CALLS have been made for the government to address the longstanding planning barriers affecting communities along the N56.
The calls by Cllr Brian Carr, come ahead of government plans to relax rules for rural housing expected to be brought to Cabinet this month.
Sinn Féin Councillor for the Glenties MD said that if the government want to make it easier for people to build homes in the communities where they were born and raised, they need to be serious about that commitment then it must be prepared to tackle the unfair planning restrictions affecting lands along the N56.
“Any announcement will ring hollow for many families in Donegal unless they are prepared to take action on this issue.
“Sinn Féin representatives and local communities have been raising planning restrictions on the N56 for years.
“Families with deep roots in their local area have repeatedly found themselves unable to secure planning permission to build a home on family land because of restrictions associated with the N56.
“We all know that there are parts of the N56 where it is more than safe and appropriate to build homes. A blanket ban everywhere along the N56 has never made any practical sense.
“And for many families, these restrictions have had real consequences. Young people who want to remain in their communities have been forced to look elsewhere. Communities have been held back.”
Deputy Pearse Doherty will table a Parliamentary Question on behalf of Cllr Carr to ask Government to reconsider insisting on these planning restrictions remaining in place in light of Government’s proposed reforms.
“Government has an opportunity to correct a longstanding injustice, do away with the blanket ban and ensure that local people have a fair chance to live and build in their own communities,” Cllr Carr added.