DE BURCA CLAIMS SECTION FOURS ARE BEING ABUSED

"Effectively, a Section Four motion involves councillors using planning powers at their disposal to overrule the decision of the planners with regard to planning applications" she said. "While it is acceptable that councillors use these powers occasionally if they disagree with a decision of the planners, it is very worrying when this becomes a regular occurrence". Councillor de Burca points out that since 2000, 23 of the Section Four motions were proposed by the West Wicklow councillors, 16 by the Arklow councillors and 6 by the Wicklow councillors.

"I spoke very frankly at today's council meeting" she said " and I stated my opinion that the abuse of Section Fours suggests that councillors are looking for easy votes. One - off houses in the countryside are becoming a huge problem from a planning point of view. Clearly some people need to live in the countryside but it appears that one in every three planning permissions that are now granted are for one-off houses in rural areas" she says.

Councillor de Burca points out that one-off houses in the countryside give rise to problems such as the significant increase in septic tanks which are linked to water pollution. She also draws attention to the high levels of car usage and car dependency and the strain placed on services such as postal, medical and emergency services by one-off houses in the countryside. "Unfortunately councillors do not appear to take these factors into consideration when they support Section Fours" she says. "They also often disregard the warnings of planners concerning traffic and public health hazards posed by individual one-off developments".

Councillor de Burca claims that Wicklow County councillors agreed earlier this year that the use of Section Fours would be significantly reduced. "The agreement was that if the Ad Hoc Committee on Rural Development produced proposed changes for the Development Plan that would make it much easier for local people to get planning permission in rural areas, that Section Fours would no longer be proposed" she says. "I was a member of this committee and we produced a range of recommendations which were then adopted by the full council. These recommendations included a much more flexible definition of 'permanent native resident' and the zoning of land in villages and hamlets around the county for locals only".

Councillor de Burca believes that councillors have cynically exploited these new planning conditions for locals, while also continuing to increase the number of Section Four motions which they are putting forward."In effect, the majority of councillors have not respected the 'Gentleman's Agreement' which they entered into when the Ad Hoc Committee on Rural Development was set up" she says.

The Green councillor also supported the point made by Deputy Liz Mc Manus at Monday's council meeting concerning the Flood Tribunal, and the connection that the tribunal has highlighted between corruption in planning matters and a high levels of Section Fours being passed by councillors. "While Deputy Mc Manus was certainly not suggesting that Wicklow County Council is guilty of corrupt practices, she appeared to be pointing out that the passing of numerous Section Fours by elected representatives indicates that something is very wrong with the planning system of the local authority.Wicklow County Council must but an end to this irresponsible approach to planning in the county" says councillor de Burca.

For further information please contact Deirdre de Burca on 086 8061450 or email deburca@wicklowgreens.org.