Dated the 17th of June 2024
The MDA makes reference to what is being reported in the media in relation to the proposed amendment to Policy P35 and rejects all allegations that the proposed amendment intensifies development. In actual fact, the proposed amendment only seeks to clarify what was already established in the Local Plan of 2006 as followed by the DC15 document which reflects how the height of buildings is to be interpreted, i.e. in metres as opposed to floors. It is also completely untrue that Policy P35 of DC15 amends what was approved in the Local Plans established in 2006.
What is perhaps commonly misinterpreted as intensification is the situation relating to the semi-basement maisonette which is nowadays no longer permitted as there has been a shift that habitable spaces had to be built at street level. With this shift in mind, the height of the floors had to be reduced accordingly so that the height limitations established in the aforementioned local plans are respected and so the overall height of the building remains the same.
The proposed changes should provide a clearer direction for the property market, benefiting all stakeholders by ensuring consistent and predictable development guidelines. Since its inception, the MDA has consistently advocated for clear and unambiguous policies and this is because clear policies are essential for protecting the investments of property owners whose very same properties often represent their largest lifetime investments. Additionally, professionals in our industry rely on well-defined guidelines to provide accurate and reliable advice to the general public.
We commend the Planning Authority for taking this step towards greater clarity and certainty in development control policies. The MDA fully supports this amendment and looks forward to its implementation.