Sunday 24 June 2007

Locals only' planning rule may be scrapped

This story has been carried by the national newspapers for about two weeks now. It is a huge story for Wicklow, but the Wicklow People gave it just a few lines:

Wicklow County Council's locals only planning rule may have to be scrapped following a complaint which is being examined by the European Commission.

Currently the council restricts non locals from being granted planning permission for one-off rural houses. The county development plan states that people must be local to the area or have a need to live locally in order to be granted planning.

However, this planning guideline is likely to be scrapped if the European Commission decides that it is illegal.

The commission has completed an examination of the development plans of 22 counties following a complaint from an Irish citizen who was refused planning permission to build a house in Wicklow because he was not a permanent native resident'.

It is expected to announce within the coming month that many of the restrictions in the county development plans are illegal under European law.

Wicklow People

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