Planning permission in Longford
Longford County Council decides planning applications in Longford. Search every Longford planning application, see recent decisions and notices, and check what to expect before you apply. This page brings Longford 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Withdrawn and invalid applications are left out.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 Longford planning decisions
The latest granted and refused applications decided by Longford County Council. Wording is trimmed and never includes applicant names.
Longford 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 | 336 | 93% |
| 2022 | 239 | 94% |
| 2023 | 289 | 94% |
| 2024 | 290 | 92% |
| 2025 | 266 | 85% |
| 2026 (so far) | 234 | 83% |
Longford planning approval rates by project type
How often each kind of project was granted in Longford 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 Longford compares with other councils
Longford ranked against all 31 planning authorities, using the last 5 years of decisions. Each strip is one council, and the highlighted one is Longford.
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 Longford take?
A planning application in Longford, week by week, using real Longford decisions.
Lodging your Longford 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
36 in 100 decided Longford applications got a request for further information. If yours does, the clock pauses until you reply.
The Longford planning decision
Half of Longford decisions without a request for more information come by week 6. With a request for more information, the middle case takes about 16 weeks. 90 in 100 decided applications are granted.
Appealing a Longford planning decision
You or anyone who commented has four weeks to appeal to An Coimisiún Pleanála. 5.6 in 100 decided Longford applications went to appeal.
Starting work after permission is granted
Permission lasts five years. For permissions granted in Longford over the last 5 years, 34 in 100 have a commencement notice on record.
Check your Longford site before you apply
The pre-planning report covers zoning, protected structures, ground conditions and every application near your address, with the decisions.
Longford County Council planning department contacts
Who to call or write to about a planning application in Longford, and when they are available.
Free pre-planning meeting
Longford 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 Longford
Nature areas, historic buildings and monuments that can limit or shape a project in Longford. The figures come from national public datasets.
- Nature areas: check
- Historic buildings: surveyed
- Monuments: recorded
- Flood risk: check floodinfo.ie
Sites inside Longford, including proposed ones. Largest: Lough Ree, Lough Ree.
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.
Longford County Council policies to know
In Longford's rural areas under strong urban influence, stronger rural areas and 'Broad Zone' areas (high amenity land around rivers, lakes and the Royal Canal), you must have strong links to the area to build a one-off house. You must have been born in the local rural area or lived there for at least 5 years, and have a functional economic or social reason to live there. The local rural area is generally within 8 km of where you were born or lived (2 km in Broad Zone areas). You must not own or have previously owned another house in the open countryside.
Source: Volume 1, Chapter 4, section 4.8.12, Policy Objective CPO 4.22 onwardsIn structurally weak rural areas the council aims to accommodate demand for permanent homes from individuals, using a more flexible approach based on sound siting and design and minimal impact on neighbours and sensitive environments. The requirement to demonstrate local housing need does not apply there.
Source: Volume 1, Chapter 4, section 4.8.12The council attaches an occupancy condition to planning permissions for individual rural housing, limiting the period to 7 years from first occupation. Housing in serviced rural villages and rural settlement clusters is promoted as an alternative to one-off housing in the open countryside, with a maximum of 4 homes per proposal in clusters.
Source: Volume 1, Chapter 4, rural housing policy objectives and CPO 4.19 to CPO 4.20From the Longford County Development Plan 2021-2027. See all the Longford development plan rules, by topic.
Is your site affected?
These figures cover the whole of Longford. 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 Longford planning decisions
Click a dot to see the decision and open the full application.
Map of recent Longford decisions
Planning applications decided in the last 12 months. Orange is granted, grey is refused.
Towns and areas in Longford
Places with the most applications in the last 5 years.
Planning a project in Longford?
Check whether you need permission before you spend anything.
Common questions about Longford planning
How do I apply for planning permission in Longford?
You apply to Longford 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 Longford?
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 Longford planning decision take?
Half of decisions without a request for more information come by week 6. 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 Longford County Council?
Yes. Longford 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 22 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.