A “build first, ask later” approach to planning is increasingly evident in Carlow and Kilkenny.
Since January 2024, 152 retention applications have been lodged in Kilkenny. One hundred and two were approved while six were refused.
In Carlow, 100 applications were submitted. Fifty-four were granted, three refused, with the remainder withdrawn, invalid or awaiting decisions.
That’s according to figures published in todays Irish Independent.
Retention permission applies to developments already built without approval, ranging from small extensions to log cabins and granny flats.
The analysis of national figures some unauthorised developments were later used for short-term letting, including Airbnbs, a use that councils have often refused.
Nationally, more than 11,000 retention applications were made in the past two years alone, highlighting growing pressure on the planning system.
