Jackie Healy-Rae
Question:490 Mr. Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government the changes entailed in the relaxing of planning for one-off housing in rural areas. [22932/03]
Written Answers. - Rural Housing.
Government policy on rural housing is set out in the national spatial strategy, published in November 2002.
My Department is at an advanced stage of preparing draft planning guidelines under the Planning and Development Act, with a view to finalising these draft guidelines to be issued as a public consultation document before the end of the year. The guidelines will be aimed at assisting local authorities on the practical and technical aspects of implementing the rural settlement policy framework set out in the national spatial strategy, as they follow through on overall policy in their own development plans and in the operation of the development control system under planning legislation. The guidelines will also be aimed, through the operation of the planning system, at securing greater public awareness of the issues involved in rural settlement policies and greater consensus on the practical implementation of those policies.