Donegal Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Mac Lochlainn welcomes commitment to pressurised North Donegal villages in County Development Plan

Published: 19 July, 2006

Sinn Féin councillor Pádraig Mac Lochlainn has welcomed a commitment to the sustainable development of villages and small towns such as St Johnston, Manorcunningham, Newtowncunningham, Ramelton, Kilmacrennan, Churchill and the border villages of Bridgend, Burnfoot, Killea, Carrigans, and Muff in the new Donegal County Development Plan. Cllr MacLochlainn had championed the issue through out all of the preparatory meetings and consultations leading up to the recent adoption of the new plan.

The Sinn Féin candidate for Donegal North East said:

"Since my election to Donegal County Council in 2004, I have constantly raised the issue of the pressure on our villages pressurised by urban growth in the larger nearby city or towns. We allowed a huge increase in housing in these villages to take place and often left the sewerage, roads, lighting, footpaths, and community infrastructure to last. This is bad planning practice and it has let down the residents, both new and indigenous, in these villages".

"In the new plan, the only people able to build in the rural areas around the urban growth areas of Derry, Letterkenny, Buncrana, and Strabane will be strictly members of the local rural indigenous community. In addition, those local people will have to sign a 'Section 47' that legally commits them to reside in that home for 7 years after construction to prevent the immediate selling on of homes. This is important to protect the rural amenities around the areas of urban growth in line with best practice on the rest of the island".

"Of course, the tightening of planning laws in our rural areas pressurised by urban growth will put significant pressure on these villages to build additional housing. I have successfully proposed that any new housing applications will be assessed by the planning department of Donegal County Council in consultation with the other council departments of housing, roads, water and environment, and community and enterprise to analyse the impact on the existing community and the additional infrastructure required before a decision is made to grant. Also the planning department will lead up on improving the sustainable development of these communities in to the future. An initiative long overdue."