How long does data-centre planning take in Ireland?
Across all new-build applications, a council decision takes a median of 2 months. An appeal to An Coimisiún Pleanála adds a median of 15.2 months. From application to a completion certificate on the first main building takes about 3.1 years.
Before and after November 2021
| Before 23 Nov 2021 | Since | |
|---|---|---|
| New-build applications | 69 | 16 |
| Appealed | 13% | 69% |
| Further information requested | 43% | 69% |
| Refused | 3% | 25% |
| Median appeal, months | 10.5 | 23.5 |
| Median lodged to final decision, months | 2.1 | 15.3 |
| Median grant to first commencement notice, months | 4.2 | 7.3 |
Split by lodgement date. The "since" group is small (16 applications; 7 decided appeals), so read the percentages as direction, not precision.
Fewer projects are proposed, and the ones that are get fought. Once granted, they still start quickly: the delay has moved into planning.
Requests for further information rose too, from 43% to 69% of applications. Each one stops the council's clock until the applicant replies.
Our reading. Many of those questions are likely to be about power: where the grid connection comes from, whether on-site gas will run all the time, and what renewables back it. An applicant often cannot answer them until EirGrid or the CRU has ruled, so planning and grid queues now wait on each other.
Data-centre planning applications and appeals, by year lodged
Of new data-centre applications lodged before the CRU's November 2021 grid direction, 13% were appealed (69 applications). Of those lodged since, 69% have been, out of only 16.
Each bar counts new-build data-centre applications lodged with Irish councils in a year; the red part went to An Coimisiún Pleanála on appeal. The percentages split applications by lodgement date at the CRU's direction of 23 November 2021 on data-centre grid connections; the shaded bars are the calendar years after it (2021 itself is mostly before). Since then applications have dropped and appeals, by objectors or by refused applicants, have become the norm; the post-2021 sample is small. 2026 is a part year. Counts only include applications whose description says "data centre", so they are a floor.
Sources: Council planning registers via planningregister, 10 Oct 2026 · An Coimisiún Pleanála case records · StackPath lifecycle build, 10 Oct 2026
Why are data centres refused planning permission?
We read 22 An Coimisiún Pleanála inspector reports on data-centre appeals. 15 ended in a grant and 3 in a refusal. 8 rely on on-site gas. The reasons that recur:
- no fixed grid connection / grid capacity (2)
- reliance on on-site gas (islanding risk) (2)
- EIAR deficiency (2)
- insufficient renewables / PPA evidence (1)
- contrary to development plan (EDE7) (1)
The Board overruled its own inspector 3 times. In two cases (Vantage and Equinix) it refused where the inspector recommended a grant, over fears that gas would become the main power source.
Recent and pending decisions
- ACP 320852 (South Dublin County Council): Grant Permissions with Conditions, 23 September 2026.
- ACP 322575 (Mayo County Council): Refuse Permission, 15 September 2026.
- Overdue: ACP decision on data-centre appeal 321230 (Echelon Clondalkin DC Services Limited, South Dublin County Council): 564 days past the statutory date.
- Overdue: ACP decision on data-centre appeal 323677 (Herbata Limited, Kildare County Council): 255 days past the statutory date.
- Due 27 October 2026: ACP decision on data-centre appeal 501596 (Red Admiral DC Limited, Westmeath County Council).
Do permitted data centres get built?
What happens to a data-centre planning application
Councils grant most data-centre applications, but 18 of 85 went to appeal (red bands), and of the 70 permissions only 34 have a certified finished building so far; 10 lapsed unbuilt.
The diagram follows every new-build data-centre planning application on Irish council registers (85 applications, lifecycle build of 10 Oct 2026) from the council's decision to the final outcome and, for permissions, to what was built. Red bands are applications that went to An Coimisiún Pleanála; 4 appeals reversed the council's decision. A completion certificate proves a building was finished, not that its data halls are switched on. Coverage is a floor: applications whose description never says "data centre" are not included.
Sources: Council planning registers via planningregister, 10 Oct 2026 · An Coimisiún Pleanála case records · BCMS commencement notices and completion certificates · StackPath lifecycle build, 10 Oct 2026
Mostly. Of granted new-build permissions from March 2014 onward that are at least two years old, 39 of 55 (71%) have a commencement notice. 12 lapsed unbuilt, and 8 live permissions, about 182,000 m², have not started.
Our reading. Appeals now act as the real gate. The CRU's grid rules decide whether a data centre can connect; the planning appeal decides whether it can exist. Both slowed after 2021, and objectors have learned to use the second.