Planning permission in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council decides planning applications in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown. Search every Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown planning application, see recent decisions and notices, and check what to expect before you apply. This page brings Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council planning data together in one place: applications, decisions, approval rates and local rules.
Withdrawn and invalid applications are left out.
Decided in the last 5 years. Bars show applications received each year.
Half of decisions come sooner when no extra information is asked for. The legal limit is 8 weeks.
Of decided applications, the council asked for more before deciding.
Of decided applications, appealed to An Coimisiún Pleanála.
Recent Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown planning decisions
The latest granted and refused applications decided by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council. Wording is trimmed and never includes applicant names.
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown planning applications per year
Planning applications received each year, with the share that were granted. The coloured part of each bar is the share granted. The outlined bar is the year so far.
| Year | Received | Granted |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,571 | 84% |
| 2022 | 1,398 | 86% |
| 2023 | 1,311 | 92% |
| 2024 | 1,565 | 91% |
| 2025 | 1,710 | 90% |
| 2026 (so far) | 1,340 | 89% |
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown planning approval rates by project type
How often each kind of project was granted in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown over the last 5 years, compared with the whole of Ireland.
Projects are grouped automatically from each application's description, so a few fit more than one type. The marker on each bar is the rate for Ireland. Types with fewer than 30 decisions are left out.
How Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown compares with other councils
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown ranked against all 31 planning authorities, using the last 5 years of decisions. Each strip is one council, and the highlighted one is Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown.
Best on the left, rank 1 first. Councils with fewer than 100 decisions are left out. Some councils publish data in different ways, so small gaps are not meaningful.
How long does planning permission in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown take?
A planning application in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, week by week, using real Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown decisions.
Lodging your Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown planning application
The application goes in with your plans, fee and notices. The site notice goes up and the clock starts.
Neighbours can comment on your application
Anyone can make a submission in the first five weeks. Most applications draw none, but a strong objection can slow things down.
Further information requests
16 in 100 decided Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown applications got a request for further information. If yours does, the clock pauses until you reply.
The Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown planning decision
Half of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown decisions without a request for more information come by week 7. With a request for more information, the middle case takes about 19 weeks. 89 in 100 decided applications are granted.
Appealing a Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown planning decision
You or anyone who commented has four weeks to appeal to An Coimisiún Pleanála. 11.5 in 100 decided Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown applications went to appeal.
Starting work after permission is granted
Permission lasts five years. For permissions granted in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown over the last 5 years, 45 in 100 have a commencement notice on record.
Check your Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown site before you apply
The pre-planning report covers zoning, protected structures, ground conditions and every application near your address, with the decisions.
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council planning department contacts
Who to call or write to about a planning application in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, and when they are available.
Free pre-planning meeting
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council offers pre-planning consultations under Section 247 of the Planning and Development Act. Meet a planner before you apply, to hear what is likely to be accepted.
Details checked on 29 Oct 2026 from the council's own website. Spotted a change? Tell us.
Local planning restrictions in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown
Nature areas, historic buildings and monuments that can limit or shape a project in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown. The figures come from national public datasets.
- Nature areas: check
- Historic buildings: surveyed
- Monuments: recorded
- Flood risk: check floodinfo.ie
Sites inside Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, including proposed ones. Largest: Wicklow Mountains, Wicklow Mountains.
Buildings in the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. A survey is not the same as legal protection.
Sites recorded by the National Monuments Service, from ringforts to old quarries.
What this can mean for your project
Projects that could affect a Special Area of Conservation or Special Protection Area may need an appropriate assessment. This can apply even if you are outside the site.
If your home is on the Record of Protected Structures, or in an architectural conservation area, many works that are normally exempt need permission. You can ask the council for a declaration under section 57.
Applications close to a recorded monument can be referred to the National Monuments Service, which can add time and conditions.
The council may ask for a flood risk assessment in flood-prone areas. Check the official flood maps on floodinfo.ie.
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council policies to know
Front extensions are acceptable in principle if scale and design are right, but a significant break in the front building line is resisted, and a driveway length of at least 6 metres should be kept. Ground floor rear extensions are judged on length, height, closeness to boundaries and the garden left. First floor rear extensions are only permitted if there is no significant harm to neighbours. First floor side extensions that match the house are generally acceptable.
Source: Written Statement, Chapter 12, section 12.3.7.1 (i) to (iii)Dormers are judged on the character of the house and the privacy of neighbours. They should be set back from the eaves, gables and party boundaries, and set down from the ridge so they do not read as a third storey at the rear. Large, visually dominant dormers get careful scrutiny.
Source: Written Statement, Chapter 12, section 12.3.7.1 (iv)A granny flat linked to the main house is generally viewed favourably if it is smaller than the main house and can be absorbed back into it. It cannot be let or sold separately. A detached habitable room in the garden (playroom, gym, study) should be modest in size, and cannot be a granny flat or be let or sold separately from the main house.
Source: Written Statement, Chapter 12, sections 12.3.7.3 and 12.3.7.4From the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Development Plan 2022-2028. See all the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown development plan rules, by topic.
Is your site affected?
These figures cover the whole of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown. Whether a restriction applies depends on exactly where your site is. The pre-planning report checks your address.
Sources: National Parks and Wildlife Service, National Inventory of Architectural Heritage and National Monuments Service, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Policy summaries checked 29 Oct 2026. Policy summaries are plain-English guides written from council plans. They may be incomplete or out of date, and where we are not sure we say so. They are not legal advice, so please double-check anything important with the council.
Map of recent Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown planning decisions
Click a dot to see the decision and open the full application.
Map of recent Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown decisions
Planning applications decided in the last 12 months. Orange is granted, grey is refused.
Towns and areas in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown
Places with the most applications in the last 5 years.
Planning a project in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown?
Check whether you need permission before you spend anything.
Common questions about Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown planning
How do I apply for planning permission in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown?
You apply to Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council. You need the completed form, a site notice, a newspaper notice, your plans and the fee. The council must decide within eight weeks, unless it asks for more information.
Do I need planning permission in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown?
Not always. Many small projects are exempt under SI 600/2001, for example some single-storey rear extensions up to 40 square metres, subject to conditions. Our free checker screens your project in a minute.
How long does a Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown planning decision take?
Half of decisions without a request for more information come by week 7. If the council asks for more information, the clock stops until you reply, so it takes longer.
Can I book a pre-planning meeting with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council?
Yes. Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council offers free pre-planning consultations under Section 247 of the Planning and Development Act. Contact the planning department to book one before you lodge.
Applications received up to 21 Oct 2026. Sources: National Planning Application Database (DHLGH and local authorities), An Coimisiún Pleanála, National Building Control Office. Licensed under CC BY 4.0. Sources and methodology.