It has been revealed recently that the Planning Department has approved 98% of planning applications for new homes in the rural environment. Up until recently the planning department has been refusing most applications under planning policy statement 14. This major turnaround comes under a new planning policy giving numerous applications the green light. 

The new policy PPS21 which came about in 2008 is to replace that old policy PPS14. The rural planning policy in the old one up until then refused everything in sight in the countryside and was instigated solely to reduce the numbers of houses built in the countryside. 

Between November 2008 and March 2009 only 25 applications out of 1,778 or so for houses in the country side were refused with the succession planning policy. The figures included for single dwellings and for replacement dwellings. The reason for the high number of approvals given by the planners to the assembly was simple – they were looking around the office one day and came across a bunch of applications deferred from the old policy and decided to more or less approve the lot. These included farm dwellings and replacement dwellings. 

Assembly spokesman Mr McGlone wants everyone from the country side to keep living there and with these new planning policies swing it seems that may be happening. This in turn may provide additional jobs in the building industry. 

Meanwhile Environment Minister Mr. Edwin Poots has said the figures appear to show that new policy 21 is delivering a vibrant and sustainable development planning for the countryside. He also said that planning approvals on replacement dwellings meant that older buildings are being reused. What a clever guy. He said more – if Policy 14 (which was introduced by direct rule in London) had been allowed to continue this effectively meant a “blanket ban” on development in the countryside. 

It would appear that the approval figures demonstrate the positive effect of the new policy for rural areas. Many of the applications that would normally have been rejected under the old policy are now given a least of life under the new policy and approved. Isn’t that wonderful.