New spatial development plan ‘must not be a free-for-all’

The Government has been asked to ensure that any new national spatial strategy mapping out development across the country must be backed up by law and also prevent a “planning free-for-all”.

Environment Minister Phil Hogan announced this week that the national spatial strategy, the 20-year economic development plan for “gateways” and “hubs”, is being scrapped.

He said the spatial strategy had failed, had never received enough resources and that nothing had happened since it was launched with much fanfare in 2002.