What are Regional Planning Guidelines?

Regional Planning Guidelines consider the statutory obligations of all local authorities in the region, all relevant policies and objectives of the Government, including in particular any national plans, policies or strategies specified by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government as relevant to the determination of strategic planning policies. They set 12 to 20-year strategic policy that should be considered by local authorities in their development plans. Regional Planning Guidelines are NOT for considering site specific issues, as that is the role of the LOCAL authority development plans.

"Strategic" refers to those policy directions which transcend the boundaries of individual planning authorities and which relate to the role of the region in delivering the National Spatial Strategy. These strategic policies will in turn be translated into policies and objectives in City and County Development Plans. In order to retain a strategic focus, Regional Planning Guidelines will not become involved in detailed issues that are properly the concern of such development plans and of the local authorities.

The existing Regional Planning Guidelines are under review and the Draft Regional Planning Guidelines 2010 are currently out for public consultation.

Download: Regional Planning Guidelines 2004