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Strabane District Council joins Omagh District fight for a Judicial Review on Rural Development Proposals - 6/7/06
03.07.2006
Strabane District Council joins Omagh District fight for a Judicial Review on Rural Development Proposals
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Strabane District Council has joined Omagh District Council in the fight to progress the judicial review following the Minister for Rural Development's decision in 'PPS14 - Development in the Countryside' to ban single house development in rural areas. Following a hearing last week, Omagh District Council has been granted leave to bring the judicial review to the next stage. Cookstown District Council have also agreed to support Omagh and Strabane in further developing this process. The Councils have challenged the Minister's legal authority to make the decision, particularly following the widespread opposition to the proposals in the consultation process. The Chairman of Strabane District Council, Councillor Thomas Kerrigan said that the implementation of PPS14 - Development in the Countryside would have a devastating impact on the sustainability of rural communities. He said, “The sweeping planning policy within PPS14 does not suit our rural areas. Strabane District Council is delighted that the High Court has recognised its legitimate concerns in challenging the decision of the DRD Minister. We will now proceed to assist Omagh District Council in preparing for the full hearing of the judicial review in September”. |
Similarly, Councillor Charlie McHugh, Chairman of Strabane District Council's Environment Committee, welcomed the judicial review: “Whilst we fully support the principles of achieving greater sustainability and improving the design and location of houses in the countryside, the current proposals are too prescriptive. They take no account of their impact on the rural economy, on house prices generally - nor the history and social life of rural dwellers. We need to have planning policies that allow rural dwellers to build a long term house for their immediate family and future generations We believe that the practice proposed in the sweeping legislation of PPS14, will actually damage what it sets out to protect.”
The Chairman of Strabane District Council, Councillor Kerrigan added: “We look forward to the September hearing. It is hopeful that this concerted lobby from the west will add weight to the judicial review process. We trust that the authority of the Minister to make the decision on PPS14 will be considered with due care and reason. Strabane District Council is committed to lobbying central government to ensure that policies and practices introduced will support, not inhibit social and economic growth within rural areas in Strabane District.”
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