Fine Gael call for new Land Use Commission

Fine Gael has called for the immediate establishment of a new Land Use Commission.

According to Fine Gael spokesman on Environment and Local Government, Bernard Allen, there is significant public disquiet about land rezoning around the country.

“An Taisce have said that 500,000 new houses are due for construction over the next ten years, so it is vital that rezoning of land complies strictly with the long-delayed National Spatial Strategy and regional planning guidelines," he said.

“We are now calling on the government to put in place such a commission.

“There is urgent need for a National Land Use Commission to certify the validity of all future land rezoning decisions and no land rezoning decision made at local level will have legal effect without that certification.

"This new body would not impose any lengthy delays – once the local decision regarding rezoning is taken the commission could decide on the validity of the rezoning within eight weeks.”