Protocols governing scanning of Plan files

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Dublin City Archives is responsible for the storage of historic Dublin City Council Planning Application Files for the period 1952-1988 inclusive.  There are gaps in this series, as some Plan Files were accidentally destroyed by fire before they were transferred to Dublin City Archives.  The Plan Files are held in off-site storage, which is operated by a records management company.

With effect from July 2020, original Plan Files ordered by a Requestor will be scanned by the records management company and the scans will be sent to Dublin City Library & Archive in PDF format for onward transmission to the Requestor, along with an invoice for scanning from Dublin City Council.  In this way, it is intended to streamline the transmission of Plan Files for the convenience of Requestors.  Scanning will be more cost-effective: where previously the production and delivery of one original file cost €55, production and scanning of an original file will cost €45.00.

The following protocols apply to the scanning of Plan Files:

  1. Plan Files for scanning must be ordered in writing on the accompanying plan file scanning form here. This can be sent by e-mail to [email protected] or by post to Dublin City Library & Archive, 138-144 Pearse Street, Dublin 2.

  2. Orders for scanning will be in accordance with Section 59 of the Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000.

  3. Requestors must obtain the relevant plan file number/s from Dublin City Council’s Planning Registry, e-mail [email protected] If the Requestor orders the wrong Plan File, scanning charges will still apply.  

  4. Scanning will take 7-10 working days from receipt of the plan file scanning form.  Please note that the entire plan file will be scanned, to a flat rate of €45.00.

  5. Once files have been retrieved an invoice for scanning will be issued to Requestor by Dublin City Archives.  .

  6. Following payment of the invoice by the Requestor, the scanned plan file/s will be sent by Dublin City Archives to the Requestor in PDF format.

  7. Payment can be made by bank transfer to Dublin City Council’s account, which will be given on the invoice.  It is essential to mark the payment: ‘Archived Plan Files.’ We cannot release PDFs until payment has been received.

  8. If none of the Plan Files ordered by Requestors for scanning are available then there will be no charge.

  9. Students requesting Plan Files for study purposes must produce college I.D. and a letter from their supervisor on college notepaper supporting this request. In such cases, delivery charges may be waived.

  10. The above protocols apply only to those Dublin City Plan Files held by Dublin City Archives

  11. Dublin City Archives reserves the right to alter or amend the above protocols and charges.