A Large Scale Residential Development (LRD) is a developments of 100 housing units or more, or student accommodation developments comprising 200 bed spaces or more, or a combination of same.

The new LRD arrangements allow for:

• Up to 30% of the gross floor space of the proposed development to be for non-residential development,
• Mixed developments combining housing and student accommodation to be classified as an LRD where the threshold is met for either element.

LRD applications are restricted to residential zoned lands and do not apply to lands designated as Strategic Development Zones. Any other uses proposed within the development are required to be compliant with the Land Use zoning objectives designated by the Development Plan.

The LRD application process generally consist of 4 stages- 

• Stage 1 - Pre Application S247 Consultation
• Stage 2 - LRD Meeting with Planning Authority
• Stage 3 - LRD Opinion
• Stage 4 - Submission of LRD Application

Pre-Planning

Proposed developments meeting the definition of Large-scale Residential Development (See Section 2 of the Planning and Development (Amendment) (Large-scale Residential Development) Act 2021) are required to engage in Pre Planning consultation under Section 247 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) and subsequently request a ‘LRD Meeting’ with the Planning Authority under Section 32 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended).

Pre-Planning Consultation

The Planning Authority requires the prospective applicant to complete the LRD Form 18 - Form of request to Wicklow County Council to enter into consultations in relation to a proposed Large-scale Residential Development’,  to initiate a Section 247 consultation. In addition, the Planning Authority welcomes the submission of design concepts, alternatives considered, details of the proposal and policy rationale as part of the pre planning submission. No fee is required to be paid to the Local Authority at this stage.

LRD Meeting

After prospective LRD applicants have completed a section 247 meeting, they may request an ‘LRD meeting’ with that local authority. Following the receipt of LRD consultation request, the Planning Authority is required to facilitate a consultation meeting with the applicant within 4 weeks of the date receipt of such a request.

Please note that a request for a LRD Meeting shall be in on the Form 18 and be accompanied by the appropriate fee of €1,500 and include where appropriate and to the extent possible — 

1. the name and address of the prospective LRD applicant
2. a site location map sufficient to identify the land on which the proposed development would be situated,
3. a brief description of the nature and purpose of the proposed development and of its possible effects on the environment,
4. a draft layout plan of the proposed development,
5. a brief description of any proposals to provide for water services infrastructure, including, in the case where it is proposed to connect the proposed development to a public water or wastewater network or both, evidence that Irish Water has confirmed that it is feasible to provide the appropriate service or services and that the relevant network or networks have the capacity to service the proposed development,
6. details of any consultations that have taken place with prescribed bodies or the public,
7. such other information, drawings or representations as the prospective LRD applicant may wish to provide or make available,
8. a statement setting out how the proposed LRD has had regard to the relevant objectives of the development plan or local area plan in whose area or areas the proposed LRD would be situated, and
9. a brief description of the proposed numbers and types of houses or numbers of student accommodation units and bedspaces, or both, as appropriate, and their design, including proposed gross floor spaces, internal floor areas and principle dimensions, housing density, plot ratio, site coverage, building heights, proposed layout and aspect;
10. a brief description of proposed public and private open space provision, landscaping, play facilities, pedestrian permeability, vehicular access and parking provision, where relevant;
11. a brief description of the proposed provision of ancillary services, where required, including child care facilities;
12. where relevant, any other proposed use in the development, the zoning of which facilitates such use, including the proposed gross floor space for each such use;
13. a brief description of any proposals to address or, where relevant, integrate the proposed development with surrounding land uses;
14. a description of the capacity of existing or planned infrastructure to serve the proposed development, of the impact of the proposed development on existing /planned infrastructure and of any proposals to provide for other services infrastructure (including cabling such as broadband provision) and any phasing proposals;
15. a brief description of proposals under Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000, where relevant;
16. details of protected structures, national monuments or other monuments included in the Record of Monuments and Places, where relevant;
17. details of traffic and transport assessment where relevant and of traffic, cycle and pedestrian safety;
18. details relating to residential amenity including the assessment of sunlight, daylight, shadow, overlooking and overbearance, where relevant; for existing properties and proposed residential units;
19. flood risk, risk of major accident and ecological impacts;
20. where the prospective applicant is not the owner of the land concerned, the written consent of the owner to make an application under section 34 of the Act in respect of that land;

LRD Opinion

Following the LRD Meeting, there is a period of 4 weeks for the planning authority to issue an LRD opinion on whether the proposals constitute a reasonable basis for submitting a planning application on the LRD proposals. This LRD opinion is valid for 6 months.

LRD Application

A Planning Application for an LRD should be made on the Wicklow County Council's Planning Application Form, and it must be accompanied by an additional Form 19.  The application must be submitted within 6 months of receipt of an LRD opinion.  The developer must make the application documentation available for public viewing on a dedicated website set up for this purpose, this for the purpose of enhancing transparency and public participation in the LRD process.

LRD Appeal

Planning Authority decisions relating to LRD applications can be appealed directly to An Bord Pleanala.

Legislative Basis for LRD

The Large-scale Residential Development (LRD) process was introduced on 17th December 2021 to replace the Strategic Housing Development (SHD) process.  This restores the two-stage planning process, with decision making for LRD applications returning to the local planning authority in the first instance, with the subsequent right of appeal to An Bord Pleanála.

The Circular below outlines the process which applies to LRD applications.

Circular PL 13-2021 Large-scale Residential Development Act and Regulations 2021

Application Forms for LRD

Application Forms for LRD