Bill seeks to eradicate corrupt and bad planning
Environment Minister John Gormley published details of the bill yesterday that seeks to eradicate corrupt and bad planning processes.
The key aim of the Planning and Development [Amendment] Bill 2009 is to “strengthen local democracy and accountability”, the Green Party leader said.
Once passed, the bill will place new requirements on local authorities to ensure good planning, but will also strengthen their powers to act against rogue developers.
Local authorities will be required to provide an evidence-based “core strategy” in their development plans proving that the plans are consistent with regional guidelines and national strategy.
The aim is to ensure land is zoned properly, allowing development to occur “at the right time and in the right place”. It will prevent councillors from making zoning decisions that are inconsistent with the National Spatial Strategy.
“If the planner says to the councillors, ‘You’re over-zoning here and it is not consistent with the National Spatial Strategy’, then essentially the development plan is illegal,” Mr Gormley explained.
In addition, the making or variation of a development plan will require the support of two-thirds of councillors on a local authority rather than the simple majority which is currently the case.
Elsewhere, the powers of a local authority to refuse planning permission to “applicants who have been convicted of serious breaches of planning legislation” will be strengthened, the minister said.
The system whereby developers of large-scale projects built without planning permission can apply for retention will also be addressed.
Mr Gormley said last week’s jailing of former Government press secretary and lobbyist Frank Dunlop – who bribed councillors in order to get lands rezoned – highlighted once again the corrupt planning processes of the past.
He said he found it “disquieting” that politicians from all the major parties had accepted money from Mr Dunlop, even if some of it comprised legitimate political donations.
“You’re talking about people from Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael – even Labour accepted money from the guy – and I find that disquieting.
“If you really want to ensure good planning in your area, you have a democratic right to vote for candidates who have got a good planning record,” he added, in a clear pitch for Green Party votes ahead of the election.
Meanwhile, Fine Gael announced its plan to get 7,500 people back to work through a stamp duty cut.
The plan would see stamp duty reduced to 2%, thereby encouraging movement in the housing market and stimulating job growth in the building and related retail sector, the party said.
Elsewhere, Sinn Féin Dublin South by-election candidate Shaun Tracey challenged his Fianna Fáil rival, Shay Brennan, to live on social welfare payments for a month “to see the problems the low payment cause people who have become unemployed”.
Mr Tracey made the comments after suggestions that the Government may look at reducing social welfare payments.
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