The Gazette 1975

°nsuhaii

Committees in Architectural Areas

l l o t , K

«'xainplc of the opportunity being given to

public to involve itself in the planning proccss is

au°i

>,is,1,nent o f

rumiuittces with whom planning

•thoritirs consult. Such Consultative

Committees

arc

I arer

,lly l

° '

>C f o u n d v v

l o re

tberc is

»>

a r

ca of spccinl

| ; <

1tecture or historic interest or great natural beauty.

influence of such committees (not themselves com-

,s<

jd of elected representatives) on the Planning

,nt

c a

" he considerable. Frequently local Pres-

"»n or Civic Societies are given a specific right

Ppomt representatives to such conunittees. It is

^ unk

arguable that in some cases the persuasion of

^nsultative committees has a restrictive effect on

CV(

'lopmeiit proposals. Generally such effects are

h'iinental

urban

areas.

rural

areas,

> if economically misguided, the effect of a

nsultative Committee is to protect countryside from

j?lopmcnt. Whether, however, they act for the benefit

"x-al people is another matter. Some time ago I

talking to the ex-Chairman of a Planning Com-

I !

,tte

e of one of the former Welsh counties and asked

•to what he thought of the Council for the Preser-

vation of

u r a

Wales. "Oh" he said "You mean the

ncil for the persecution of Rural Wales". He added

'at during his time with the County Council the

.«toning Committee which originally conducted all

'j * business in Welsh had to switch over to English

J^ause the representatives appointed by the Council

Webl'

0 P r e s c r v a t i o n (>f R u r a l W a l c

s could not speak

" I have said I suppose the conclusion to this

dress should be a plea for an end to public particip-

'°n in the planning process. This is not so. Public

Participation should be encouraged by publicity but

planning machine should be redesigned to cope with

resultant exclusions of energy without allowing

'f to get out of control. My suggestions are:-

Hie Planning Authorities should be periodical-

ly reminded of the extent and the limitations

of their duty and powers.

T he public should be encouraged to express their

views through their elected representatives.

Occasionally they should be permitted to express

their views directly to the Planning Authority

hut only at the discretion of that Authority.

Rights of appearance at Local Inquiries should

he limited to persons having a defined interest.

This

would normally be bv reason of ownership

or occupation of land affected by planning pro-

posals.

Decisions on appeals should be made by, or on

behalf

of, an independent liody instead of the

Secretary of State.

^ As a preliminary to important highway proposals

»d other defined types of development affecting

file public, consultation with the public should

take place. This could include exhibitions at local

ntres with invitations to the public to make

"The

Income Tax

Acts

THE EIGHTH SUPPLEMENT to the

loose-leaf volume "The Income Tax

Acts" has now been published.

The Supplement embodies the

amendments made by The Finance

Act, 1974, and is available with a

new Binder (Vol.11).

PRICE £4.00.

Available from the

Government Publications Sale Office,

G.P.O. Arcade, Dublin 1.

(Postage 35p extra).

representations within a specified period. It could

also include the preparation of a printed form of

questionnaire to enable the Planning Authority

to make an assessment of public views on a

particular proposal, on public participation in

planning.

Mr. John O'Loughlin Kennedy, Director of An

Taisce, congratulated the Incorporated Law Society

in its initiative in coming to grips with the problem of

Planning Legislation at this time when a new Planning

Bill is being debated at Committee Stage in Dail

Eireann. "Never was intervention by Lawyers so

needed if workable legislation on planning is to

emerge, and I would direct your attention in par-

ticular to three areas".

1. Ireland, unlike England, lacks National or

Regional Planning strategies. Planning is based at

local level on the Development Plan and each ,of the

87 Planning Authorities is bound to pursue the

objectives of its own Development Plan, limiting

its considerations to the proper planning and

development of its own area. Appeals in Ireland are

dealt with by the Minister for Local Government.