Peat and ground conditions before you pay for a survey
Subsoil & peatNew
Every site check includes Geological Survey Ireland’s subsoil map — with peat and karstified bedrock flagged, and built-up ground marked as unmapped rather than guessed.
What it tells you
The subsoil class
Till, gravels, alluvium, lake sediments and the rest, in Geological Survey Ireland’s own description, for the point you click.
Peat, flagged
Blanket peat, raised bog, cut-over raised peat and fen peat are highlighted, with a note that development on peat usually needs a geotechnical assessment.
Karst, flagged
Karstified bedrock at or near the surface is highlighted too — ground stability and groundwater can need assessment.
Why it matters
Peat refuses wind farms
Peat stability and landslide risk turn up in refused Irish wind schemes — peat appears in nine of the renewable energy refusals we analysed.
Before the site investigation
Screen a site against the national map before commissioning ground investigation, and know what to ask for when you do.
What it can’t tell you
Knowing where the data runs out is part of using it. Here is where this does.
- It is a 1:50,000 regional map, not a site investigation. Ground conditions can change within a single field.
- Geological Survey Ireland records land cover, not subsoil, under built-up ground, made ground and water. The check says "not mapped" there rather than guessing.
- It is queried from Geological Survey Ireland when you check a site. If their service is unavailable, the check says it could not be completed.
Subsoil & peat: questions
How do I know if a site is on peat?
Geological Survey Ireland’s subsoil map shows where peat is mapped. Precedent reads it for any point you click and flags blanket peat, raised bog, cut-over raised peat and fen peat. It is a 1:50,000 map, so confirm it with a site investigation.
Why does peat matter for planning?
Development on peat usually needs a geotechnical assessment. Peat stability and landslide risk also turn up in refused Irish wind schemes — peat appears in nine of the renewable energy refusals we analysed.
What does karstified bedrock mean for a site?
Karst is limestone that water has dissolved into fissures and hollows. Where it is at or near the surface, ground stability and groundwater can need assessment, so Precedent flags it alongside peat.
Built on official public registries
- Geological Survey Ireland
- Geological Survey Ireland, Quaternary Sediments 1:50,000 (CC BY 4.0)
All in one platform
Every feature works on the same map, against the same 31 planning authorities.
- Find opportunitiesSite sourcing
- Assess planning & policyPlanning decisions & refusal reasons
- Assess planning & policySite audit
- Assess planning & policyZoning objectives
- Assess planning & policyHeritage & protected structures
- Ownership & costsOwner lookupNew
- Find opportunitiesResidential Zoned Land Tax map
See it on your own patch
A short call with the founder, on real sites in the county you work in. About twenty minutes — you will know by the end whether it is any use to you.