The Gazette 1975

°nsuhaii vc

Committees in Architectural Areas

t| K> l l o t , K ' r «'xainplc of the opportunity being given to public to involve itself in the planning proccss is au°i Cs V , ! >,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 »> a r ca of spccinl | ; < 1 1tecture or historic interest or great natural beauty. ,c influence of such committees (not themselves com- ,s< jd of elected representatives) on the Planning . ,nt > c a " he considerable. Frequently local Pres- ^ at "»n or Civic Societies are given a specific right j' a 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 e h'iinental in urban areas. In rural areas, c C| > if economically misguided, the effect of a (> nsultative Committee is to protect countryside from J v 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 R u r a i Wales. "Oh" he said "You mean the t| '< )u 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 a " 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 e resultant exclusions of energy without allowing ' Ne '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 a »d other defined types of development affecting file public, consultation with the public should take place. This could include exhibitions at local cp ntres with invitations to the public to make

"The

Income Tax Acts 99

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. 61