An Taisce criticises Clare council on one-off housing

Clare County Council has come under attack from An Taisce over not being vigilant enough in protecting the countryside from one-off housing.

The charge comes after months of sustained attack on council planners from councillors and rural-based organisations who have criticised the council for being too restrictive in not granting sufficient numbers planning permission for single houses in rural areas of Co Clare.

However, figures yesterday showed that An Bord Pleanála overturned rulings by the council to grant permission for one-off housing in two-thirds of cases which were appealed to the board by third parties.

The figures for June to December last year record that decisions relating to 33 cases of one-off housing were made by the appeals board relating to Clare.

In 22 cases, the applicant appealed the council decision to the board. However, in each case the council decision was upheld by the appeals board, illustrating the appeals board's endorsement of the council's general ban on non-locals building homes in the countryside.

In 12 cases where the council granted planning permission, eight were overturned by the appeals board, while in four cases, the board agreed with the council.

An Taisce's heritage officer, Mr Ian Lumley, said: "The implementation of council policy is not meeting EU standards on protecting the countryside."

The council was not vigilant enough through the implementation of its policies in protecting the countryside and "the figures are part of a trend nationwide. The surprising thing is how few third-party appeals there are against one-off housing and in this regard, the Fisheries Board and Dúchas have questions to answer".

According to the council's latest figures, it received 1,300 applications for single houses in the countryside in 2001 and granted planning permission to 970 applicants with the refusal rate being below the national average.

Cllr P.J. Kelly (FF) has been one of the most vocal critics of the council's planning policies over the past number of months. Yesterday Mr Kelly said: "An Bord Pleanála appear to be operating to a strictly green agenda and we should have control over our own destiny. The appeals board seems to be applying blanket standards coast to coast, where they are not taking into account specific social, demographic and geographical circumstances."

Rural Resettlement Ireland had planning permission for a rural dwelling on the Loop Head peninsula refused by the appeals board in December, upholding a county council decision.

Yesterday, the organisation's director, Mr Jim Connolly said: "This information copper-fastens my view that the council is seeking to clear rural Clare of people and the appeals board seems to be going one step further.

"Individuals who have had their applications refused feel utterly helpless and that is why there has been such a response to the establishment of the Irish Rural Dwellers Association who are going to fight policies adopted by the appeals board."