The Irish Planning Institute (IPI) has broadly welcomed the publication of the Government’s Construction 2020 strategy today (14th May 2014) and its commitment to protecting the integrity of the planning system as a public good. However the Institute stated that the proposed National Planning Policy Statement on Planning must be prioritised along with a new National Spatial Strategy in order to set out a clear vision for how and where the country should develop in order avoid repeating the mistakes of the past.

President of the Irish Planning Institute Mary Crowley said “The construction sector has endured a very difficult time and a focus on how to make it a fully functioning part of the economy again is to be welcomed. Land is a valuable resource and must focus on building high quality, sustainable places with a long term vision. We look forward to the proposed National Policy Statement on Planning which we have long called for. Developing a sound statutory successor to the National Spatial Strategy must also be a priority however. The Strategy’s proposal that new Regional Assemblies prepare Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies in a vacuum without an overall National Spatial Strategy will not ensure joined up, strategic thinking from national to regional to local level.”

Crowley continued “Whereas being flexible with densities may be perceived as providing a quick fix, it risks being wasteful of scarce land and expensive infrastructure and may impact on the rights of the public to participate in decision-making. Government also has an obligation to ensure that planning departments are adequately staffed and resourced to ensure applications are dealt with as efficiently as possible. Many of these have seen significant reductions in staff in recent years.”

The Institute also welcomed confirmation of provisions for an independent Planning Regulator in the forthcoming Planning Bill.

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