Rural environment is the victim of inconsistent housing policy
I have been driven by concerns about ribbon development, destruction of the rural character of the countryside, unsustainable development and health and safety considerations.
My objections are not personal, and I am not alone.
I am disillusioned at the inconsistencies of national and local authority decisions and the absence of overall constructive planning.
I am well aware of the frustrations of landowners wishing to sell sites and of the disappointments of individuals wishing to build houses, but I also resent the failure of the local authorities to produce an overall constructive plan, and to police planning and development, which should not be solely a matter for individuals.
Of 10 planning applications to which there were objections, seven were granted by Wexford county council, and three were refused.
Subsequently, six of these were refused by An Bórd Pleanála, and one awaits decision. It is a situation which is unfair to everyone.
It leads to splits in the community, antagonism between neighbours, intimidation and bullying. As a result I no longer feel free to exercise my democratic right to appeal to the planning authorities.
I am dismayed that, following the introduction of the county development plan in 2001, Wexford county council proceeded to introduce amendments which their own director of services said would be “virtually impossible to police”.
Architect, conservationist and writer Patrick Shaffrey has referred to indiscriminate and ill-considered road-widening for new developments, and the fact that “there is little or no enforcement of the laws concerning boundaries.”
Sadly, it seems almost inevitable that there will be abuse of environmental considerations where the value of sites is an over-ruling factor with what Frank McDonald of the Irish Times calls the “shocking statistics” regarding the inappropriate location of single houses in the countryside. It is particularly alarming that there does not seem to be an integrated policy to monitor health and safety factors.
My wish is to see a positive approach to the planning of developments in rural Ireland and to see consistency in the decisions made by local government and An Bórd Pleanála.
The buck stops with Wexford County Council who have a duty to the individual and to the environment, and have no right to spoil our county in the name of ‘development.’
Richard Miller
Newtown
Killinick
Co Wexford
