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Threat to one-off family homes
17.06.11
by Caoimhinn Barr, Inishowen Independent
THE Donegal Development Plan could spell the end of
one-off family homes in many parts of Inishowen, if
it is implemented later this year.
The six-year plan, currently at a draft stage, is
set to impose a series of stringent planning
guidelines in line with national policy to curtail
the building of houses across the county.
Under the new proposal urban areas such as Buncrana
and Carndonagh will be able to sustain in the region
of 34 houses per year while rural villages such as
Clonmany or Burnfoot will be allowed less than one
new house per year on average.
Bridgend is also included in the Strategic Support
Towns section allowing the border village to
accommodate a whopping 203 houses over a six-year
period from 2012 to 2018 while Moville is only
allowed 23 new builds in the same timeframe.
Sinn Fein County councillor Jack Murray said the
plan is ‘pushing people towards larger towns’.
“Donegal is a rural county so I find it hugely
concerning that only five per cent of all building
will be permitted to take place in small villages
such as Fahan or Culdaff. The draft plan seems to
suit urban areas more, it doesn’t take into account
the unique nature of our county,” he said.
“We can’t have a return to the loose planning laws
which led to so many ghost estates across the county
but now we are going too far the other way. It will
become almost impossible for people in some rural
areas to build a new family home,” Cllr. Murray
added.
Under the proposed guidelines, settlements in
Inishowen will fall into one of five tiers for
planning, a move Murray thinks will have a
devastating impact.
“The fact that the system is using zones means that
we are in effect drawing lines, which will leave
some fields worthless and others worth millions,” he
said. |
Culdaff County
Councillor Bernard McGuinness said he would do
everything in his power to ensure that anyone who
wanted to build a house on their land in a rural
area would be able to do so. He said the Development
Plan would lead to ‘very little change’.
The Fine Gael representative did raise concerns
about the fact that rural areas such as Glengad will
not see new housing estates developed. He believes
this could have a detrimental effect on smaller
schools, which rely heavily on new pupil numbers
every year. |
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Councillor Bernard McGuinness |
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Members of the public
to voice their concerns with a public consulation
planned for Carn Public Services Centre from 2-8pm
on Wednesday, June 29 next. |
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