Vol. 545 No. 3
127 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if his atten tion has been drawn to recent developments to the effect that systematic objection is being made to planning applications for once-off housing developments in rural Ireland; if he has examined the likely depopulation arising from such a policy; his proposals for legislative changes to combat this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30367/01]
Under planning legislation each planning authority is obliged to prepare a development plan setting out an overall strategy for the planning and development of its area. Such plans would include the policy of the authority in relation to the provision of one-off single houses. Decisions on individual applications are also a matter for each authority in accordance with its development plan or for An Bord Pleanála in the case of an appeal.
As regards single houses in rural areas, it is essential that the farming community and those working on the land should be able to live in the country. However, a continuation of the current trends in one-off housing, particularly with regard to urban-generated development, i.e., development for those working in urban areas, will have significant implications in terms of a range of issues such as transport, the possibilities for strengthening many of our towns and villages, landscape and tourism and protection of ground and surface waters. All off these issues will be further considered in the context of the National Spatial Strategy now being finalised. The report, Sustainable Development: A Strategy for Ireland, published in 1997, indicated that in general there should be a presumption against urban-generated, one-off rural housing adjacent to towns.
