Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 35: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the position regarding the Planning Bill 2009; the provisions which will prevent urban sprawl and the wasting of public resources on poorly located excessive zonings; if this Bill will be passed before future county of city development plans are adopted by local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18109/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I refer to the reply Question No. 20 of 27 November 2008. The Planning and Development Act 2000 updated and modernised planning legislation and introduced a range of measures to ensure sustainable development through the forward planning and development management processes and the enforcement of planning legislation.

Development plans, prepared and adopted by local authorities under Part II of the 2000 Act, as amended, currently provide the over-arching strategic framework for development with a view to ensuring its sustainability in economic, social and environmental terms. The legal provisions in relation to development plans are underpinned by statutory guidelines issued by my Department in June 2007 entitled Development Plans - Guidelines for Planning Authorities. More recently, Planning Guidelines on Sustainable Residential Development in Urban Areas were published in December 2008 and outline how planning authorities can ensure that, through the development plan and local area plan processes, quality new residential developments are planned and delivered in such a way as to be sustainable into the future, incorporating the highest design standards and providing a co-ordinated approach to the delivery of essential infrastructure and services. Both sets of guidelines are available on my Department's website at www.environ.ie.

The Government's legislative programme, published on 22 April 2009, indicates that the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill is due to be published in the summer session. The Bill will aim, inter alia, to ensure a closer alignment between the National Spatial Strategy, Regional Planning Guidelines, development plans and local area plans. In addition, the Bill will require the preparation of a 'core strategy' in development plans which will: set down the demographic and economic evidence basis for the plan including the location, quantum and phasing of land zoned for development purposes; identify the linkages to national and regional planning priorities; indicate the plans for provision of necessary infrastructure and how such plans are aligned with national infrastructure programmes; and indicate how the plan supports cross-cutting sustainable policies such as those addressing climate change and sustainable travel.