legislation to provide quality neighbourhoods, housing and community and economic infrastructure. The infographic provides a valuable education piece by informing the public how planning enforcement works, explains terms such as warning letter and enforcement notice and highlights the work of the enforcement team in this area. Good planning decisions are key to ensuring the proper sustainable development of our towns and villages.”
Further information on Planning Enforcement can be found on Wexford County Council website at www.wexfordcoco.ie/planning/planning-enforcement
