Planning permission in Meath
Meath County Council decides planning applications in Meath. Search every Meath planning application, see recent decisions and notices, and check what to expect before you apply. This page brings Meath 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Withdrawn and invalid applications are left out.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 Meath planning decisions
The latest granted and refused applications decided by Meath County Council. Wording is trimmed and never includes applicant names.
Meath 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 | 2,290 | 82% |
| 2022 | 1,679 | 84% |
| 2023 | 1,619 | 88% |
| 2024 | 1,580 | 86% |
| 2025 | 1,592 | 90% |
| 2026 (so far) | 1,366 | 83% |
Meath planning approval rates by project type
How often each kind of project was granted in Meath 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 Meath compares with other councils
Meath ranked against all 31 planning authorities, using the last 5 years of decisions. Each strip is one council, and the highlighted one is Meath.
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 Meath take?
A planning application in Meath, week by week, using real Meath decisions.
Lodging your Meath 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 Meath applications got a request for further information. If yours does, the clock pauses until you reply.
The Meath planning decision
Half of Meath decisions without a request for more information come by week 8. With a request for more information, the middle case takes about 22 weeks. 87 in 100 decided applications are granted.
Appealing a Meath planning decision
You or anyone who commented has four weeks to appeal to An Coimisiún Pleanála. 5.1 in 100 decided Meath applications went to appeal.
Starting work after permission is granted
Permission lasts five years. For permissions granted in Meath over the last 5 years, 41 in 100 have a commencement notice on record.
Check your Meath site before you apply
The pre-planning report covers zoning, protected structures, ground conditions and every application near your address, with the decisions.
Local planning restrictions in Meath
Nature areas, historic buildings and monuments that can limit or shape a project in Meath. The figures come from national public datasets.
- Nature areas: check
- Historic buildings: surveyed
- Monuments: recorded
- Flood risk: check floodinfo.ie
Sites inside Meath, including proposed ones. Largest: River Boyne and River Blackwater, Lough Sheelin.
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.
Meath County Council policies to know
Meath sorts the countryside into Area 1 (rural areas under strong urban influence, the commuter belt and areas near towns), Area 2 (strong rural areas, along a spine from Kells to Oldcastle plus Athboy and Slane) and Area 3 (low development pressure areas, mostly the north-west, west and south-west). In Areas 1 and 2, houses must meet the housing needs of people who are an intrinsic part of the rural community. In Area 3, demand for permanent homes is accommodated as it arises, subject to good design, location and protection of landscapes and sensitive areas.
Source: Chapter 9, section 9.3, Policies RD POL 1 to RD POL 6Qualifying people include those significantly involved in farming (including taking over a family farm), people with significant work in bloodstock, equine, forestry, agri-tourism or horticulture who need to live nearby, people who lived in rural areas as part of the established community for more than five years and who do not have another house, people originally from the area in unacceptable housing with close family ties to a rural resident of at least ten years, returning emigrants, rural teachers and other rural workers, and people with exceptional health needs backed by medical evidence.
Source: Chapter 9, section 9.4The council attaches an occupancy condition to one-off rural dwellings, restricting use to the applicant as a permanent home for 7 years from first occupation. This does not apply in Area 3 (low development pressure areas). In rural nodes, housing is reserved for people who have been rural residents for at least 5 years, and the node must be within 12 km of their current home.
Source: Chapter 9, section 9.5.3, Policies RD POL 7 and RD POL 8From the Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027 (as varied). See all the Meath development plan rules, by topic.
Is your site affected?
These figures cover the whole of Meath. 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 Meath planning decisions
Click a dot to see the decision and open the full application.
Map of recent Meath decisions
Planning applications decided in the last 12 months. Orange is granted, grey is refused.
Towns and areas in Meath
Places with the most applications in the last 5 years.
Planning a project in Meath?
Check whether you need permission before you spend anything.
Common questions about Meath planning
How do I apply for planning permission in Meath?
You apply to Meath 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 Meath?
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 Meath planning decision take?
Half of decisions without a request for more information come by week 8. 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 Meath County Council?
Yes. Meath 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.