Architect: 'Chicken and egg planning' guidelines stopping housing developments

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A Waterford architect has pointed to a ‘chicken and egg’ situation within rural planning guidelines which is causing applications for local housing schemes to be rejected.

David Merrigan, director of MDP+Partners Architects, said the problem is with water and wastewater infrastructure whereby “local authorities won’t provide planning unless the infrastructure is first upgraded but Irish Water won’t incur that expense prior to planning being assured”.