One-off housing ‘could pollute water’

PLANS to allow thousands of one-off houses to be built in the countryside will lead to major water pollution unless millions of euro are pumped into new schemes, An Taisce warned yesterday.

Minister for the Environment Martin Cullen has confirmed that he will bring proposals to Government in the New Year which will allow for the building of one-off houses in rural areas under certain conditions.

Up to now, it has been difficult for farmers’ children and people with connections to rural areas to get planning permission for one-off houses in their own region because of local authority regulations.

But Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said last September that planning permission should be granted for one-off housing in rural areas under certain conditions.

And now Mr Cullen is to bring in regulations to make it much easier for people to get planning.

Mr Cullen said there is a need for a more balanced approach, with a straight set of easily-understood rules that applied everywhere.

He said that there will be plenty of room in the middle for everyone to be accommodated.

“It’s kind of going back to the way we used to be, the traditional way we used to look at the building of houses that saw Irish people owning houses in harmony with the land around them, rather than in conflict,” Mr Cullen said.

However, An Taisce believes an expansion of the scheme will lead to widespread water pollution.

Water wells are being polluted by septic tanks overflowing and this is why An Bord Pleanála has upheld 76% of our objections to one-off houses to date, spokesman John Bowlers said.

“Unless the minister pumps millions of euro into upgrading the rural sewage scheme, we will see major pollution of ground water,” Mr Bowler warned.

But the Department of the Environment last night insisted that there will be strict safeguards built into the new scheme to stop widespread water pollution.

“When the revised guidelines are published, consideration will be given to the effect these houses will have on ground water and the best environmental water protection will be put in place,” a department spokeswoman said.

Planning applications for one-off housing will also have to comply with strict regulations, she added.

Meanwhile, the Green Party raised concerns about the proliferation of holiday homes when the new regulations governing one-off houses are brought in.

“I cannot see how the department can police this and ensure that there is not a major increase in second homes,” Green Party Deputy Eamon Ryan said.