Kildare development plan
The Kildare County Development Plan 2023-2029 sets the rules Kildare County Council uses to decide planning applications. Here is what it controls, the local rules that matter to householders, and where to read the official plan.
The plan at a glance
- Plan
- Kildare County Development Plan 2023-2029
- Period
- 2023 to 2029
- Status
- Made 9 December 2022, in effect from 28 January 2023
- Checked
- 29 Oct 2026
We did not check for variations made after January 2023.
What a development plan controls
Every council has one. It is written for a set number of years and changed in steps called variations. It covers four things that matter most to a homeowner.
Every piece of land has a zoning, such as residential, town centre or agriculture. The zoning says what can be built there. An extension is usually fine in a residential zone. A new house on land zoned for agriculture usually is not, unless a rural housing rule allows it.
Outside towns and villages, the plan decides who can build a one-off house. Councils often ask for local ties, such as family land or years of living in the area, and may attach an occupancy condition.
The plan uses flood zones. New homes in Flood Zone A or B can face a justification test and a flood risk assessment. The official flood maps are on floodinfo.ie.
The plan lists protected structures and architectural conservation areas. If your home is in one, works that are normally exempt may need permission. You can ask the council for a declaration under section 57.
Key local policies in Kildare
Plain-English summaries of rules in the Kildare County Development Plan 2023-2029 that often decide a householder's project. Each one links to the council's own text.
Building a house in the countryside
Who can build a one-off rural house, and the conditions that come with it.
Kildare's rural housing policy has two zones. Zone 1 covers areas under strong urban influence, mapped from commuting to Dublin and towns such as Naas, Newbridge, Maynooth, Celbridge and Leixlip. There the council facilitates one-off houses for people with a demonstrable economic or social need to live in the area. Zone 2 covers stronger rural areas, where single houses are facilitated based on siting, environmental and design criteria. Urban-generated rural housing is not considered.
Source: Volume 1, Chapter 3, sections 3.13.1 to 3.13.3, Map 3.1, Policy HO P11Economic need means actively farming the landholding, as a farmer with more than 15 hectares held by the immediate family for at least seven years (or a child, niece or nephew taking over the farm), or as an owner-operator of a smaller farming, horticulture, forestry or similar business that is a significant part of your livelihood. Social need means you have lived in the rural area for a substantial part of your life, defined as 16 years within 5 km of the site. You must send documents to prove it.
Source: Volume 1, Chapter 3, section 3.13.3Applicants must show they do not own, and have not been granted permission for, another one-off rural house in Kildare. Occupancy of a rural house as a permanent home is restricted to the qualifying applicant for ten years. The council restricts housing on land with a history of speculative site sales to unrelated third parties.
Source: Volume 1, Chapter 3, objectives HO O43 to HO O45Summaries checked 29 Oct 2026. They are plain-English guides written from the council's plan. They may be incomplete or out of date, and a variation can change the wording. They are not legal advice, so please check anything important with the council.
How it affects your project
The plan matters most when a project needs planning permission. Many small jobs are exempt, so check that first.
Many small extensions are exempt, so the plan only counts if you need permission, or your home is protected, or an earlier permission has conditions. When permission is needed, the council checks the design against the plan, for example overlooking, daylight and the garden left. Read the extension guide.
Small sheds are often exempt. A garden room used as a separate home, or a large one close to a boundary, can need permission, and then the plan's rules on extra accommodation apply. Read the shed guide.
A new house needs land where the zoning allows it. In the countryside, the rural housing rules decide who can build. Flood zones, access and wastewater also count. See the Kildare rural housing rules. Read the new house guide.
Where to read the official plan and map
Always check the council's own copy. Plans are varied from time to time, and the zoning map is the legal record of how your land is zoned.
Check your Kildare site before you apply
The pre-planning report covers zoning, protected structures, ground conditions and every application near your address, with the decisions.
Common questions about the Kildare development plan
What is the Kildare development plan?
The Kildare County Development Plan 2023-2029 is the main planning policy document for Kildare County Council. It covers 2023 to 2029 and sets the zoning of land and the local rules the council uses when it decides planning applications.
Where can I see the zoning for my land in Kildare?
Zoning maps are part of the plan. Open the plan on the Kildare County Council website, or use the national viewer at myplan.ie, which shows zoning for councils that have supplied it. Plans can be varied between full reviews, so check the council's own copy for the latest.
Does the Kildare development plan matter if my project is exempt?
If your extension or shed is exempt development, you do not need planning permission, so the council does not assess it against the plan. The plan still matters if your home is a protected structure or in a conservation area, or if an earlier permission has conditions. Our free checker screens your project.
Can I build a house on family land in Kildare?
It depends on the rural housing rules in the plan and on exactly where the site is. Councils usually ask for proof of local ties and attach an occupancy condition. The summaries on this page show what the Kildare plan says, and the council's pre-planning meeting is the best way to test your case.
Plan details compiled from Kildare County Council's own website, source page, checked 29 Oct 2026. This page is a guide, not legal advice. Sources and methodology.