Somewhat priceless comments at Planning Conference about the legacies of bad planning

[Christine Murray]

Planning head urges key role for assets body - The Irish Times - Wed, Apr 29, 2009

The focus of comments at the National Housing Conference attended by members of An Bord Pleanala (ABP) and the Royal Institute of Architects
in Ireland is on a Plan-led system as opposed to a developer-led system. I applaud that and the comments about "Cleaning up after the boom".

But it's in many ways eight years too late in examining how planning went wrong in this country.

Since 2001 a raft of FF/PD legislations have consistently eroded the rights of people to have a say in Planning and how it effects quality
of life issues; and in how it effects the idea of preservation and conservation. Since 2001 FF/PD have not introduced a single bill or bit
of legislation concerned in the area of Natural and built heritage, unless of course it was an off-shoot or outgrowth of one of the planning
bills which culminated on the 16th of June 2006 when Michael Mc Dowell sponsored Dick Roche's Strategic Infrastructure Bill in Dáil Eireann
and was shouted down by Michael Ring TD. In this Bill Minister Roche managed to eviscerate the intention of the Aarhus Convention and
bring a whole new meaning to fast Track Planning which envisaged a developer led potentiality which would restructure both our courts
and ABP- Minister Gormley carries that list of legislations under his wing and has not once addressed the issue of a coherent Heritage Bill
nor has he revisited the SIB 2006.: http://www.oir.ie/documents/bills28/acts/2006/a2706.pdf

Unsurprisingly FF/Ind/Green are in the process of publishing yet another Planning Amendment for 2009 and yet again there will be a nod
to Green/Eco issues, I would be utterly surprised if it were anything other than more erosion of rights to object or to rights of consultation.
Nimbyism is a right only in the Gift of people like ex-Tánaiste mc Dowell who like to have himself photographed objecting to Poolbeg but never
suffered the indignity of arrest for presenting developers with EU letters and questions regarding illegal or anti-directive planning in Ireland.


Home - Department of the Environment, Heritage & Local Government

Save the Tara/Skryne(Gabhra) Valley from the destruction posed by the proposed construction of the M3 Motorway.

[Factorem]

I wonder what they're having for lunch. Butlers and silver service?

[Christine Murray]

I wonder what they're having for lunch. Butlers and silver service?

I found myself becoming an inadvertent fan of Michael Ring TD, as a result of his comments on the SIB

http://www.oir.ie/documents/bills28/acts/2006/a2706.pdf

(I'm doing penance Factorem)

[Christine Murray]

This is the announcement for the 2009 Planning Act, I just wonder where everyone was when Roche granted the 38 licences to mow the Gabhra Valley:
Planning Data :Updates for Planning Act in new report - The Irish Times - Wed, Mar 11, 2009

EDIT:http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...245370044.html= {hopefully the correct one}

[alonso]

I wonder what they're having for lunch. Butlers and silver service?

considering the planning sector has been culled in the last 6 months, I doubt it

JOhn O'Connor is quite right though. NAMA could end up as an environmental disaster if not done right and not done via proper planning practice

[Christine Murray]

considering the planning sector has been culled in the last 6 months, I doubt it

JOhn O'Connor is quite right though. NAMA could end up as an environmental disaster if not done right and not done via proper planning practice

Recognising and publishing the multiple fines since 2001 that Ireland has accrued in breach of habitat directives would be a beginning; but
they are hidden mostly.

Yes, he is right but people stood by and clapped the Fast track bills that impoverished so many people- wonder who banked them ? Any integrated
development policy has to take cognisance of habitat laws, of quality of life issues and of the person's right to participate in the consultations.

[alonso]

I wouldn't necessarily lay the blame at people like JOhn O Connor or An Bord Pleanala. The planning system is a legal one which operates under legisaltion from Central Govt and in many cases hands are tied by either the law or by poor local governance. There have been some horrendous decisions made by ABP and by local authority executives but if you want to find who to blame for the mess, I suggest the following hierarchy:

Central Government
County Councillors
Developers and their agents
Banks
County Managers
An Bord Pleanala
Local Authority planners

As for the fast track process, how many have been granted by ABP under the SIA? I'm not sure but there hasn't been a raft of them. most are thrown out

[joemomma]

As for the fast track process, how many have been granted by ABP under the SIA? I'm not sure but there hasn't been a raft of them. most are thrown out

Very few so far I think. Was the Tarbert LNG terminal granted under SI? Can't think of anything else although I assume there are more.

[joemomma]

This is the announcement for the 2009 Planning Act, I just wonder where everyone was when Roche granted the 38 licences to mow the Gabhra Valley:
Planning Data :Updates for Planning Act in new report - The Irish Times - Wed, Mar 11, 2009

That report is not about the new planning act, it's a report from the Oireachtas Committee in response to Mayo Councillors whinging that John Gormley wasn't allowing them to pave over their entire county.

[Christine Murray]

Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Bill 2006 [Seanad] (No 5 of 2006) - Houses of the Oireachtas

This Bill was referred to by Ring as " A most dangerous Bill "; and yet Gormley who wants enactment of aarhus has never questioned the sections dealing directly
with those elements of Aarhus, as Minister Roche succintly refers to the further erosions of consultative rights whilst envisaging a huge restructure of the courts.

Interestingly its less than 3 years since the last Planning Bill; and while its good to address the problems and legacies
that cannot be achieved without looking at what has been introduced to the statute through majority voting.

SIB is still on the Irish Statute with its sections re Aarhus which goes directly against the Green Party position on the issue btw.