Terence Flanagan
Question:463 Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will respond to a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27330/09]
View answerTuesday, 7 July 2009
Questions (439)
Written answers
The primary aim of Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Sustainable Rural Housing published by my Department in 2005 is to achieve a balance between the accommodation of rural housing needs and the need for development to be sustainable in economic, social and environmental terms. The Guidelines set out four rural area types that exist countrywide i.e. rural areas under strong urban influence, stronger rural areas, structurally weaker rural areas and areas with clustered settlement patterns.
It is a matter for each planning authority to adopt the local need criteria which will apply to planning applications as part of its development plan, having regard to the different rural area types which may exist within its area and the varying development pressures within those area types.
The Guidelines state that, in rural areas under strong urban influence, planning applications for a single rural dwelling from persons who can demonstrate ‘local need' in terms of intrinsic or strong links to the local community should be accommodated, subject to the normal planning criteria of siting, waste water disposal, road safety etc. The Guidelines give examples of such links, e.g. farmers, their sons and daughters or persons involved in full-time farming or forestry.
The interpretation of policy and its application in individual cases is a matter for each planning authority and, upon appeal, for An Bord Pleanála.