This story has been carried by the national newspapers for about two weeks now. It is a huge story for Wicklow, but the Wicklow People gave it just a few lines:
Wicklow County Council's locals only planning rule may have to be scrapped following a complaint which is being examined by the European Commission.
Currently the council restricts non locals from being granted planning permission for one-off rural houses. The county development plan states that people must be local to the area or have a need to live locally in order to be granted planning.
However, this planning guideline is likely to be scrapped if the European Commission decides that it is illegal.
The commission has completed an examination of the development plans of 22 counties following a complaint from an Irish citizen who was refused planning permission to build a house in Wicklow because he was not a permanent native resident'.
It is expected to announce within the coming month that many of the restrictions in the county development plans are illegal under European law.
Wicklow People
Showing posts with label local connection. Show all posts
Showing posts with label local connection. Show all posts
Sunday, 24 June 2007
Tuesday, 19 June 2007
EU to give ruling on planning guidelines
A European Union ruling on the legitimacy of planning guidelines in 22 counties which favour people connected to the locality is imminent.
The EU has completed an investigation of county development plans on foot of a complaint against Wicklow County Council from a man from outside the county who wanted to purchase a plot of land there.
Speaking on RTÉ radio yesterday, the director of the EU's office in Ireland, Martin Territt, confirmed that an EU citizen had complained about the restrictions in Wicklow.
"We've had a look now over the past couple of months at these type of restrictions and they're not just confined to Co Wicklow, we find them in about 22 of the 26 county development plans and clearly we feel that there's an issue here.
"It will be considered by representatives of the commissioners this week and will go to the College of Commissioners next week on June 27th."
He said that if the commission decided to issue a letter of formal notice on the planning guidelines, the Government would then have two months to respond.
Issues such as freedom of capital movement and the right of establishment would have to be considered, he said, issues that were "at the very core of membership of the European Union".
"The European Court has held these freedoms dear to its heart," Mr Territt added.
However, he said it was "too early to be black and white about what the future might hold" and that the outcome of proceedings would have to be awaited.
The restrictions have also been used to limit the number of new homes which end up as holiday homes and remain vacant for most of the year.
A spokesman for Minister for the Environment John Gormley said yesterday that although the department was aware of the situation with regard to the complaint against Ireland, it was not planned to do anything about it at this time.
The department would await the notice which would issue from the commission before deciding what, if any, action to take.
Tim O'Brien
© 2007 The Irish Times
The EU has completed an investigation of county development plans on foot of a complaint against Wicklow County Council from a man from outside the county who wanted to purchase a plot of land there.
Speaking on RTÉ radio yesterday, the director of the EU's office in Ireland, Martin Territt, confirmed that an EU citizen had complained about the restrictions in Wicklow.
"We've had a look now over the past couple of months at these type of restrictions and they're not just confined to Co Wicklow, we find them in about 22 of the 26 county development plans and clearly we feel that there's an issue here.
"It will be considered by representatives of the commissioners this week and will go to the College of Commissioners next week on June 27th."
He said that if the commission decided to issue a letter of formal notice on the planning guidelines, the Government would then have two months to respond.
Issues such as freedom of capital movement and the right of establishment would have to be considered, he said, issues that were "at the very core of membership of the European Union".
"The European Court has held these freedoms dear to its heart," Mr Territt added.
However, he said it was "too early to be black and white about what the future might hold" and that the outcome of proceedings would have to be awaited.
The restrictions have also been used to limit the number of new homes which end up as holiday homes and remain vacant for most of the year.
A spokesman for Minister for the Environment John Gormley said yesterday that although the department was aware of the situation with regard to the complaint against Ireland, it was not planned to do anything about it at this time.
The department would await the notice which would issue from the commission before deciding what, if any, action to take.
Tim O'Brien
© 2007 The Irish Times
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