Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 8 December 2004
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Planning Issues.
169 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he has satisfied himself that the regional planning guidelines will ensure that new development will accord with the principles of sustainable development. [32804/04]
View answerAn important milestone in the ongoing implementation of the national spatial strategy, NSS, has been reached with the adoption by all regional authorities of regional planning guidelines. Such guidelines were introduced by the Planning and Development Act 2000 to provide a long-term strategic framework for the development of the region concerned. Section 23(2) specifically provides that regional planning guidelines shall address a range of matters for the whole of the region, in accordance with the principles of proper planning and sustainable development.
Regional planning guidelines, acting as a framework for development plans at county and city level, will advance the process of more deeply embedding the concept of sustainable development within the development plan process. In addition, and building on the national spatial strategy, the regional planning guidelines now in place across the country provide a more strategic and transparent framework to inform the assessment of development plans during their public consultation phases with regard to a range of criteria, including sustainable development.
Section 10(1) of the 2000 Act provides that each planning authority's development plan must set out an overall strategy for the proper planning and sustainable development of the area. All proposed development is regulated by the planning process and decisions made by the planning authority on planning applications must take development plan policies and objectives into account.
