Planning act ‘spells death knell of rural dwelling’

THE new Planning and Development (amendment) Act 2010 will “spell the death knell” of the rural dweller and the one-off house, because it will take into account the energy expended in commutes between work and home, a council meeting has heard.

The claim, at a meeting of Kerry County Council to discuss the new act, was made by Paul O’Donoghue, brother of the former Ceann Comhairle.

A spokesman for Environment Minister John Gormley strongly refuted the claim as scaremongering.