Northern Ireland MEP Bairbre de Brún has made a renewed call for public submissions on the PPS 21 planning legislation, which closes at the end of the month.

Ms de Brún said people from rural communities should make their voices heard to ensure that there were further "much needed changes" to the draft rural planning regulation, to ensure that non farming rural dwellers could build in rural areas in a sustainable fashion.

"No one doubts that lax application of planning law in the past allowed for unchecked building for profit without regard to the environment.

-- Advertisement --

"The response to that situation needs to ensure that there can still be sustainable rural communities and that rural dwellers can build in a sustainable fashion," she said.

"When the new proposals on Rural Planning (PPS 21) were first published in November Sinn Fein said that while there had been significant progress that it was essential that the key issue of the non farming rural dweller was addressed," said Ms de Brún.

However, she said there continues to be "a gap which must be addressed".

"Sinn Féin has lobbied continuously on behalf of the non-farming rural dweller and we believe that a mechanism can be devised through the work of the Independent Working Group set up to provide planning approval opportunities for this important sector of the community," she added.

(PR/JM)