Development Plans can be a "dense" read for laypersons and you might miss the relevant section.
For a house in Donegal last year I had to search for quite a while for several related sections including an obscure one in relation to a road assessment.
For a layperson a local planning officer or Councillor may be your best bet to get a good reed on both what the term means in a particular area and how it might affect you given your links or lack of them.
Its possible that people coming to an area to retire may be considered, or persons providing local employment may be considered, but that's in the detail of the development plan.
You might also be given an "in" if you were to rebuild some of the urban or rural fabric, where there was an existing building on site, but in a poor or non-habitable condition.
This ticks the "sustainable development" box, you see, Brownfield sites, Urban Renewal etc.
Also consider a town infill site for your first foray into an area - it will probably have benefits in terms of school travel, shops and amenity access.
Let us know how you get on.
ONQ.
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All advice on AAM is remote from the situation and cannot be relied upon as a defence or support - in and of itself - should legal action be taken.
Competent legal and building professionals should be asked to advise in Real Life with rights to inspect and issue reports on the matters at hand.