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Planning and Development Act 2000
Area of special amenity.
202.—(1) Where, in the opinion of the planning authority, by reason of—
(a) its outstanding natural beauty, or
(b) its special recreational value,
and having regard to any benefits for nature conservation, an area should be declared under this section to be an area of special amenity, it may, by resolution, make an order to do so and the order may state the objective of the planning authority in relation to the preservation or enhancement of the character or special features of the area, including objectives for the prevention or limitation of development in the area.
(2) Where it appears to the Minister that an area should be declared under this section to be an area of special amenity by reason of—
(a) its outstanding natural beauty, or
(b) its special recreational value,
and having regard to any benefits for nature conservation, he or she may, if he or she considers it necessary, direct a planning authority to make an order under this section in relation to an area specified in the direction and may, if he or she thinks fit, require that objectives specified in the direction be included by the planning authority in the order in respect of matters and in a manner so specified, and if the Minister gives a direction under this subsection the planning authority concerned shall comply with the direction.
(3) An order made pursuant to a direction under subsection (2) shall be revoked or amended only with the consent of the Minister.
(4) An order under this section shall come into operation on being confirmed, whether with or without modification, under section 203.
(5) Where the functional areas of two planning authorities are contiguous, either authority may, with the consent of the other, make an order under this section in respect of an area in or partly in the functional area of the other.
(6) Any order under this section may be revoked or varied by a subsequent order under this section.
(7) Subject to subsection (3), a planning authority may, from time to time, review an order made under this section (excepting any order merely revoking a previous order), for the purpose of deciding whether it is desirable to revoke or amend the order.
Annotations
Modifications (not altering text):
C338
Prospective affecting provision: transitional arrangements on repeal made by Planning and Development Act 2024 (34/2024), s. 266(12), (13), not commenced as of date of revision.
Area of special amenity
266.— …
(12) (a) An order under section 202 of the Act of 2000 made (but not confirmed under section 203 of that Act) before the repeal of that section by section 6 shall be deemed to be an order made but not confirmed under this section.
(b) An order under section 202 of the Act of 2000 that, immediately before the repeal of that section by section 6 was a special amenity area order within the meaning of that Act shall remain in force on and after that repeal and be deemed to be an order confirmed under this section.
(13) (a) Section 202 of the Act of 2000 shall continue to have effect on and after the repeal of that section by section 6 in relation to a direction given (but not complied with) under that section before such repeal, and accordingly the planning authority shall comply with the direction as soon as may be after such repeal in accordance with the said section 202.
(b) An order under section 202 of the Act of 2000 made in accordance with a direction referred to in paragraph (a) shall be deemed to be an order made, but not confirmed, under this section.
C339
Certain decisions, acts or omissions made subject to new judicial review provisions by Planning and Development Act 2024 (34/2024), s. 303A, as inserted (12.08.2026) by Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2026 (27/2026), s. 115, S.I. No. 414 of 2026, art. 2(c).
[Application of Chapter 1 to certain decisions or acts under Act of 2000
303A. (1) Subject to subsection (2), Chapter 1 shall apply to—
(a) any decision made or act done in the performance, or purported performance, of a function under the Act of 2000 by an Act of 2000 body in respect of an Act of 2000 procedure, and
(b) any alleged failure of an Act of 2000 body to perform a function referred to in paragraph (a), as it applies to a decision made or act done in the performance, or purported performance, of a function by a relevant body under this Act, or the alleged failure by a relevant body to perform such a function.
(2) Chapter 1 shall apply and have effect, in accordance with subsection (1)—
(a) as if, in subsection (1) of section 279, the following paragraph were substituted for paragraph (a):
"(a) questions the validity of any decision made or act done in the performance, or purported performance, of a function under the Act of 2000 by an Act of 2000 body in respect of an Act of 2000 procedure, or questions the alleged failure of an Act of 2000 body to perform such a function, and",
(b) as if, in subsection (2) of section 279, the following paragraphs were substituted for paragraphs (a) and (b):
"(a) question the validity of any decision made or act done in the performance, or purported performance, of a function under the Act of 2000 by an Act of 2000 body in respect of an Act of 2000 procedure, or
(b) question the alleged failure of an Act of 2000 body to perform a function referred to in paragraph (a),",
and
(c) subject to the following and any other necessary modifications:
(i) references in that Chapter to a relevant body shall be construed as references to an Act of 2000 body;
(ii) references in that Chapter to Part 9 judicial review shall be construed in accordance with section 279 as modified by paragraphs (a) and (b);
(iii) references in that Chapter to this Act shall be construed as including the Act of 2000.
(3) Proceedings commenced under Chapter 1 as it applies in accordance with this section shall not be considered to be Part 9 judicial review proceedings for the purposes of Chapter 2.
(4) In this section—
"Act of 2000 body" means a planning authority (within the meaning of the Act of 2000), a local authority (within the meaning of the Act of 2000), the Commission, or the competent authority (within the meaning of the Aircraft Noise (Dublin Airport) Regulation Act 2019);
"Act of 2000 procedure" means a procedure under the Act of 2000 (including as that Act continues to apply and have effect in accordance with this Act following the repeal of any provision of it under section 6) that is initiated on or after the operative date by— ...
(ak) an order made, amended or revoked under section 202 of the Act of 2000,
...
"operative date" means the date of the coming into operation of section 115 of the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2026.]
Editorial Notes:
E500
Making an order to declare an area to be an area of special amenity is a reserved function of local authorities as provided by Local Government Act 2001 (37/2001), ss. 131, 131A and sch. 14A part 3 item 32 as inserted (1.06.2014) by Local Government Reform Act 2014 (1/2014), s. 41(4) and sch. 3, S.I. No. 214 of 2014.