ABSTRACT
The determination of planning applications invariably involves the weighing of conflicting interests, and each application involves an attempt by the applicant to carry out some form of development, the rights for which are vested in the State as a result of the Town and Country Planning Act (TCPA) 1947. The re-establishment of this ‘right’ by the granting of planning permission is, in many cases, contentious. The individual’s wishes have to be weighed against the broader objectives of the planning system which is designed to safeguard the needs and wishes of the general public.
