Planning and Development Act 2024

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Obligation to prepare strategy for conservation, etc., of natural and built heritage

50. (1) A planning authority shall prepare a strategy for the conservation, protection, management and improvement of the natural, archaeological and built heritage and landscape in the functional area of the planning authority.

(2) The strategy shall include objectives for the conservation, protection, management and improvement of—

(a) European sites and the Natura 2000 network in accordance with the Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive (including objectives to encourage the management of the features of the landscape that are of major importance for wild flora and fauna in accordance with Article 10 of the Habitats Directive),

(b) biodiversity in accordance with the EU Biodiversity Strategy and the National Biodiversity Action Plan including in particular the protection of trees, groups of trees or other features of ecological significance,

(c) an area designated as a natural heritage area under section 18 of the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000 ,

(d) any—

(i) monuments or wrecks as defined by or designated under the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014, and

(ii) monuments, archaeological objects or historic objects as defined by, designated under or otherwise protected under the Historic and Archaeological Heritage and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 ,

(e) World Heritage Properties, having due regard to the reasons for the inscription of the property on the World Heritage List under Article 11 of the World Heritage Convention,

(f) World Heritage candidate sites,

(g) archaeological sites,

(h) any architectural conservation area,

(i) any structures, or parts of structures, which are of special architectural, historical, archaeological, artistic, cultural, scientific, social or technical interest,

(j) places, caves, sites, features and other objects of archaeological, geological, historical, scientific or ecological interest,

(k) landscapes, views and prospects in a manner consistent with the strategy referred to in paragraph (m) of subsection (1) of section 29 and having due regard to any framework of any Minister or the Government for the management and planning of landscapes developed having regard to the European Landscape Convention done at Florence on 20 October 2000,

(l) places and features of natural beauty or interest, and

(m) such other land, or such other things relating to the natural, archaeological or built heritage, as may be prescribed.

(3) In this section—

“EU Biodiversity Strategy” means the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and associated action plan (Annex) or any document published by the European Commission which amends or replaces that strategy or associated plan;

“World Heritage candidate site” means a property included in the most recent inventory submitted on behalf of the State to the World Heritage Committee in accordance with Article 11 of the World Heritage Convention;

“World Heritage Convention” means the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage done in Paris on 23 November 1972;

“World Heritage Property” means a property included in the World Heritage List under Article 11 of the World Heritage Convention and which is situated in the State.