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Press Release: Environment 6
February 2007
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6 February 2007
Green Party calls for end to
ministerial interference in planning process
- New transport and planning
agency key to sustainable urban development |
The Green Party has called for an end
to ministerial interference in the development plan process. The
Party made the call at the launch of its
urban development policy
today in the Cake Café in Dublin which is located in the Daintree
Building, one of the best examples of sustainable urban planning in
Dublin.
Green Party Planning spokesperson Ciarán Cuffe TD said that
corruption and rezoning had imposed a terrible cost on new
communities, and now was the time to reclaim planning for the
people. The Party called for the setting up of a new land-use and
planning agency, which would co-ordinate transport investment with
planning policies. It also called for communities to be placed at
the heart of the planning process.
Deputy Cuffe said: "The legacy of corrupt rezoning has left
people without trust in the planning process. Communities continue
to suffer from a lack of schools, shopping and sports facilities. A
damaged planning system has left people without alternatives to the
car, and has generated mistrust amongst the general public.
"As the revelations from the Planning Tribunals continue it is time
to draw a line in the sand and say 'never again' to corrupt planning
decisions. Now, more than ever we need to concentrate development in
the right places, rather than allowing developers to call the shots.
As climate change predictions emphasise the need to limit emissions
we have to give people the option of leaving the car at home. That
means building new Luas lines and investing in rail services and
planning for new communities within walking distance of public
transport.
"We wish to set up a new National Transport and Planning Agency to
coordinate transport and land-use planning. This agency would give
final approval to County Development Plans and ensure that local
planning approvals are not granted to badly located
traffic-generating developments. It would remove ministerial
interference from the development plan process.
"We've also got to promote a social mix and provide for the needs of
children within new developments. With the Greens in government
you'll see larger apartments, and more playgrounds provided. We want
to reinstate the provisions of Part V of the Planning Act so that we
can meet social and affordable housing targets, and provide schools
and playing fields before new housing is occupied, rather than
relying on prefabs.
"We're also calling for ministerial guidelines to be issued for high
rise developments. Communities are living in fear that tall
buildings will be built next to them without their consent. Our
policy also promotes lower-energy housing so that people's homes
cost less to heat, and are easier to maintain."
Cllr Chris O'Leary, Green Party Urban Development spokesperson and
General Election candidate for Cork North Central , described the
policy as the single most important entity to ensure that the future
needs of communities are met in a manner that will benefit
residents, businesses and the environment.
Cllr O'Leary said: "Over a decade of urban sprawl has created
significant problems for many communities in Cork, and indeed
Ireland as a whole. Sustainability was not on the agenda when
development decisions were made and we fully intend to address this
issue. Most of the older quarters of Cork City, and several new
towns in the county have had many negative impacts as a result of
bad planning. The planning authorities seem to have been operating
on an 'If you build it they will come' mentality, allowing estate
upon estate to be built without first making sure that adequate
services such as road infrastructure, parking, public transport and
green areas were in place, or ready to come quickly on stream.
"This policy will allow city and county officials to finally address
the issue of sustainability while also focusing attention on the
needs of the community instead of merely maintaining the property
boom. The Green Party in government will not turn its back on the
mess made by planning authorities to date, but we will strive to
remedy mistakes made in the past by ensuring quality of life in
communities is maintained rather than just the quantity of
development site."
Green Party Candidate for Dublin Central Patricia McKenna said: "The
development of our city must fully involve ordinary people and those
expected to live in new developments as well as those who have lived
there for generations. We must put people at the very centre of our
planning process and ensure that they can fully participate in the
planning process. That is why we're proposing a new National
Planning Advisory Agency as a counter balance to the Strategic
Infrastructure Bill.
"At present the system discourages and creates disincentives to full
public participation. The agency will inform the public about large
planning applications in their local area and will have a role in
providing technical services on national and local planning policy
to the public. We need to create long-term sustainable communities
in the heart of our city. To do so we must ensure that new
developments cater for the needs of our various different family
units that included growing families, young couples, single people,
older people and people with disabilities. We must have
all-inclusive communities.
"Many of the new developments in Dublin central are made of up
individual units that are much too small to provide the necessary
space and facilities for those wishing to raise a family. These
people will be forced to either raise their families in these
unsuitable conditions or move out of the city forcing parents to
spend unnecessary time commuting – in most cases by car – to work."
Click here to read the policy in full |
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CiaranCuffe.com