Vol. 525 No. 3
128 Mr. Higgins (Mayo) asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he will have considerations made into an appeals procedure for properties in towns and villages which have not been selected under the urban renewal scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19897/00]
150 Mr. Higgins (Mayo) asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that Mayo County Council has returned to his Department the scheme approved for towns in the county under the Town Renewal Act, 2000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23443/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 128 and 150 together.
No plans have been returned to my Department by Mayo County Council. The council debated the town renewal scheme at a recent meeting and a number of resolutions were passed in this regard. These included writing to my Department regarding the introduction of an appeals procedure, increasing the areas for designation in Ballinrobe and Claremorris and seeking approval for all areas of refurbishment as submitted in the original submission.
Under the Town Renewal Act, 2000, it is a matter for the relevant county council to propose sites for designation for tax incentives within the area covered by the town renewal plans. This system has operated effectively since being introduced for the 1999 urban renewal scheme and it is appropriate that county councils, which are in the best position to engage in the type of cross-sectoral consultation with relevant local interests required under the scheme, perform this role. In doing so they are assisted by the detailed guidelines issued to them; these set out the purposes and aims of the schemes, the criteria to be used in selecting towns for which plans are to be prepared, and advice on the approach to be followed in preparing their plans, including selecting sites for designation. County councils were advised that the extent of designation must necessarily be limited and well targeted and that only sites that clearly fulfilled the objectives of the plans should be designated. The award of incentives can only be justified where it can be shown that they will assist in overcoming identifiable barriers to development.
The role of the expert panels set up by me was to assess the county councils' proposals and recommend sites for designation on the basis of the plans submitted by the county councils; the panels were confined to examining the sites recommended by the county councils by reference to the criteria contained in the guidelines. The panels comprised individuals with a broad range of relevant expertise in urban planning, architecture, conservation etc.
