This is the contents of an Email received from Lorraine expressing her concerns and views.

POLICY ON HOUSING IN RURAL AREAS
The IPI Submission to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government ~ NOVEMBER 2003
1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 The purpose of this document is to set out the Irish Planning Institute’s position in relation to planning policy on the development of housing in rural areas. The objective of the policy paper is to set out a way forward for addressing this controversial issue in a way which achieves a balance between the need for rural development and revitalisation and the need to ensure a sustainable pattern of development and the protection of important amenities and environmental resources, while ensuring the economic, social and cultural development of rural areas is maximised.

1.2 The Government has given a commitment to issuing planning policy guidelines on rural housing. This policy paper is designed to be a contribution on behalf of the Institute to the preparation of these guidelines.

skipping down a little

In all cases the guidelines should prohibit the destruction or removal of existing road side boundaries, except to the limited extent necessary to create an entrance to the proposed new house. The existing boundary treatment whether it is a hedgerow, sod and stone, or a stone wall, usually provides a very important feature for the continuity of the rural landscape and its retention will help absorb appropriate new rural housing development into that landscape. On the contrary, the removal of an existing boundary and it subsequent replacement by a concrete wall, or other urban feature, severely interrupts the rural landscape in which new houses are set.

5.3 The set back of boundary lines along the frontage of new rural houses should generally be prohibited. This not only exacerbates the intrusive nature of the development, but also creates a potential traffic hazard by inviting parking directly on the roadside. All parking requirements should be met on site and off road.

5.4 As a principle, new housing in rural areas should not be situated in close proximity to existing roads and should not front existing roads. They should generally be situated well back from the road and screened by existing and proposed new planting. The new rural housing should be designed to fit within the landscape, similar in form to the more traditional farmstead in the past that was achieved with great success in Ireland.

5.5 A number of key principles, such as no houses on top of ridges, retention of existing site boundaries, pitch of roofs etc. should be incorporated into the National Guidelines and refined in each counties own guidelines.

5.6 Every Local Authority should be required to produce its design guidelines on rural housing within 18 months of the adoption of Government Policy, similar to the previous requirements for Local Authorities in respect of housing strategies and retail planning guidelines.

Thanks Lorraine for your concerns and research.

The Irish Planning Institute have produced their views and they have been totally ignored by the architects for this development.
I'm not sure if the government has issued planning policy guidelines for rural areas but surely our local authority has an obligation to meet with the spirit of the IPI guidelines.

This is a typical example of the weakness with our government. They get all the best advice, create laws to implement the advice...... and then walk away from it.

I think that the root cause of this malaise is our political system where all decision making seems to be with a view to retaining political power. Putting the laws in place please the people hence more votes. Not implementing the laws rigorously implies not upsetting people and putting votes at risk.

A change in the political set up is well overdue. Seeking popularity is not good government. Ask any parent, who cares for their children, unpopular decisions in the short term are generally best in the long term. Sorry son, no junk food, how ever tasty it is. Sorry daughter but ...... the list is endless