Independent councillor Frank Durcan blasted “blatant inconsistencies “in planning in the county and called on Mayo County Council to adopt “a common sense approach” in dealing with all planning applications; that they are dealt with as quickly as possible and that “persons should be able to construct a family home in the location of their choice subject to normal planning conditions”.
The Castlebar Cllr said that it is an “utter disgrace” that some houses are turned down for planning, yet ones of a similar nature are allowed to be constructed, and he also blamed the planning laws which have “put a lot of small contractors in the county out of a job”.
The county councillor said that the council should formalise a plan to take on the Minister for Environment’s planning changes which have “destroyed rural Ireland”, and asked that county councillors should tender their resignation to their party leaders in protest to the Minister who “doesn’t fully understand people in rural Ireland”.
Director of services Joe Loftus outlined that law governs planning regulations and said that he was informed that Minister Gormley would soon write to the county manager with a new direction incorporating what was agreed locally for the development plan.
