Planning permission in Fingal
Fingal County Council decides planning applications in Fingal. Search every Fingal planning application, see recent decisions and notices, and check what to expect before you apply. This page brings Fingal County Council planning data together in one place: applications, decisions, approval rates and local rules.
Withdrawn and invalid applications are left out.
Our Fingal data runs to 8 Sept 2026. Newer applications and decisions are not on this page yet, so the figures below describe the period up to that date. For anything more recent, search the official council register.
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 Fingal planning decisions
The latest granted and refused applications decided by Fingal County Council. Wording is trimmed and never includes applicant names.
Fingal 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 | 1,538 | 85% |
| 2022 | 1,340 | 82% |
| 2023 | 1,326 | 81% |
| 2024 | 1,732 | 82% |
| 2025 | 1,768 | 78% |
| 2026 (so far) | 1,146 | 78% |
Fingal planning approval rates by project type
How often each kind of project was granted in Fingal 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 Fingal compares with other councils
Fingal ranked against all 31 planning authorities, using the last 5 years of decisions. Each strip is one council, and the highlighted one is Fingal.
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 Fingal take?
A planning application in Fingal, week by week, using real Fingal decisions.
Lodging your Fingal 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
24 in 100 decided Fingal applications got a request for further information. If yours does, the clock pauses until you reply.
The Fingal planning decision
Half of Fingal decisions without a request for more information come by week 7. With a request for more information, the middle case takes about 17 weeks. 81 in 100 decided applications are granted.
Appealing a Fingal planning decision
You or anyone who commented has four weeks to appeal to An Coimisiún Pleanála. 11.0 in 100 decided Fingal applications went to appeal.
Starting work after permission is granted
Permission lasts five years. For permissions granted in Fingal over the last 5 years, 43 in 100 have a commencement notice on record.
Check your Fingal site before you apply
The pre-planning report covers zoning, protected structures, ground conditions and every application near your address, with the decisions.
Fingal County Council planning department contacts
Who to call or write to about a planning application in Fingal, and when they are available.
Free pre-planning meeting
Fingal 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 Fingal
Nature areas, historic buildings and monuments that can limit or shape a project in Fingal. The figures come from national public datasets.
- Nature areas: check
- Historic buildings: surveyed
- Monuments: recorded
- Flood risk: check floodinfo.ie
Sites inside Fingal, including proposed ones. Largest: Howth Head, Lambay Island.
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.
Fingal County Council policies to know
The council supports extending homes as family needs change, but extensions must protect neighbours' sunlight, daylight and privacy and respect the character of the house. Front extensions should not dominate the house, and significant breaks in the building line are resisted. 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: Consolidated Written Statement, Chapter 14, section 14.10.2Dormers are judged on the character of the house, the privacy of neighbours and their visual impact from streets. They should be set back from the eaves, gables and party boundaries, and set down from the ridge so they do not dominate the roof.
Source: Consolidated Written Statement, Chapter 14, section 14.10.2.5A family flat for a close relative must be subsidiary to the main house, no more than 75 sq. m inside, entered through the main house (own-door access only to the side or rear if unavoidable), and the garden cannot be divided. It must be able to be absorbed back into the house later. Garden rooms (study, gym, playroom) should be modest in size and cannot provide residential accommodation.
Source: Consolidated Written Statement, Chapter 14, sections 14.10.3 and 14.10.4For houses in the Fingal countryside, extensions of a reasonable or modest size may be acceptable if they respect the character, scale and proportions of the house, services are available and the visual amenity of the area is protected.
Source: Consolidated Written Statement, Chapter 14, section 14.12.13From the Fingal Development Plan 2023-2029 (as varied). See all the Fingal development plan rules, by topic.
Is your site affected?
These figures cover the whole of Fingal. 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 Fingal planning decisions
Click a dot to see the decision and open the full application.
Map of recent Fingal decisions
Planning applications decided in the last 12 months. Orange is granted, grey is refused.
Towns and areas in Fingal
Places with the most applications in the last 5 years.
Planning a project in Fingal?
Check whether you need permission before you spend anything.
Common questions about Fingal planning
How do I apply for planning permission in Fingal?
You apply to Fingal 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 Fingal?
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 Fingal 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 Fingal County Council?
Yes. Fingal 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 8 Sept 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.