Request for ‘Further Information’ or ‘Clarification’

‘Further Information’ is requested if the Planning Authority consider it is necessary to gain additional information in order to make a decision on the application. The applicant must reply to each point of the request for ‘Further Information’ fully, within six months of the request being made.  However, the planning regulations allow the planning authority to agree an extension of the six month limit by a further three months.  This time can be used to permit clarification of further information to be obtained or in cases where, for various reasons, the applicant has difficulty in complying with the six month time limit.

Any request to the planning authority to agree an extension of three months should be made in writing prior to the expiry of the six month period. 

If the request for further information is not responded to fully within the six or nine month limit (if agreed), then the application is deemed withdrawn.

If the Planning Authority needs to clarify the points of Further Information submitted by the applicant in order to make a decision, it may request ‘clarification’ on some or all of the ‘further information’ submitted. The applicant must reply to the request for ‘clarification’ in full, otherwise the application is deemed withdrawn.  If the applicant makes a satisfactory reply to any or all of the above request(s) the Planning Authority  must then make a decision on the application, i.e. Grant or Refuse Permission, within 4 weeks of the date of a satisfactory response to the above request (except where an E.I.S, has been submitted, where the period extends to 8 weeks).