Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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403. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her Department will examine a nationwide plan for the development of village design statements that would ensure all future planning and development takes full cognisance of the historic character and protect the character and heritage of villages. [4094/17]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Heritage Council, in collaboration with my Department, has led the development of a best practice approach to the development of Community-Led Village Design Statements. In tandem with a number of local authorities and village communities, the Council has prepared a toolkit which was launched in October 2012 at the inaugural community-led workshop. In many ways, the approach followed is similar to the Historic Towns Initiative (HTI) framework, also developed by my Department in collaboration with the Heritage Council, Fáilte Ireland and relevant local authorities, although it is focussed on smaller communities.

Current policy encourages a community-led approach rather than the development of a nationwide plan. I am however considering the possibility of a prioritised targeted approach to towns and villages with a view to not only protecting their character and heritage, but also contributing to regional development through encouraging economic growth and employment.

All approaches are still under consideration as I seek to further strengthen the protection of our built heritage and to provide for the regeneration of rural towns and villages as part of the Action Plan for Rural Development.