Short term let legislation could lead to a tsunami of planning applications - Ní Mhurchú

Cynthia Ní Mhurchú has warned that impending legislation on short terms lets could lead to a tsunami of applications that could overwhelm the planning departments of local authorities across the country 

If even one third of the 30,000 estimated short term lets in Ireland apply to retain their short term rentals - our planning system will be overwhelmed. 

Cynthia Ní Mhurchú has called on the government to clarify what contingency plans have been put in place to ensure that our local authority planning departments can cope in the event that even one third of the estimated 30,000 short term lets are forced to apply for planning permission under the upcoming Registration of Short Term Tourist Letting Bill, which is due to go before an Oireachtas committee in the coming months. 

“Fáilte Ireland estimates that there are 30,000 short term lets in the country. If even one third of those apply for planning to continue as a short term let, the planning system will be overwhelmed with 10,000 extra applications at a time when we need it to be approving new housing. Separately, the planning bill, published last November, is still at committee stage. Whether they get planning or not is a mute point. The very processing of these permissions will put unbearable pressure on a planning system that is already bogged down in red tape and objections”

Cynthia Ní Mhurchú described the communication around the bill as chaotic as there is general confusion amongst short term let owners across the country on the question of whether they will be expected to apply for planning permission to retain their short term tourist lettings, under proposed legislation.  The new Bill would require those advertising short term letting to register with Fáilte Ireland. Ní Mhurchú recently met with several groups of these tourism providers who are looking for clarity around the requirement to apply for planning permission as part of the register. 

The Short Term Tourist Letting Bill is currently under consideration following the successful passing of the EU Regulation for Short Term Rentals in the European Parliament. 

Whilst Ní Mhurchú welcomed the regulation of short term lets, she has asked for clarification as to what will happen to our planning system in the event that we received a further 10,000 planning applications, or more, in a very short period of time. 

“We are hearing that short term let owners will have an interim period of 6 months to obtain planning permission after they sign up for a Failte Ireland register of approved short term lets. The short term let owners that I have spoken to all plan on applying for retention permission. I am now calling on Minister Catherine Martin to work with her colleagues in government and clarify what will happen if we received 10,000 extra planning permissions from short term lets within a 6 month window and what provisions have been put in place to manage this?” 

ENDS