Planning permission in Mayo
Mayo County Council decides planning applications in Mayo. Search every Mayo planning application, see recent decisions and notices, and check what to expect before you apply. This page brings Mayo 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Withdrawn and invalid applications are left out.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 Mayo planning decisions
The latest granted and refused applications decided by Mayo County Council. Wording is trimmed and never includes applicant names.
Mayo 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 | 1,314 | 91% |
| 2022 | 1,173 | 93% |
| 2023 | 1,200 | 94% |
| 2024 | 1,299 | 92% |
| 2025 | 1,484 | 93% |
| 2026 (so far) | 1,031 | 94% |
Mayo planning approval rates by project type
How often each kind of project was granted in Mayo 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 Mayo compares with other councils
Mayo ranked against all 31 planning authorities, using the last 5 years of decisions. Each strip is one council, and the highlighted one is Mayo.
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 Mayo take?
A planning application in Mayo, week by week, using real Mayo decisions.
Lodging your Mayo 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
44 in 100 decided Mayo applications got a request for further information. If yours does, the clock pauses until you reply.
The Mayo planning decision
Half of Mayo decisions without a request for more information come by week 7. With a request for more information, the middle case takes about 19 weeks. 93 in 100 decided applications are granted.
Appealing a Mayo planning decision
You or anyone who commented has four weeks to appeal to An Coimisiún Pleanála. 3.2 in 100 decided Mayo applications went to appeal.
Starting work after permission is granted
Permission lasts five years. For permissions granted in Mayo over the last 5 years, 19 in 100 have a commencement notice on record.
Check your Mayo site before you apply
The pre-planning report covers zoning, protected structures, ground conditions and every application near your address, with the decisions.
Mayo County Council planning department contacts
Who to call or write to about a planning application in Mayo, and when they are available.
Free pre-planning meeting
Mayo 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 Mayo
Nature areas, historic buildings and monuments that can limit or shape a project in Mayo. The figures come from national public datasets.
- Nature areas: check
- Historic buildings: surveyed
- Monuments: recorded
- Flood risk: check floodinfo.ie
Sites inside Mayo, including proposed ones. Largest: Owenduff/Nephin Complex, Owenduff/Nephin Complex.
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.
Mayo County Council policies to know
In Mayo's rural areas under strong urban influence (around the larger towns), you must show a social or economic link to the area where you want to build. This includes farmers and their sons and daughters, relations of non-farming people who lived in the area, returning emigrants, people in farming or local employment, and people with health needs that require them to live in a particular place. The 'local rural area' includes, but is not limited to, the parish, electoral division and townlands. An occupancy clause is attached to permissions.
Source: Volume 1, Chapter 3, Objective RHO 1 and Map 3.1In rural areas not classed as under strong urban influence, there is a presumption in favour of single houses in the countryside, based on siting and design rules. The exceptions are Mayo's scenic routes, scenic views, coastal areas and lakeshores, where you must show a clear need or long-standing social link to the area, and that the house will not harm the character of the area and cannot go elsewhere.
Source: Volume 1, Chapter 3, Rural Housing Objectives, RHO 2 to RHO 4Replacing or reusing an existing house or building such as a church or schoolhouse does not need a housing-need test. Demolishing traditional rural houses is discouraged and only considered where a structural engineer shows it cannot be made sound. Extensions must suit the siting, size, design and materials of the existing house. Granny flats and similar ancillary buildings are considered on their merits under the Development Management Standards, and multi-generational housing is supported.
Source: Volume 1, Chapter 3, Rural Housing Objectives RHO 8 to RHO 12From the Mayo County Development Plan 2022-2028 (as varied). See all the Mayo development plan rules, by topic.
Is your site affected?
These figures cover the whole of Mayo. 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 Mayo planning decisions
Click a dot to see the decision and open the full application.
Map of recent Mayo decisions
Planning applications decided in the last 12 months. Orange is granted, grey is refused.
Towns and areas in Mayo
Places with the most applications in the last 5 years.
Planning a project in Mayo?
Check whether you need permission before you spend anything.
Common questions about Mayo planning
How do I apply for planning permission in Mayo?
You apply to Mayo 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 Mayo?
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 Mayo 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 Mayo County Council?
Yes. Mayo 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 19 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.