Louth county councillors yesterday agreed to put on display a draft development strategy. The strategy is designed to restrict residential development within certain rural "centres" to once-off housing needed to meet locally generated needs.
The strategy states that developers from outside Co Louth are targeting its towns and villages as sources of building land on the basis that house buyers will be attracted by more competitive prices and will be prepared to commute to work in Dublin.
It concludes such developments would be best accommodated, with careful planning, in towns such as Dundalk and Drogheda, and to a lesser extent Ardee, where there already exists an extensive infrastructure.
Yesterday the council decided to put on display development centres designed in category 2 - small settlements without public foul drainage and no community or social infrastructure. This would include small communities around crossroads in rural Louth.
The council says it is not capable of absorbing large residential developments "in a manner that would result in proper and sustainable development."
Only once-off houses will be permitted within category 2 centres and planning application must be in the name of the person who will occupy the dwelling. A condition restricting first time occupation to the applicant or a member of his/her immediate family for a limited period may also be imposed.
The council will next address category one development centres that are primarily villages or other larger communities, such as Termonfeckin and Castlebellingham. In-depth and clustered development close to the village as well as developments that enhance the character of the village and the renewal of obsolete or derelict buildings are to be recommended.
During the debate on the issue yesterday, Cllr Declan Breathnach suggested that, as part of efforts to tackle the housing and land shortage, tax concessions be given to farmers or other landowners who made available a site for a single housing development.