Growing anger over 'serial' rejection of planning bids

Cork

It is amazing concillers objecting to facilities like shops in a town.

I cannot understand this myself.

I think planning does not have to be administered on a county basis and should be done regionally.

murphaph

smashey wrote:

20 Euro is hardly a deterrent.

Well if you're a serial busybody and object to everything rather thatn just things which might affect you it would quickly add up to hundreds of Euro. It's at the level whereby it stops spurious claims but isn't prohibitive to people on tight budgets who may genuinely need to object. Any higher and it would be discriminatory against those on low incomes.

ishmael whale

Cork wrote:

It is amazing concillers objecting to facilities like shops in a town. I cannot understand this myself.

The reason why certain retail developments are opposed is clear enough, and a generally recognised planning issue. The concern is certain types of development hollow out town centres for miles around. The extract below gives a little background.

http://archives.tcm.ie/sligoweekender/2004/07/20/story18655.asp
Tuesday, July 20, 2004 :

Out-of-town shopping centres discouraged

SLIGO County Council is to continue to oppose the development of large scale out-of-town shopping centres. Neither will the council grant planning permission for a supermarket with a retail floor space exceeding 3,000 square metres, whether that involves an extension to existing development or otherwise.

The Draft County Development Plan, which is currently available for inspection, proposes that "large scale edge-of-town or out-of-town shopping and retail business complexes which detract from or undermine the primacy and retail significance of existing towns and villages shall be discouraged".

The plan suggests that services such as shops, public houses, petrol stations, service garages, motor vehicles sales, etc. which deal directly with the public should have a town or village location where they can serve the urban and surrounding rural population. "By locating in towns and villages, services can avail of existing and planned infrastructure and contribute towards the strengthening of urban centres", the plan states.

It does allow that in exceptional circumstances, where a local need can be clearly established such as within an area remote from a town or village, a service facility may be acceptable. But it adds that the scale of such a development will be expected to reflect its purpose to serve the local community only. The plan sets out guidelines to be used in assessing planning applications generally for retail shopping development – including motor fuel retailing – which would constitute a substantial addition to existing retail facilities of that type within the catchment area of the proposed development…..

Cork wrote:

I think planning does not have to be administered on a county basis and should be done regionally.

Here I think you are on more solid ground. Generally, counties are too small to be coherent entities for planning or for service delivery.

Changing focus, I was reading Stendhal’s novel ‘Scarlet and Black’ this morning (as you do). I came across this line and thought of this thread. The context is a property transaction between two local notables in a country town, which is the talk of the parish.

Stendhal wrote:

To tell the truth, these same worthy people exercise here the most irritatingly despotic control. And that is why, for one who has lived in that great republic men call Paris, life in these little towns is insupportable. The tyranny of public opinion – and what sort of opinion! – governs in these out-of-the-way corners of France every whit as foolishly as in the backwaters of a small American town.

samb

That Sligo co.co article is a Joke. Have you not seen that big complex on the out-skirts of Sligo that is only open a few months ago. Must have been in planning process when that article was written. It has Homebase, Toy City, Halfords, Reeds, PC world and a couple of other (huge car dependant complex).
And guess what-The large DIY and Toyshop in the centre that was there for years is now closed down.
Ireland is becoming more and more car dependant and towns are sprawling out into the countryside. No wonder tourism is struggling in rural areas, our rural areas are not very rural anymore.

Victor

muffler wrote:

Im still awaiting a response as to my original question in relation to this unprovoked outburst by you. You posted this here and you should reply here for all to see. I would have expected a bit more civility from you given that you are a mod. Now tell me what gives you the right to insult me like that

Sir, you protest too much.

I was being humourous, pointing out that seeing as you are not from the locality, you should not be able to comment - the original poster's point.

Cork wrote:

It is amazing concillers objecting to facilities like shops in a town.

The problem is the shops are not in the town. They are outside the town and will suck the life out of the centre of the town and from surrounding villages. What people don't realise is cost of groceries in far away shops + car > cost of groceries in local shops

Victor

Victor wrote:

Then get teh fook off t his thread :v:

Nobody will say something like that on the politics board and expect to get a way with it.

Banned for a week.

BrianD

I think that people attach to much attention to third parties such as private individuals and interest groups (statuatory or otherwise) who either object or make an observation on a planning application. In reality, these have no influence on the planning process whatsoever other than a tip of the hat towards an open and democratic process.

An objection, local or otherwise, will not stop any planning application that is properly construed and laid out as per planning law and guidelines. I don't think any objection has ever overturned any application that is proper and correct. Professional planners make these decisions. Where the system can fall down is where political and/or corrupt influences allow an improper application to go through or to re-zone an area for another use. So if a council (with or without a nod and a wink and a brown paper bag) rezone a field outside a town for retail then a planning application for a retail unit that complies with local and national planning norms will not fail despite who ever may object.