Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 787: To ask the Minister for the Environment; Heritage and Local Government the status of the review of the retail planning guidelines; the nature of changes under consideration; when he expects to publish revised guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1346/11]

Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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My Department is currently reviewing the Retail Planning Guidelines which were originally published in 2001 and updated in 2005. Among the principles guiding the review are the following:

· competition to the benefit of the consumer should be maintained and enhanced in accordance with proper planning and sustainable development;

· existing retail development-type definitions and relevant floor space limits should be assessed to determine whether they remain appropriate or whether they need to be amended;

· preferred locations for retail development should continue to be guided by considerations of sustainable land use, including access by public transport;

· in particular, new retail development should be encouraged to contribute to the vitality and vibrancy of town and village centres, to ensure that they retain retailing as a core function; and

· realistic, regionally consistent and forward-looking strategies for plan-led retail development should be devised which can give clear guidance to planning authorities, developers and shop owners in formulating development or expansion proposals.

An Issues Paper, which set out high-level and strategic issues for retail planning, was published by my Department in June 2010 to provide an opportunity for stakeholders and interested parties to assist in identifying key issues to be considered in the context of preparing and drafting revised guidelines. Almost 200 submissions were received through this consultation process and the issues raised in these submissions are currently being examined in drafting the updated guidelines.

It is intended that revised draft guidelines will be published for public consultation in the early months of 2011, thus affording stakeholders and interested parties a further opportunity to input into the policy formulation process before the statutory guidelines are finalised later this year. In accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding on Specific Economic Policy Conditionality between Ireland and the EU/IMF, the review is also addressing the issue of the cap on retail floor space contained in the current guidelines.