Section 33: Time and completion of development

33. Time and completion of development (1) A development permit shall lapse and shall cease to have any effect if the development to which it relates has not been physically commenced within 3 years of the date of the grant of that development permit. (2) A permit authority may, subject to subsection (3), serve a notice, to be known as a completion notice, on a person who has commenced but has not within 3 years of the date of that commencement completed a development for which he obtained planning permission, and require that person to complete that development within the time specified in the notice. (3) A completion notice shall not be issued with respect to a residential development comprising a single dwelling house, or an alteration or extension to an existing single dwelling house. (4) (a) A permit authority may, on an application made by the holder of the development permit, extend the time limits referred to in subsection (1) for a further one year period. (b) The permit authority shall give and record reasons for the grant or refusal of any such request for extension. (5) Where a completion notice has been served on a person under subsection (2) and the person on whom the notice is served does not or is unable to comply with the notice, the permit authority shall issue a make safe notice in the prescribed form. (6) Where a make safe notice has been served under subsection (5) and the person on whom the notice is served fails to comply with the notice, he shall commit an offence under this Act. (S. 33 not in operation.) P11 – 27 [Issue 1] Planning and Development Act