The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds is asking its supporters to sign a "Letter to the Future" urging governments to invest in a healthy environment as well as a healthy economy - an environment which will tackle climate change and protect our seas, countryside and wildlife.  Find out more and sign the letter online at www.rspb.org.uk

Planning chiefs who rejected a Traveller family's appeal against being refused planning permission to retain a serviced site in a greenbelt area of Co Armagh have been ordered to reconsider the decision.  A High Court judge ruled John Boswell's case should be reassessed because he was not satisfied that the suitability of any alternative accommodation had been evaluated.  Mr Boswell brought Judicial Review proceedings over a site he bought at Ballyduggan near Portadown.  He has been living on the site since 2004.  According to legal submissions his family has 'an abiding cultural aversion to living in conventional bricks and mortar housing' but can no longer travel due to health problems.  

Minister for Social Development, Margaret Ritchie MLA, has just announced that responsibility for provision and management of Traveller transit sites will not transfer to local councils (as mooted previously as part of the roll out of the RPA) and will remain with the Housing Executive.  This news is welcomed by Traveller support groups and Community Places which have worked hard to convince government that provision of and management of all sites should be a responsibility of central government.

Permitted development is building works that can be undertaken without planning permission.  These are normally small in scale and have little impact on neighbouring properties. 

Planning Service is proposing to make a number of changes to what is and what isn't allowed and is seeking views from the public on these.  The consultation paper is available on Planning Service's website.

The proposals aim to:

• be easy to understand;
• be proportionate to the impacts of such development;
• be simple to operate for everyone including the planning authority; and
• control adverse impacts on the local environment.

Consultation closes on 22 January 2010.  If you or your group would like help or advice with understanding the proposals or responding to the consultation, please contact us on 9023 9444.

13 November 2009

Transport Minister Conor Murphy and Rural Development Minister Michelle Gildernew have announced the introduction of two new rural transport schemes.  These new schemes have been developed to help meet the transport needs of rural dwellers.  The new Dial-a-Lift services will be available to members of Rural Community Transport Partnerships. These services are similar to the Door-to-Door services that are available in urban areas and are designed to allow individuals who have limited access to transport to get to local services and facilities.

The second scheme announced is the Assisted Rural Transport Scheme (ARTS). This scheme is being supported by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and will allow eligible members of Rural Community Transport Partnerships to obtain concessionary travel when using community transport. This initiative, which is being launched as a pilot, will help ease the financial burden on rural dwellers.  The Ministers fully recognise the importance of transport for people in rural areas and their Departments have worked closely together to introduce the Dial-a-Lift scheme and Assisted Rural Transport Scheme pilot. Both these initiatives will improve access to essential local services for users and will be available from early December 2009.