Planning in Donegal.

muffler

Someone contacted me recently about posting this topic and I may have scared them off by saying that all posts would be closely monitored. Its a very controversial issue at times and I know people can get very frustrated but please don't post any replies that are in any way slanderous and do not name any individuals.

Anyhow whats your view on all things related too planning around the county?

Are there too many houses in rural areas? Is there a lack of consistency in planning decisions? Is the system as transparent as its made out to be? What about holiday homes?

Fire away but like I said just think before you post.

donegalman1

There appears a lack of cohesive planning in the county, but quite often I think officials get unfairly blamed and councillors interfere with motions to force through constituants plans.

I believe that were a law introduced, allowing for the demolision of poorly planned buildings along with stiff fines for punishing elected representatives that force them through there would be a change in attitude.

Politians have too much power at times and even when they blatantly ignore the greater good, there is no sanction.

Planning officers must have a frustrating job at times.

smashey

muffler wrote: »

Anyhow whats your view on all things related too planning around the county?

I'll keep that info to myself.

donegalboy

Planning is practically non existent in Donegal.
The County Development Plan is so loose the planners themselves refer to it as the "Developers Plan".
Holiday homes have destroyed the county and now certain councillors are trying to increase the quota by 50%.
Yeah, the councillors have far too much power in this area and constantly ignore the expert advice of planners in favour of their developer friends. In fact, at least two councillors are developers. And that is fact as it was in their Declarations of Interest that were published in a local paper a few months back.
Pure scandal whats goin on but the hard proof is hard to come by according to the poor overworked journalists!!

muffler

So are you saying that all bad planning decisions are as a result of political input ?

muffler

smashey wrote: »

I'll keep that info to myself.

Dont be shy. Step forward and share your thoughts.

smashey

muffler wrote: »

Dont be shy. Step forward and share your thoughts.

Closing the stable door after the horse has bolted springs to mind.

blue shimmering

smashey wrote: »

Closing the stable door after the horse has bolted springs to mind.

I think the programme pulled by RTE a few months ago on Planning in Donegal says it all! Who has the clout to prevent these programmes from being aired, what are they trying to hid and where do we go from here?

Some of the planning is good but there is a lot of it absolutely disgraceful - usually when there is interference from a business and political point of view! I know it is very difficult to get proof of this but my one question is why was the programme pulled off air at the last moment, was it because THEY DID HAVE PROOF but some influencial people where able blackmail RTE?

donegalboy

muffler wrote: »

So are you saying that all bad planning decisions are as a result of political input ?

Obviously not all of them.
The Development Plan was made by the Councillors. The planners role is to advise them using the Government Planning Guidelines.
Of course, the Councillors ignored their advice in favour of their friends/colleagues in the construction sector.
You only have to look at the proposed changes in the variation to the County Development Plan which is currently out for public consultation: 'Small builders' policy'.. increase in holiday homes etc..

donegalboy

blue shimmering wrote: »

I think the programme pulled by RTE a few months ago on Planning in Donegal says it all! Who has the clout to prevent these programmes from being aired, what are they trying to hid and where do we go from here?

Some of the planning is good but there is a lot of it absolutely disgraceful - usually when there is interference from a business and political point of view! I know it is very difficult to get proof of this but my one question is why was the programme pulled off air at the last moment, was it because THEY DID HAVE PROOF but some influencial people where able blackmail RTE?

Prime Time did not pull a programme specific to planning in Donegal. Planning corruption is so widespread that they would have to set aside a programme for each individual local authourity in the country.

blue shimmering

donegalboy wrote: »

Prime Time did not pull a programme specific to planning in Donegal. Planning corruption is so widespread that they would have to set aside a programme for each individual local authourity in the country.

My understanding was that the programme was specific to Donegal and was pulled from being aired only about 24 hours before it was scheduled to go out! I remember Ocean FM saying it on one of their news bulletins but can't come across anything about it now, although I would say others who can search better will probably be able to find it somewhere on the Internet!

byte

http://www.oceanfm.ie/onair/donegalnews.php?articleid=000002101

It seems the programme went ahead, but without any Donegal content.

blue shimmering

byte wrote: »

http://www.oceanfm.ie/onair/donegalnews.php?articleid=000002101

It seems the programme went ahead, but without any Donegal content.

I must have missed the programme and also this article about it, seems more or less that some of the other counties had more interesting planning issues than Donegal had! That's not to say that Donegal doesn't have questions to answer I would think! Looking around the county it is obvious that there are questions to be answered especially when people who have lived all their lives in an area can't get planning for their son/daughter and someone can come in from outside the area or even county and get it. Contractors purchasing land that planning was applied on and refused and as soon as they themselves put it in they get planning for whatever they want. I do think there is major problems somewhere along the line!

donegalboy

blue shimmering wrote: »

I must have missed the programme and also this article about it, seems more or less that some of the other counties had more interesting planning issues than Donegal had! That's not to say that Donegal doesn't have questions to answer I would think! Looking around the county it is obvious that there are questions to be answered especially when people who have lived all their lives in an area can't get planning for their son/daughter and someone can come in from outside the area or even county and get it. Contractors purchasing land that planning was applied on and refused and as soon as they themselves put it in they get planning for whatever they want. I do think there is major problems somewhere along the line!

Prime Time researchers done some work in Donegal but none turned up the kind of evidence that came out of other counties.

legrand

Bump
http://www.villagemagazine.ie/index.php/2014/06/blowing-the-whistle-so-hard-on-donegal-even-the-people-who-havent-been-following-so-far-will-hear-it/