Lack of Planners Causing Housing Delays
November 6th, 2000
A lack of planners at An Bord Pleanala is causing serious delays in the ability of local authorities to make planning decisions and will only cause additional problems in the housing supply. County Wicklow Deputy Billy Timmins, the Fine Gael spokesperson for housing, has said that the because of the human resources problem facing the economy at the president time, the housing supply will decrease in the immediate future.
Under the Planning & Development Act 2000 the various planning authorities are required to develop a housing strategy for their allocated areas of responsibility. However the simple fact of the matter is they are unable to do so because of personnel shortages in their organisation. At present there are 107 vacancies for planners with the various local councils, and as result most do not have a housing strategy in place as specified under the Planning & Development Act.
Deputy Timmins pointed out that a direct consequence of this situation is now apparent with An Bord Plenala supporting objections against some projects on the grounds that making a decision would be premature until the required strategy is in place. WicklowToday.com contacted an Board Pleanala who informed us that as this was a matter that falls into the political arena they do not make comments or issue statements. If anything they would only do so at the Annual Report for 1999 where their Chairperson may or may not take questions on the matter.
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