BUNGALOW BLITZ
An Taisce Postcards
These postcard and flyers are part of a campaign developed by An Taisce to improve public awareness about the impact of one-off housing on rural environments.
An Taisce is the only environmental Non-Governmental Organisation in Ireland which is required under the planning legislation of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001) 28 (1) of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001), to make submissions on planning applications – this is known as the Prescribed Body function.
The Heritage Council, the governmental organization with responsibility for the environment and heritage was established as a statutory body under the Heritage Act 1995. Its role is to propose policies and priorities for the identification, protection, preservation and enhancement of the national heritage.
Under the legislation Local Authorities are required to send An Taisce, a copy of any planning application that falls under the following headings: the “land or structure is located in an Area of Special Amenity”; may impact on Protected Structures, Architectural Conservation Areas or those proposed as such;”might detract from the appearance of structure” (i.e. Protected Structure or Architectural Conservation Area); may impact or be unduly close to “a cave, site, feature or other object of archaeological, geological, scientific, ecological or historical interest”; may impact or “might affect or be unduly close to monuments or places recorded under the National Monuments Act 1994 – 1997, or are protected or are under ownership or guardianship under the National Monuments Acts 1930-1994”; containing developments that may affect a National Monument; where the development “might have significant effects in relation to nature conservation” i.e. applications within or adjacent to a Natural Heritage Area, Special Protection Area for Birds or Candidate Special Area of Conservation, developments affecting watercourses or affecting priority species under the Habitats Directive.
An Taisce responds to the Local Authority’s request for comments by making a written submission or observation on the application within the context of national/ regional/local Development Plan objectives, with reference to Ireland’s EU legal requirements such as the requirement to protect watercourses and EU designated areas.
The overall aim of An Taisce in making its observations is to ensure that planning applications are considered within the correct context.
In addition to the Bungalow Blitz campaign illustrated above, An Taisce has run a series of targeted campaigns including the recent Spatial Strategy and Sprawl in Donegal (2003); Urban Sprawl, One-off Housing and Planning Policy: More To Do, But How?(2003), Sustainable Rural Housing, (2004).
Together these campaigns can be credited with drawing public attention to the decision making processes of An Bord Pleanala while also raising awareness of the need to develop a National Spatial Strategy for Ireland .
For a discussion of the impact of the new National Trust for Ireland on the work of An Taisce see Stephen O’Brien’s Sunday Times article, Cullen’s national trust plan puts An Taisce under threat
Links
The following links map some of the debates in and around the role of An Taisce in planning, environment and spatial policy in Ireland.
Bungalow Blitz: The Blanket Ban Lifted
The Pat Kenny Show- An Bord Pleanala refuses McAleese house
Thousands of one-off houses get green light
