False complaints to Mayo planning enforcement on the rise

THERE has been an increase in the number of false complaints being made to the planning enforcement office in Mayo County Council.

Names and addresses submitted with complaints about alleged breaches of planning can be false and on occasion they are not coming from real people at all.

Last year a total of 103 complaints were lodged with the council. They are being triaged before opening a file to deal with spurious cases or those of a minor nature.

Councillors were briefed on planning enforcement in Mayo at their monthly meeting by director of services Catherine McConnell.

The unit, which has welcomed an additional executive planner, investigates unauthorised developments and notifications of non-compliance with planning permission.

Eighty-six warning letters were issued last year, up from 76 in 2024.

Their approach is to try and resolve issues, and they have had a lot of success.

A number of legacy files have built up over the last 10 years, some of which are with the council's law agent, and they are working to close them out.

Currently, there are 24 planning enforcement cases with solicitors and three are progressing to court action.

On false names, Councillor Gerry Coyle said he knew where a woman was named as an objector, living miles from where a house was being built. When checked out, it wasn't her at all and the objection was discarded.

* Published under the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme