Changes to planning will support rural futures
Changes to planning will support rural futures
THE planned changes to one-off rural housing rules will help more young people and families build houses in their home areas.
That's the view of Cathaoirleach of Galway County Council Headford Cllr Andrew Reddington who sees the changes as the biggest overhaul of rural housing legislation for more than 20 years. The proposals by government are also viewed as very positive by the Chair of Galway IFA Michael Haverty who told The Tuam Herald that they will help support the future of rural communities in the region.
Co Galway has one of the highest instances of one-off rural houses in the country but the policies and stipulations set down in the County Development Plan have caused contention among county councillors whose constituents have struggled to secure planning permission.
The draft Sustainable Rural and Gaeltacht Housing National Planning Statement (NPS) is set to relax the rules and regulations associated with housing in rural and Gaeltacht areas and bring greater transparency and consistency in decisions across all local authorities.
“We want people from rural areas, which will now include villages and towns with a population of below 1,500 in population, to have the opportunity and flexibility to be able to live in the communities that they have always called home.
“These new changes will support people to construct one off-homes in the rural area they are from, even if they have a current house in a town or city. They will enable those who have an economic or social need to live in a rural location, including returning emigrants, to build a home, subject to meeting normal planning considerations
“Local authorities will no longer be allowed place a blanket ban on infill, back land or ribbon development,” remarked Cllr Reddington.
Micheal Haverty, Chair of Galway IFA believes the changes will benefit people who are looking to take over the family farm and hoping to build in their local area.
“It will be awful important in supporting rural communities. We need an increase in housing supply in rural communities as well,” said Micheal Haverty.
“No access to housing is one of the main barriers to someone looking to take over a farm. Local GAA clubs, shops and communities all suffer as well if they haven’t people living in the area.
“The planning guidelines were awful rigid. This is something that the IFA have highlighted before. There were people working in planning departments who were not singing off the same hymn sheet.
“It’s great to see the Government do something about it. A more practical and flexible planning system does need to be introduced.”
The new guidelines which aren't yet law, will put rural housing requirement under broad headings of economic and social need. A person must have lived in an area for at least ten years under the social need category, and the site they wish to build on has to be within 10km of where they currently live or were reared.
As regards economic need, people whose work depends on them living in a rural area and those who need to live close to their place of work will be given preference. Farming, forestry, essential services or people starting or running their own business are some of the professions that will fall under this criterion.
The guidelines are also expected to support the Irish language, by allowing people who have lived in a Gaeltacht area for 10 years to build on a site within 3km of where they currently reside. This can be relaxed to five years if the person can speak Irish and can show a local need.