Planning guidelines bid to protect architectural heritage

New planning guidelines will help protect Ireland’s architectural heritage, the Environment Minister said today.

The Architectural Heritage Protection Guidelines were launched in February and deal with preserving and developing protected buildings and buildings in architectural conservation areas.

“Clarity has been brought to the work of planning authorities through guidance I issued at the start of this year,” Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government Dick Roche said today.

“The Architectural Heritage Protection Guidelines are a practical and comprehensive guide for planning authorities and owners who must comply with the 2000 Planning Act.”

Mr Roche made the comments at a seminar on architectural heritage protection which was organised by his department following a commitment by the minister to raise awareness of architectural protection.

The guidelines, introduced under the Planning and Development Act 2000, are complemented by the Planning Guidelines on Rural Housing, Mr Roche said.

Of the Rural Housing guidelines, the minister said: “These strongly emphasise the importance of ensuring that the location of new housing in rural areas maintains the integrity and context of protected structures such as country houses, demesnes and other aspects of Ireland’s great built heritage.

“Planning staff will now be able to consult both sets of guidelines in making decisions on planning applications having a potential impact on our built heritage,” he said.