Environment Minister, Alex Attwood has today launched definitive guidance for rural building projects.

The document, 'Building on Tradition' is a best practice design guide that aims to assist all of those involved with sustainable development in the Northern Ireland countryside to understand the requirements of Planning Policy Statement 21 (PPS21) 'Sustainable development in the countryside'.

Mr Attwood said: "This guidance will greatly assist planners with consistent interpretation and application of PPS21 policies, and allow applicants and others to understand its policy requirements.

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"The guidance is intended to raise awareness of how best to protect our natural environment and has been developed while taking account of comments made on the public consultation of the draft guidance."

The Minister continued: "The guidance seeks to address previous trends in relation to poor standards of design that, if left unchanged, will gradually erode what is valued and considered special about our environment.

"It is a best practice tool for those who are thinking of building in the countryside to help them understand what PPS 21 is aiming to achieve and identify what makes our countryside special."

(CD)