Northern Ireland Environment Minister Arlene Foster has come under attack today from green campaigners accusing her of prompting the start of a 'bungalow blight' in the countryside.

Ms Foster outlined the Executive Sub-Committee's findings on PPS14 yesterday, and a series of relaxations were announced.

She revealed over 80,000 people responded to the consultation and thought it was too restrictive.

"As Environment Minister, my aim is to develop a policy based on the principles of sustainability," Ms Foster said.

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"That means striking a balance between the need to protect our countryside from unnecessary development and the need to protect our rural communities, allowing them to flourish, socially and economically."

She also announced the replacement of the "farm viability test" with a criterion which "more appropriately reflects current farming prices" as well as taking a more flexible approach to reuse and replace existing dwellings and other buildings.

She concluded: "We are also considering relaxations for the appropriate development of small groups of houses."

However, Friends of the Earth’s Northern Ireland Director John Woods said the report has not taken into account the estimated number of new houses that could be built, or considered the growth of sewage disposal or traffic generation.

He said: “As climate change and the end of the era of cheap oil drive up energy prices, it is madness to encourage people to live in places that are miles from all amenities. These proposals are storing up a future of rural deprivation.

(JM)