Land Use & Transport Planning

Planning submissions made by the National Transport Authority

National Transport Authority Planning Functions

There is a major difference in the role the National Transport Authority plays in planning terms within the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) and outside of the GDA; these are detailed below.

National Level (outside the GDA)

Regional Planning Guidelines

There are 6 regional authorities outside the Greater Dublin Area – Midland, Border, South East, South West, mid-West and West. When a regional authority intends to draw up Regional Planning Guidelines (RPGs) or to review existing guidelines, it must consult with the National Transport Authority. The National Transport Authority must assist and cooperate with the process, and must prepare a report for the regional authority on the issues it considers pertinent in making the RPG.

When a regional authority prepares the draft RPGs, it must include a statement on the action being taken or proposed to ensure effective integration of transport and land use planning, in particular,

  • A statement explaining how it proposed to address the matters identified in the report of the National Transport Authority, or
  • Where it does not propose to address or to partially address any matter identified in the report of the National Transport Authority, a statement of the reasons for that course of action.

When the regional authority seeks the written submission of the National Transport Authority on the Draft RPGs the National Transport Authority must:

  • state whether in its view, the matters raised in its report are satisfactorily addressed in the Draft RPG or not, and if not, what amendments should be made to ensure effective integration of transport and land use planning
  • send copies of a submission to the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government and to the Minister for Transport.

Greater Dublin Area (GDA)

Regional Planning Guidelines for the Greater Dublin Area

The Dublin and Mid-East Regional Authorities are the two regional authorities within the Greater Dublin Area and they are required to consult with the National Transport Authority when making regional planning guidelines.

The processes regarding early consultation, Draft RPGs and Final RPGS are the same as those set out above for regions outside the Greater Dublin Area.

However there is an additional aspect within the GDA in that the Minister for the Environment may direct the regional authorities to take measures to review the Draft RPG to ensure consistency with the Transport Strategy, which the Regional Authorities will have to comply with.

The Minister may direct the regional authorities to review the Draft RPG to provide for the effective integration of transport and land use planning, which the Regional Authorities will have to comply with.

Development Plans

Where a notice is received by the National Transport Authority from a planning authority:

  • It shall prepare and submit a report on the issues which in its opinion, should be considered in the preparation of a draft development plan
  • It shall state, in any submission on a draft development plan, whether in its view, it is consistent with the transport strategy, or if not, what amendments it considers necessary to achieve such consistency
  • As above, in any submission on the variation of a development plan.

In all cases, copies of any submissions made will be sent to the Minister for the Environment and the Minister for Transport.

Local Area Plans

Where a notice is received by the National Transport Authority from a planning authority, it shall prepare and submit a report on issues, which in its opinion, should be considered in making, amending or revoking a local area plan.

Dublin Docklands Development Authority

The DDDA is required to consult with the National Transport Authority when preparing a master plan or planning schemes and that plans or schemes are consistent with the Transport Strategy.

Grangegorman Development Agency

Grangegorman Development Agency is required to ensure that:

  • The Strategic Plan is consistent with the Authority’s transport strategy, and
  • The Authority is consulted regarding the preparation of the Draft Strategic Plan.

Other Authorities in the GDA

Dublin Airport Authority and harbour authorities in the GDA are required to obtain and consider the views of the National Transport Authority before undertaking any development that would have a significant impact on the movement of people and goods in the GDA.

Working with the Minister for the Environment in preparing Guidelines, Regulations and Directives (GDA)

The National Transport Authority may request the Minister to issue guidelines or a policy directive to a planning authority within the GDA.

The Minister will be allowed, following consultation with the National Transport Authority, to make regulations specifying classes of development (including strategic infrastructure development) for which a development would be required to submit a Traffic Impact Assessment as part of a planning application.

The Minister can also require a planning authority to ensure that a developer has demonstrated that a development is consistent with the Transport Strategy.

Transferral of Dublin Transportation Office (DTO) functions, in statutes and statutory instruments, to the National Transport Authority (NTA)

Section 107 of the Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008 states that

“References to the DTO contained, immediately before the dissolution day, in any statute or statutory instrument made under statute … shall, in so far as they relate to anything transferred by the Act to be read on or after that day as references to the Authority.”

Status of the Transport Strategy

The Transport Strategy is to be a material consideration for the regional authorities, planning authorities, An Bord Pleanála and state agencies in their development plans.

Development Management Functions (GDA)

Under section 37E(3)(c) of the 2000 Planning and Development Act [inserted by section 3 of the 2006 Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Act] and Art. 213(1)(n) of the 2006 Planning and Development Regulations [SI685 of 2006], the Dublin Transportation Office “or any body that replaces that office” is a prescribed authority for certain strategic infrastructure planning applications, including applications for gas and electricity infrastructure, State development and revisions to projects where there is likely to be a significant effect on the environment.

Planning authorities continue to be required to send notice to the DTO or any body that replaces that office (i.e. the National Transport Authority) where development might significantly impact on surface transport in the Greater Dublin Area [Article 28(1)(l) of the 2001 Planning and Development Regulations as substituted by Art. 8 of the 2006 Regulations].