News
8th August 09
8/8/2009
Fermanagh & South Tyrone Ulster Unionist MLA, Tom Elliott has questioned the recent announcement that the planning service has approved 98% of recent applications for homes in the country.
WHAT DO PLANNERS REALLY PASS
Fermanagh & South Tyrone Ulster Unionist MLA,
Mr Elliott said: “On first appearances the situation would seen to have improved from the draconian rules of PPS14, but I would find this figure of 98% hard to match up with reality on the ground, indeed party colleagues on Dungannon Council have pointed out that almost 50% of the applications to be discussed at the next meeting have been recommended for refusal.
“I know that the difference in these percentages is sometimes due to issues being resolved by negotiation after the councillors have agreed a deferral of the opinion of refusal at the council meeting. Of course while many applications are being recommended for refusal they are then being deferred and left ‘sitting on the shelf’ as PPS21 is only a draft document and no refusal will be issued unless requested by the applicant.
“I have also noticed a tendency of applicants to withdraw an application at the last minute, rather than have the black mark of a refusal against their property, which is completely understandable from their point of view.
“A combination of these issues allows the planners to issue the ridiculous figure of a 98% approval rate.
“Reading this figure in the headlines has led many to get the misconception that obtaining planning permission for a house in the country under PPS21 is very easy and indeed we have even heard calls for further tightening of the guidelines, which would be understandable if 98% of applications for new site were approved, but I can assure those concerned this is far from the case under PPS21 which has imposed very tight limits. I would call on the Planning Service to clarify the situation before this misconception takes root in the community.”
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