Sir, - In an article in your edition of August 6th Frank McDonald refers to the "shocking statistics" which show that last year, of a record total output of 50,000 new homes throughout the State, 36 per cent were single homes in the countryside. For many people living in the West of Ireland and for those who want to see rural regeneration becoming a reality rather than an aspiration, these are not shocking statistics but rather a ray of hope that the inexorable movement of people and development towards urban centres is being halted.
If Frank McDonald wants a shocking statistic, let him look no further than the regional population projections released by the Central Statistics Office just over one month ago. These estimate that over 80 per cent of the projected population increase of 940,000 between 1996 and 2031 will arise in Dublin and the Mid-East region. Figures indicate a projected population increase of 56 per cent for Dublin, 50 per cent for the Mid-East, and less than 5 per cent for the Border region - and a population decrease of 10 per cent for the Midlands. If this trend continues from now until 2031, population distribution within Ireland will be skewed to such an extent that there will be no possibility of rebalancing it.
Mr McDonald also makes the point that houses built in rural areas last year consumed 2,700 hectares of agricultural land and resulted in the loss of an estimated 540 kilometers of natural hedgerows. If indeed there is any real concern among planners regarding the loss of agricultural land or the preservation of natural habitats, it is worth noting that in one county alone - Galway - 157,957 hectares of agricultural land, bog, and lakes have been designated as Special Areas of Conservation. This designation will in many cases severely restrict agricultural practices and the building of houses.
The 2,700 hectares on which new rural houses have been built pales into insignificance beside the hundreds of thousands of hectares designated as SACs or National Heritage Areas.
I fully accept that housing policies are needed in both the urban and rural contexts. There are problems regarding water quality and I have no objection to new house owners having to comply with stringent regulations on sewage disposal. I would also support village/small town renewal schemes to make such places more attractive locations for new house owners.
An idea which I believe originated with Kerry County Council, whereby clusters of five houses would be deemed ideal for rural locations, has a lot of merit, but equally I fully endorse the Upper Shannon Rural Renewal Scheme which supports people who want to build new homes or repair derelict houses in rural areas.
My real fear is that the attitude which states that rural housing "blights" the countryside will prevail and in particular that those who are drawing up the Spatial Strategy will recommend that planning for individual houses in rural areas should be extremely restricted.
Why should a dwelling house, a home, be a blight on the landscape? Why are individuals and families not recognised as an intrinsic part of the countryside? What is wrong with a vibrant countryside where people live and work and where families are reared? It seems to me that people are voting with their feet and, where possible, returning to live in rural areas.
We need to achieve a population balance, not just between regions but between urban and rural. The Spatial Strategy must recommend policies that will achieve this objective. Otherwise it will have failed those who live in rural areas and those who hope to in the future. - Yours, etc.,
Marian Harkin, Strandhill Road, Sligo.