Vol. 572 No. 5
31 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government when he expects to produce the promised draft guidelines on development plans for local authorities; if it is expected to deal with the issue of rezoning of land; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23618/03]
Draft planning guidelines under the Planning and Development Act on development plans are in the process of being finalised by my Department, with a view to publishing these for issue as a public consultation document as soon as possible. The guidelines will assist local authorities in improving the quality and consistency of development plans, in strengthening the strategic content of development plans, in the context of the hierarchy of plans envisaged under the Planning and Development Act 2000 and in encouraging consensus-building in the preparation and review of development plans. The guidelines will deal with the issue of the development objectives that must be included in a development plan, including the question of the zoning of land for the use solely or primarily of particular areas for particular purposes.
