Special meeting to discuss response to draft planning policy
Sinn Féin MP's, MLA's, councillors and political activists from across the
Six
Counties will meet at Stormont tonight, Thursday 30th, at 7pm in
Stormont
to discuss the party's response to the new draft planning policy
(PPS
14).
Speaking ahead of the meeting Sinn Féin West Tyrone MP
Pat Doherty said:
"Right across our rural communities there is a
huge concern about the
implications of this draft planning policy.
"No
one living in our rural communities wants to see unsustainable
development
that destroys our local environment but what we need is a
planning
policy that means that in rural communities that there is room for
indigenous
growth and particularly that addresses issues such as social
housing
and affordable housing.
"We need planning guidelines that ensure
there is a long-term future for our
rural communities.
"If
planning policy undermines the viability of our rural communities there
will
be a knock on effect on our schools, our hospitals and the economy. The
rural
way of life will be threatened.
"Sinn Féin will looking to engage
with people across our rural communities,
at local government level and
directly with British direct rule ministers to
ensure that there is a
solution that means that in areas, particularly west
of the Bann, that
we can build for the future. This means that we must
address the under
investment in the infrastructure and the policy agenda
that has
discriminated against all communities west of the Bann." ENDS