Site Notice & Newspaper Notice Generator
Every Irish planning application needs two public notices: a newspaper notice published in a paper on the council's approved list, and a site notice erected at the entrance to the site. Both must be dated no more than 2 weeks before you lodge the application, and the site notice must stay up and legible for 5 weeks after it is received.
Enter your application details once and get both notices, worded to the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, ready to print and publish.
How to publish planning notices in Ireland
- 1
Write both notices
The site notice and the newspaper notice must name the applicant, state the type of permission sought, describe the nature and extent of the development, and give the location. The wording must match the description on the application form.
- 2
Publish the newspaper notice
Publish in a newspaper on your planning authority's approved list. A local free-sheet that is not on the list will invalidate the application. Keep the full page showing the newspaper title and the date of publication.
- 3
Erect the site notice
Put the notice on or near the main entrance to the site, readable from the public road, on durable material such as laminated paper on a board. If a site notice was erected on the same land in the previous 6 months, this one must be on a yellow background.
- 4
Lodge within 2 weeks
The application must reach the planning authority within 2 weeks of the notices, counting the day of publication as day one. Miscounting this is one of the most common reasons applications are declared invalid.
- 5
Leave the site notice up for 5 weeks
The site notice must stay in place and legible for the 5-week public consultation period from the date the application is received, excluding 24 December to 1 January. Councils do check.
What a site notice must contain
Article 19 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 sets out the required content. A notice missing any of these is invalid:
| Element | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Planning authority | Named at the head of the notice |
| Applicant | The name of the applicant, not the agent or architect |
| Type of permission | Permission, retention, outline, or permission consequent on outline (with its reference) |
| Description | The nature and extent of the development, including the number of houses, the use and period for retention, and an indication if a protected structure or an EIAR is involved |
| Location | The townland or postal address of the land |
| Statutory paragraph | That the application may be inspected or purchased, and that a submission may be made on payment of €20 within 5 weeks |
| Signature and date | Signed by the applicant or agent, with the date of erection |
The rules that invalidate applications
- ⚠Publish the newspaper notice in a newspaper on your planning authority's approved list -- a local free-sheet that isn't on the list will invalidate the application.
- ⚠Keep the FULL newspaper page showing the newspaper name and date of publication -- it must be submitted with the application.
- ⚠Lodge the application within 2 weeks of the notices, and count the DAY OF PUBLICATION as day one -- miscounting this is a common cause of invalidation (if day 14 falls on a weekend or holiday, the next open day is allowed).
- ⚠The description must state certain facts where they apply: the NUMBER of houses for housing development, the proposed USE (and period) for retention, and an indication if an Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) has been prepared -- Article 18(1)(d) of the Regulations.
- ⚠Erect the site notice on or near the main entrance to the land, readable from the public road, on durable material.
- ⚠The site notice must remain in place, legible, for 5 weeks from the date the application is received (the period 24 December to 1 January is excluded).
- ⚠If a site notice was erected on this land for another application in the past 6 months, this site notice must be printed on a YELLOW background.
- ⚠The description of development in the site notice, newspaper notice, and application form must be consistent -- discrepancies are a common reason applications are declared invalid.
Frequently asked questions
What size does a site notice have to be in Ireland?
The notice must be on durable material, and the text must be legible from the public road. Most planning authorities require an A4 notice as a minimum, and many recommend A3 for a site set back from the road. Check your council's own site notice form, as several specify a size.
How long does a planning site notice have to stay up?
5 weeks from the date the planning authority receives the application, excluding 24 December to 1 January. It must remain legible for that whole period. If it is removed, damaged or faded, the council can require it to be re-erected and the consultation period restarted.
When does a site notice have to be yellow in Ireland?
When a site notice was erected on the same land in connection with another planning application in the previous 6 months. In that case the new notice must be printed on a yellow background so the public can tell the applications apart.
How long after the newspaper notice can I lodge the application?
Within 2 weeks, counting the date of publication as day one. If the fourteenth day falls on a weekend, a public holiday, or a day the council offices are closed, the application is valid if it is received on the next day the offices are open.
What happens if the site notice is wrong?
The planning authority declares the application invalid and returns it with the fee. You must then publish a fresh newspaper notice, erect a fresh site notice, and start again. Notice errors are the single most common cause of invalid applications in Ireland.
Next steps
Work through the pre-submission checklist before you lodge, estimate your costs with the fee calculator, and read the full application guide. Not sure you need permission at all? Try the exemption checker first.
