TD criticises 'local need' restriction in planning guidelines

Planning guidelines which prohibit speculative housing developments beyond the needs of locals is adversely affecting areas of southwest Wicklow, according to Fine Gael TD for Wicklow Mr Billy Timmins.

Calling for the definition of "local need" to be clarified, Mr Timmins said areas of south-west Wicklow were being sidelined in the current draft of the Wicklow County Development Plan with builders planning schemes in the adjacent counties of Wexford, Kildare and Carlow, where restrictions were not as severe.

Mr Timmins said a recent construction industry report had predicted that building firms would shift operations to neighbouring counties and this was starting to happen.

He acknowledged that members of his own family had tried to have part of the family farm rezoned for housing, but were unsuccessful. The strategic planning guidelines had failed, he said. They should "focus on boosting the development of smaller villages and rural towns as outlined in the National Spatial Strategy".

Mr Timmins said that the interpretation of the policy by Wicklow County Council is resulting in many areas of the county "being left behind" with "no town being identified as a small or moderate growth town".

He said he knew of a situation where someone with planning permission for more than 100 houses could not get funds to develop the project because of the interpretation put on "local need" by Wicklow County Council.

This is because, under the local-need stipulation, homes would have to be sold to locals only and banks and other financial institutions were reluctant to become involved on that basis.

Mr Timmons also said a resident of Rathvilly in Co Carlow, which is in the Dáil constituency of Wicklow/east Carlow, was unable to buy a house in Blessington.

"Anyone from anywhere on the planet can purchase a new house in Carlow/Gorey or anywhere in the country but someone from Carlow/Gorey cannot purchase a new house in Wicklow with the exception of Bray, Greystones, Delgany, Wicklow town and Arklow."

Mr Timmins described the "locals only" policy as unsustainable and said he hoped it would be changed by councillors who are currently debating the development plan.