High Court Decision on PPS 14 is a “Victory for Rural Communities” says Nicholson
Ulster Unionist MEP Jim Nicholson has described today’s decision in the High Court to overturn the controversial planning regulation PPS 14 as a ‘victory for Northern Ireland’s rural communities.’
However, he warned that now was the time to address the serious flaws in the planning service, which Mr Nicholson says are “plagued by a lack of accountability and crippling delays.”
In a statement Mr Nicholson said,
“I fully recognise the need for a balanced and pragmatic planning policy which meets the needs and requirements of our fast and ever–changing rural and urban communities. However, communities and families in rural areas across Northern Ireland have suffered greatly because of the ill thought out PPS 14.
“The proposals were too restrictive and didn’t even allow for farm families to build family dwellings on their property. Instead we must have a policy which balances development in rural areas with the need to preserve the character and heritage of those areas. The Government failed to get the consent of rural communities at the outset and as such the regulation was always going to be fatally undermined.
“The Environment Minister must now find an acceptable alternative, which reflects those concerns and also use the opportunity to address the serious flaws in the planning service.
“The current state of the service leaves me hugely dissatisfied. It has failed to serve the public in a transparent, effective and accountable manner. The backlog of proposals is now so high that arguably the system is on the verge of meltdown.
“Delays have brought the planning process to its knees. So much so that development opportunities are put at risk or missed altogether. Delays in the planning process are frustrating job creation, economic development and are partly responsible for a significant shortfall in economic growth in Northern Ireland. Problems with planning are having a destabilising effect on the rural economy compounded by young people not entering the agricultural industry, as they do not see it as a viable career option.”