planning

Evaluating the Social and Community Impacts of the Outer Ring Road: An Examination of the EIS Report and additional documents – Prof. Kevin Leyden

From the Sustainable Development Evaluation of Road Infrastructure Programmes and Projects

Community Effects: Key Conclusions & Recommendations

  1. The main problem with the EIS “community effects” section is that its conclusions are – on the whole – subjective and speculative. Much of the research presented on community effects appears to be based upon opinion and not science. Even the methodology outlined by the “Environmental Assessment Advice Note from the UK Department of Transport Publication Design Manual for Roads and Bridges Volume 11” is inadequately followed.
  2. More scientifically-based research on likely “community effects” should be conducted. Data and conclusions on the community
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Response to ‘Sustainable Rural Housing; Consultation Draft of Guidelines for Planning Authorities’

May 2004

This submission critiques the current Irish Rural Housing Guidelines, arguing that their formation lacked proper participation and consultation; they are based on insufficient information; they over-emphasise dispersed housing to the detriment of other types of housing, in particular that of small settlements and villages; they fail to acknowledge important environmental and social factors such as peak oil and the fact that dispersed housing is more likely to be built and inhabited by the relatively well-off; and they introduce a discriminatory planning system based on the provenance and circumstances of the applicant. It suggests that a Rural Housing Commission …

Submission on Rural Housing To the Oireachtas Committee on Environment and Local Government

6th Nov 2003 , Emer O’Siochru

This submission makes a case for promoting small compact housing settlements rather than dispersed housing. It examines precedents for this development model in Ireland, arguing that most Irish villages and towns came into existence as a result of conscious planning. It suggests that the tax system be used to influence decisions about housing construction in favour of compact settlements, and that a ‘Participatory Budget’ system be introduced, following the example of Sao Paulo in Barzil, with the County Development Boards playing a strong role.

The full version can be downloaded as a PDF file…