Local councillors should be made accountable for their actions when they ignore basic planning requirements by rezoning unsuitable tracts of land and granting permission for damaging developments. The best way of doing that is to hit them where it hurts most - in their pockets - by making them personally liable for any subsequent compensation that has to be paid to their builder friends.
A former minister for the environment was forced to intervene when local rezoning decisions flagrantly conflicted with national policies. An Bord Pleanála has signalled a tougher approach and warns in its annual report that just because land is zoned for particular use it does not mean that planning permission will be granted. The board, according to chairman John O'Connor, will not be deflected from refusing permission "just because the local authority might be at risk of having to pay compensation arising out of unjustified zonings".
If such compensation is awarded, the councillors responsible should be held personally liable, rather than have the charge shouldered by taxpayers or local businesses. That may be the only way to enforce a sense of civic responsibility. Hearings at the Mahon tribunal have shown just how vulnerable the planning system is to abuse by greedy councillors and developers. It would be unwise to believe such behaviour has ended.
An Bord Pleanála regards sustainable use and the need to abide by national policies and regional guidelines as basic requirements for development. It warns against building on flood plains; against excessively large projects near small towns and villages where investment in national roads could be devalued; and against undue threats to heritage and habitat. It pledges to ensure that future apartment developments are family-friendly and constructed to decent standards. It's not rocket science. But, in the building frenzy of the past 10 years - driven by tax breaks and special areas of designation - such basic requirements were frequently ignored.
Once-off housing in rural areas, where more than 15,000 houses are built every year, is another problem area. Already, one-third of all planning permissions are rejected by the board because of water pollution risks. That figure is likely to increase because of a new nitrates directive and pressure from the European Commission to protect water quality. Outbreaks of cryptosporidium in Galway and Clare are a direct consequence of polluted groundwater and inadequate treatment. The situation is likely to worsen. In that regard, the board urges local authorities to ensure that safe drainage is available before granting outline planning permission. But the larger problem of pollution being caused by hundreds of thousands of moribund septic tanks remains a matter for government.
A record number of appeals will be dealt with this year. But the backlog is growing. On top of that, the board has to fast-track strategic infrastructure applications. It should be given adequate resources to do the work.