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THOSE WHO WISH TO BUILD THEIR OWN HOMES LEFT HANGING BY GOVERNMENT – HALL

4 March 2019

Labour local election candidate Michelle Hall has slammed the government for its failure to bring forward new guidelines on the building of once-off rural homes.

 

She explained;

 

“The ‘Flemish Case’ which was considered by the European Courts put the ‘local needs’ home building rules applied by local authorities in rural areas in Ireland in doubt.

 

“As a result of the Flemish Decree, the government is obliged to introduce revised rules to reflect the findings of the case and we are are still awaiting the publication of this new guidance to local Councils.

 

“I am aware of cases in the Monasterboice, Termonfeckin, Tullyallen and Clogherhaed areas where couples are delaying the purchase of sites and the lodging of planning applications because of this ongoing uncertainty.

“The fact is that the production of these new policies by government has been long-fingered for too long.

 

“It is time to end the prevarication and for the Department of Housing to publish their proposals as a matter of urgency.”

 

Ends.  

 

To ask the Minister for Housing; Planning and Local Government if the new revised guidance for local authorities on one-off rural housing regulations will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

REPLY

 

Following engagement between the European Commission and my Department regarding the European Court of Justice ruling in the "Flemish Decree" case, a working group was established to review and, where necessary, recommend changes to the 2005 Planning Guidelines on Sustainable Rural Housing, issued under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended.  The working group comprises senior officials from the Planning Division of my Department and senior officials from the Planning Divisions of local authorities, nominated by the local government sector.   The objective is to ensure that rural housing policies and objectives contained in local authority development plans comply with the relevant provisions of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

Taking account of the engagement with the European Commission on the matter and subject to the completion of the ongoing deliberations by the working group, I will be in a position to finalise and issue to planning authorities revisions to the 2005 Rural Housing Guidelines that take account of the relevant ECJ judgment.