West Tyrone Sinn Fein Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Rural planning progress, but more needed-Mc Elduff

Published: 21 November, 2008

Sinn Fein West Tyrone MLA Barry Mc Elduff has welcomed proposals to replace PPS 14 and its 'presumption against development in the countryside', with a policy which seeks to acheive a better balance between the needs of rural dwellers and environmental imperatives.

However, while welcoming many of the new proposed measures to provide rural dwellers with additional opportunities to obtain planning permission the local MLA said that Sinn Fein will be continuing to press for additional measures to cater for the 'non farming rural dweller' - essentially people who come from rural areas but who have no direct involvement in farming.

Barry Mc Elduff said:

"Sinn Féin has been to the forefront of the campaign to secure a better planning system and we believe that this new draft policy PPS21 does go some way to address the void that existed in the old draft policy PPS 14.

"The new draft PPS21 includes many measures which will provide additional opportunities for rural dwellers to obtain planning approval.

"These include a relaxation of the replacement dwelling criteria including the removal of the current 'abandonment test', removal of agricultural need and the farm viability test with opportunities for additional dwellings on farms, more potential for `infill `gap sites, replacement or conversion of traditional style farm buildings to dwellings, the reinstatement of Health and Personal circumstances and the reinstatement of Dispersed Rural Communities.

"These are very welcome changes and these are indeed changes which Sinn Fein has fought for, but clearly there continues to be a gap which must be addressed.

The Assembly member welcomed the establishment of an Independent Working Group to specifically look at the issue of the 'Non Farming Rural Dweller.

"Sinn Fein has negotiated continuously with DUP and other Ministers on behalf of the non farming rural dweller and we believe that a mechanism can be devised through the work of an Independent group to meet the requirements of this category of rural dweller.

He added:

" if we are to achieve a balanced and equitable policy that will ensure the sustainability of our existing rural communities and rural economy, development opportunities for these people must be included." ENDS