Besides the bigger politics
It seems at least one item of business is not being held up because of SF unhappiness about policing and justice, rural planning. Environment Minister Sammy Wilson said today both the SDLP and SF have backed off from Arlene Foster’s proposals to replace the present policy of PPS 14. He claims they want a policy more liberal than the old one that allowed 7,000 rural dwellings in a year. However, the court ruling did not strike down PPS 14 despite ruling it unlawful with it being announced it would stay in place until a replacement was introduced. Is this an attempt at All-Ireland harmonisation through Donegal Bungalow blight? 
Although it pains me to say it, I’m with SF and the SDLP on this one. Having been on the wrong side of a PPS 14 fiasco, and having been given promises by the DUP that they would get this sorted, needless to say nothing happened.
While I think that there needs to be some control on building in the countryside, PPS14 in its first form threw the baby out with the bathwater and definitely went too far. A significant degree of relaxation of this policy is definitely required.
Anyone who has witnessed Donegal’s descent from a pictaresque county to a shitty suburban bungalow sprawl will recognise the importance of planning control.
A good model is the peak district (Skipton area) where new houses use local material and the visual affect on the lanscape is quite stunning.
Skipton Renaissance Partnership
I am very much in favour of tight controls of buildings in the countryside, keeping and preserving the beautiful countryside of NI. Thus I am not with the SDLP on this.
Slug
I take it you live in the town – those of us who grew up in the countryside and want to stay in the countryside are finding it virtually impossible to do so and it is people like us that are keeping and perserving the countryside beautiful. If we are all forced to live in towns and cities who will manage the countryside in a few years when the ageing existing farming population is no more.
Oh Dear, an issue that doesn’t break orange and green. That’s twice this week.
Go to Dunfanaghy. Go to Na Dúnaibh. An appalling mess. Please do not repeat.
people like us that are keeping and perserving the countryside beautiful
I’m not aware of the details of the regulations, but there is something seriously wrong if people born and raised in the country cannot get permission to build themselves a dwelling.
Go to Dunfanaghy
Been there, quite a few times. I’m entirely satisfied that the “visual blight” has not been caused by farming daughters and sons building themselves a primary dwelling.
While I am not leveling accusations at Delta Omega but of course the farmers are going to complain that they can’t print money by building bungalows at random, spoiling the countryside as they do so. Planning has been waaay too lax for waaay to long.
“I’m not aware of the details of the regulations, but there is something seriously wrong if people born and raised in the country cannot get permission to build themselves a dwelling.”
Joe,
The problem is they were building one for each son and daughter and selling a few off for profit. There are thousands of extant permissions for site that are undeveloped and even more waiting permission in the system (hence all the delays).
I grew up on a farm and am all too aware of the way even the previous laissez faire approach was abused. Farm workers dwellings going up all over the place yet many of the farmworkers are immigrants living in caravans!
It’s bizarre that two socialist parties conld be arguing for some of the most well off people in society: the landowning classes.
Ths, just when the Environment Minister in the south announced a proposed tightening up of the policies there as the cost to the tax payer of sprawl development is finally coming to hitting home with the crunch.
Agreed Peat Blog.