Quick Guide to Using the SSPS

Very important: you will need to disable pop-up blockers for this site to view your report.

To use the system, simply complete the following steps:

  1. Navigate to your proposed development site.
    1. How do I navigate to my site?
    2. You can Restart the process at any time by clicking the Restart link in the upper right corner (just beneath the Scale control).
  2. Click the Digitise/Draw Site Boundary button.
    1. Where is the button?
  3. Draw your site boundary by clicking at the corners of your proposed site using your mouse.
    1. How do I draw my site boundary?
  4. To "close" your boundary outline (i.e. to close your boundary at your starting point) click the RIGHT MOUSE BUTTON.
    1. How do I draw my site boundary?
  5. Click the "Submit" button.
    1. Where is the Submit button?
  6. Click "Ok" in the pop-up box which asks if you want to create an application.
  7. View your report (we recommend printing a copy for yourself).
    1. Optionally: enter your email address into the report form and click the "Send" button.
  8. To revisit your report, click the link sent to your email or enter your report number and password into the system.
    1. Click the "Search" button on the form, enter the details and click the "Search" button.
    2. How do I revisit my report?
  9. If you're attending a PrePlanning meeting, please bring a copy of your report with you.
    1. What is a PrePlanning meeting?
  10. What other tools are available in the system?
    1. You can turn objects on the map on and off.
    2. Your site perimeter and line lengths are shown.
    3. Objects and their buffers near your site are shown in the reporting phase.
    4. Recent planning application numbers from the area are shown.
    5. The report links to the relevant sections from the County Development Plan.

How do I navigate to my site?

There are four ways to navigate to your proposed development site (see picture below): A) changing the map scale, B) searching for your townland, C) clicking on the map and D) clicking on the frame of the map.

If you know the name of the townland you want to develop in, simply type in the townland name into the text box highlighed as B and click the search button. All townlands that match this name will appear at the bottom of the screen. Click on your townland link at the bottom of the page and the map will zoom and centre on your townland. You can then click either the map frame (D) or click the map itself (C) to centre your site in the map window.

You can also click on the map itself. When you click a location on the map, the window will zoom down one level and centre on the area you clicked on. To get to your development site, simply click as close to your site as possible on each level until you have zoomed down to the most detailed map level and are looking at an aerial photo of your proposed development site. You'll know that you are at the most detailed zoom level when you see the Scale box furthest to the right is solid blue (the Scale is highlighted as A). Also, if you click on the map in the lowest zoom level, the map will recentre, but won't zoom any further.

The final two options for navigation are really best used for fine-tuning your location. By clicking on the map frame (the border around the main map, shown as D), you can scroll the map in any of eight directions. You can also change the map scale by clicking on the box representing the scale you want under "Map Tools" (shown as A). This allows you to quickly zoom in or out. When you use the Scale tool, the map will remain centred on the same location and will only change the scale/zoom level.

Location of the four ways to navigate to your area.

Where is the button (to draw my site boundary)?

To draw your site boundary, click the "Digitise/Draw Site" radio button (circled in picture below).

Once you click this radio button, the cursor will change and you can draw your site boundary.

How do I draw my site boundary?

Location of the Digitise/Draw site control.

How do I draw my site boundary?

To draw your site boundary, click the "Digitise/Draw Site" radio button (circled in picture below).

Once you click this radio button, the cursor will change and you can draw your site boundary.

To draw your site, move your mouse cursor to one of your site "corners" and click the left mouse button. This will create your starting point for your site boundary. Move your mouse cursor to the next corner of your site and click the left mouse button. This will draw a line between your first point and this new point. Continue doing this until you are ready to close your site boundary. Your site can be any shape and can have as many outside lines as you want.

When you're ready to close your site boundary, click the RIGHT MOUSE BUTTON. This will draw a line between the last point you created and your starting point. Notice that the site outline changed from red to blue to indicate that it is closed/finished.

If you have drawn your boundary incorrectly, simply click the Clear button and draw your site again.

Now click the Submit button (slightly above and to the right of the Digitise/Draw Site radio button.

A pop-up message will ask you to verify if you want to submit this site for a report. Click ok to continue and view your report.

Location of the Digitise/Draw site control.

Where is the submit button (to generate my report)?

The Submit button is in the circled area in the picture below.

Location of the Submit Button.

How do I revisit my report?

There are two ways to revisit your report. The easiest way is to enter your email address into the form at the top of the report that is generated for you and click the Send button. The system will email a link to you which, when clicked, will take you right back to your report.

At the top of your report, you will notice a "Report Number" and a "Password." To view a previously created report, go to the main page and click the "Search" radio button (see picture below). When this is clicked, text boxes will appear where you can enter your Report Number and Password from your report. The system will recreate your report for you.

We strongly recommend that you print a copy of your report for your records and to bring in with you to any PrePlanning meeting you may have with a Planner. This will make it easier for the Planner at the meeting to quickly identify exactly the site you are interested in.

Location of the Search control.

What is a PrePlanning meeting?

A PrePlanning meeting is an opportunity for people considering making an application for Planning permission to discuss their proposed development with a Planner. Meetings are held on a walk-in basis. View Meeting Locations and Schedule.

What other tools are available?

  1. You can turn objects on the map on and off.
  2. Your site perimeter and line lengths are shown.
    These are shown just above the Digitise radio button while you are digitising the site.
  3. Objects and their buffers near your site are shown in the reporting phase.
    When your report is generated, you may notice that some teal lines and circles appear near your site. These are the buffers for the various objects that have been highlighted in your report (e.g. monuments, roads, townlands, etc.).
  4. Recent planning application numbers from the area are shown.
    These are listed as part of your report. You may wish to look up these applications online and see what types of applications have been granted and refused in your area.
  5. The report links to the relevant sections from the County Development Plan.
    Some items which appear in your report are too complex to include the full text about them as part of the report. For your convenience, we have linked to the relevant sections of the County Development Plan so you can easily access the full information about these items without reading the whole document. Each of these sections is also linked to a full copy of the County Development Plan for easy access to the complete document.