The Role of Development Plans in the Planning System

Development plans set out how future development will be accommodated in the plan area over the plan period within the overarching strategic framework provided by the Regional Development Strategy (RDS). Currently these are prepared by the Department's local area planning offices but it is intended that development plan preparation will fall to local government upon the broader transfer of planning functions. Development plans have a significant bearing on the location and form of development and it is anticipated that their influence in this regard will increase with the introduction of a plan led system as part of broader planning reform.