1. An application may now be made, on a temporary basis, to extend the duration of a planning permission for a house or houses that is/are not commenced subject to the following criteria being satisfied:

• The application is made before, but not earlier than 2 years before, the expiry of the permission
• not later than 6 months after the date (1st August 2025) on which Section 28 of the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2025 came into operation and
• the authority is satisfied that the development will be completed within a reasonable time.
• an environmental impact assessment or an appropriate assessment, or both of those assessments, were not required before the permission was granted, and are not required in relation to the proposed extension concerned.
• the period of extension sought does not exceed 3 years.
• In such circumstances form Section 42(1A) must be used.
• Any extension granted will cease to have effect if the development has not commenced within 18 months of Section 28 of the Act of 2025 coming into operation (within 18 months of 1^st August 2025)

2. A person who avails of an extension under subsection (1A) for un-commenced housing development cannot subsequently seek a further extension under subsection (1) (which applies to commenced development with substantial works carried out).  Subsection (4A) allows for housing development permissions already extended under subsection (1A) to be further extended by an additional period to enable the development concerned to be completed provided that:

• The application is made before, but not earlier than 2 years before, the expiry of the permission, and
• The planning authority is satisfied that:-
  – Development was commenced before the expiry of that permission’s appropriate period
  – Substantial works were carried out during that period and
  – The development will be completed within a reasonable time

• The further extension under subsection (4A) can only be availed of once and the combined duration of the extensions of the appropriate period under subsections (1A) and (4A) shall not exceed 5 years.

 3. Where an Extension of duration is sought to extend the appropriate period as regards a particular permission where substantial works have commenced the Section 42(1) form must be used. In the cases of such applications the following criteria applies:

• The application is made before, but not earlier than 1 year before, the end of the appropriate period.
• the development to which the permission relates was commenced before the expiration of the appropriate period sought to be extended,
• substantial works were carried out pursuant to the permission during that period, and
• the development will be completed within a reasonable time,
• an environmental impact assessment or an appropriate assessment, or both of those assessments, were not required before the permission was granted, and are not required in relation to the proposed extension concerned.

Applications for an Extension of Duration must be submitted to the Planning Office and accompanied by the prescribed fee (€62).