‘Meaningful change’ needed on rural housing guidelines

Reports that the Government intends to relax planning rules for one-off rural homes, have been “cautiously” welcomed by Independent Ireland TD Michael Fitzmaurice who has warned that the success of any changes will depend on the detail and delivery of the policy.

Deputy Fitzmaurice said that while the initial indications from Housing Minister James Browne appeared positive, rural communities had heard promises before and would want to see firm timelines and meaningful changes on the ground.

“I welcome the signals from the Minister that the Government intends to liberalise the current rural housing guidelines. I also want to acknowledge the recent engagement we have had on this issue,” Deputy Fitzmaurice said.

“For too long, people from rural areas who simply want to live near their families and communities have found it almost impossible to get planning permission to build on their own land.” Deputy Fitzmaurice stressed that the real test would be whether the proposed guidelines genuinely made it easier for rural families to build homes and remain in their local areas.

“While the early reports sound encouraging, the devil will be in the detail. We need to see exactly what changes are proposed." 

He also emphasised the importance of clear national guidance to ensure consistency across the country.

“One of the biggest frustrations for families has been the completely different interpretation of planning rules from one county to the next. If new guidelines are coming, they must be applied consistently and fairly across all local authorities.” Deputy Fitzmaurice said that any reform of rural housing planning rules must also address the growing number of objections being raised by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), which he claimed were blocking common-sense solutions for rural homes.

“In the past, the principle of a shared entrance or shared driveway onto a national road was accepted in many planning applications. Increasingly we are now seeing TII objecting to these arrangements, even where they have been long-established practice,” Deputy Fitzmaurice said.

“This is creating unnecessary barriers for rural families who simply want to build a home on family land. Where a shared entrance can be used safely, it should not be blocked by excessive bureaucracy.”