DUP respond to planning consultation
02 August 2005
The DUP have responded to the recent consultation on an amendment to planning permitted development rights for agricultural buildings. The DUP believe that farmers who wish to construct slurry storage with a ground area up to 650m2 should not require planning permission.
Jim Allister MEP commented, “We welcome the proposals from DOE and DARD for increasing the permitted development area for agricultural buildings before planning permission is required. The DUP believe that farmers should be able to construct above ground slurry stores up to 650 m2 before requiring planning permission. We also believe that slurry tanks, which are constructed underground, should not require planning.
“In the consultation document, there is a proposal to increase the ground area to the same as that for England and Wales. Since Northern Ireland planning policy has its own identity we do not accept the premise that we should be following the GB precedent but rather seeking a solution that addresses our local needs. Hence the DUP believes that the ground area should be increased above 465m2. Any reduction in bureaucracy, time or cost associated with building additional slurry storage will encourage more farmers to avail of the scheme and lead to environmental improvements in the longer term.
“In the consultation document we have also raised our concerns about strict timetables currently set in order to get funding from the FNMS. We are calling on Lord Rooker to make a prompt decision on changing planning legislation so those farmers, who wish to put up additional slurry storage, can commence work.”
