Kenneth Fox
Nearly 80 per cent of members of the Irish Planning Institute (IPI) have expressed no confidence in the new Planning and Development Bill, which is currently before the Oireachtas.
As the Irish Examiner reports, a survey carried out by the IPI, which represents more than 1,000 public and private planners in Ireland, and was published in February, found just 22 per cent of the members who responded supported the legislation in its then current format.
In an update to members, the IPI said the results of the survey “reinforced the concerns” of its own council that key recommendations made by planners regarding the bill during pre-legislative scrutiny “were not taken on board”.
Gavin Lawlor, president of the Institute, said the priority of planners is to ensure that the Planning and Development Bill, currently passing through the Oireachtas, is workable for the long term, not to slow the legislative process down.
Addressing over 300 professionals from across the planning, construction and sustainability sectors at the Institute’s annual conference in Waterford on the progress of the Bill, he said, “In its current form, this Bill is not fit for purpose.
“It will have a detrimental impact on citizen engagement in the planning process, and it proposes unrealistic timelines, guidelines and compliance, making aspects of the Bill unworkable.
“Our ambition is not to slow down the Bill but to work with policymakers to get it right.
“We have made a number of submissions on the legislation and engaged very constructively and openly but remain convinced that the Bill requires further section-by-section consultation and review with practitioners so that the implications in practice of the new measures can be considered.”
He said the IPI wants to see a Bill that serves “the needs of society and the common good for generations to come.”
Mr Lawlor said they are fully committed to working with the Minister, Minister of State, Department, Oireachtas members and all stakeholders to make sure the legislation is fit for purpose.
“Planners know how to ensure the housing and infrastructure we need is delivered for the benefit of the environment and society and we need to be more assertive about the skills and knowledge we bring.”
“To do this we have to work collaboratively. Much of this year’s conference programme is about building understanding across the planning, technology, construction and sustainability sectors but we also need to build understanding across the planning profession itself and break down barriers,” he said.
