We speak farmer.
Slatted sheds, calf housing, milking parlours, grain stores, machinery sheds, farm diversification, change of use. Agricultural planning has its own rules, and we know them. We work with farmers nationwide.
Farm planning is a world of its own
Agricultural planning in Ireland follows rules and exemptions that apply nowhere else. The thresholds for what counts as exempted development, the requirements tied to herd numbers, the handling of run-off and effluent, the distances required from watercourses and from dwellings, all of this is specific to farm development, and none of it is obvious to someone who hasn't worked with it. Get any of it wrong and an application either fails outright, or, worse, comes back approved but loaded with conditions that make the building useless for what the farmer actually needed it to do. A slatted shed that can't be sited where the yard layout needs it isn't much use, no matter how good the planning permission looks on paper. We've lodged agricultural planning applications across the country. We know the questions a council will ask about a farm building before they ask them, and we prepare applications so those questions are already answered.
Specific exempted development thresholds for agricultural buildings will be added here once confirmed against current Irish exempted development regulations. No unverified size or distance figures are shown.
The buildings we design
The day-to-day of agricultural work is farm buildings, and we've designed a wide range of them: slatted sheds, calf and cattle housing, milking parlours, grain and meal stores, machinery and implement sheds, and general-purpose agricultural buildings. A good farm building isn't just a structure that gets planning permission. It's one that works for the way the farm runs, the flow of animals and machinery, the feed passages, the lying areas, the ventilation, the future expansion. We design farm buildings as working tools, not just as objects to be permitted.
Grant-compliant designs
If you're applying for a grant towards a farm building, the building has to meet the relevant Department of Agriculture specifications, not just the planning rules. Slatted areas, feed passages, lying areas, ventilation and animal welfare standards all have to be right. We design to those specifications from the very start, so that your planning application and your grant application work together rather than pulling against each other. That avoids the costly situation of having to redesign a building partway through a grant cycle because the plans and the grant requirements didn't line up.
Specific grant scheme names and grant figures will be added here once confirmed as current. No unverified scheme details are shown.
Farm diversification
For a lot of Irish farms, the future includes diversification. Glamping pods and agritourism, farm shops, on-farm food processing, equine facilities, event and wedding spaces. Diversification can transform a farm's income, but it almost always means a change-of-use application or a new planning application, and Irish councils approach diversification very inconsistently from one area to the next. We'll give you an honest read on whether a diversification idea is likely to succeed with your specific local authority before you spend anything on design. Sometimes the answer is a clear yes. Sometimes it's "not as proposed, but with these changes it could work." Sometimes it's no, and here are the alternative routes worth considering. Knowing which of those you're facing, early, is worth a great deal.
Renewable energy on the farm
Renewable energy is an increasingly important part of farm planning. Anaerobic digesters, solar arrays on shed roofs or as ground-mounted installations, and wind turbines for a farm's own use are all on the table for Irish farmers. The planning rules around farm renewables are shifting, and we keep on top of them. If you're considering a renewable project on your land, we can give you an honest, current read on what is realistically approvable in your area and how best to approach it.
A firm that understands farming
Farmers are practical people who want straight answers, fair pricing and someone who understands how a farm actually works. That's how we operate. Fixed fees agreed in writing, no percentage billing, a free consultation on the farm to start, and honest advice about what's realistic. We work with farmers right across Ireland, and the location of our offices is never a barrier to taking on the work.
Asked & answered.
The questions Ian gets asked most often, addressed honestly. Don't see yours? Drop us a line.
It depends on the size and type of the building and the specifics of your site. Some agricultural development is exempt from planning permission, and some isn’t, and the thresholds are specific to farm buildings. A free consultation on the farm is the safest way to find out exactly where your proposed building stands before you spend on design.
Your dream home
starts with a free consultation.
No fees. No pressure. We come to your site, listen to what you want, and tell you honestly what's possible and what it'll cost.