When will Planners see reality?

Seemingly, planners in Northern Ireland are seriously holding up economic progress because they are delaying crucial decisions on important infrastructural projects.

This crazy situation is not limited to Northern Ireland. Certain planning officials (not all) in County and City Councils in the Republic are non too different. (Its such a pity that those who are doing a good job protect those who aren't doing their job...) While these individuals pick and agonize over minute details that will never make the slightest difference in reality or would never be likely to have consequences for them, parts of the economy are sinking fast.

From Drop Box

Also unfortunate is the way that professional institutes involved in the construction industry seem to be doing very little to alter the situation, except pay lip service. One wonders why this is the case? Why should they be so afraid of the planners....?

Another major problem with planning in Ireland is the fact that planners aren't tied in to otherTechnorati Tags: ireland economic collapse eu europe fianna fáil

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Email attachments in the public service

Many public servants can't open pdf attachments because their trusty IT departments tell them they are too dangerous. Or is it because things would have to move more quickly and efficiently if planners could actually read drawings of preliminary proposals emailed to them?

This problem is endemic across the public sector, who are still fixated on the use of that ancient Egyptian technology: Snail Mail

I am reliably informed by an IT consultant that he has never heard of an infected pdf file.

When will Ireland enter the 21st century?

From "Planning" in Ireland? 07/12/2008 11:12

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The Problem with Planners

Many planners hide behind their minute rules and regulations with devastating consequences. For example, planning regulations state that a North arrow must be on every single plan drawing. The intention of the regulations were obviously to ensure that it is clear how the plan is oriented, and to make it easier for the planner to read the drawings. Some planners interpret this to mean that they must reject any plans that do not adhere strictly to this principle.

From "Planning" in Ireland? 07/12/2008 11:12

When a planner is questioned about their actions they will say "I can't take action on this because of rule (a) paragraph (b) subparagraph (c)". The problem is that legislation and rules must be interpreted, especially in the area of planning where there is no or little public (or governmental) scrutiny because it is a "specialist" area dealt with by "specialists".

If the planning system is to work as it was intended, planners must take the attitude of positively interpreting the guidelines that they are dealing with (rather than negatively as is normally the case), and be able to defend their decisions. As it is, many perfectly feasible plans are rejected due to preoccupation due to minute unimportant details.

This is costing the country enormously because every time plans have to be resubmitted it costs many hours of labour to do so, even if the alterations are minor. Instead of getting on with the job of furthering projects, a company is engaged in reprinting drawings, making copies of slightly altered documentation and resubmission of entire mountains of paper (6 copies of everything!) Normally the individual or company that has submitted the plans has to bear the cost of this resubmission because it is difficult to explain to a client why this happened in the first place.

Making planning applications is an incredibly complex, tedious, and time consuming exercise, normally consuming vast hours of donkey-work. The main priority when making planning applications is accuracy. However, 100% accuracy is the arch-enemy of speed. In other words, to achieve 100% accuracy in a planning application would take so much work that the office would quickly be out of business if it were to take this ridiculous approach. The reality is that there is no such thing as a 100% accurate planning application (I'm sure there are some minor exceptions in existence) Any planner will argue that this is not the case.

Put a blindfold on me, let me pick a successful planning application out of a pile and give me a day with it. I guarantee you I will find some element in that application that could nullify it (that is, if the rules are to be strictly applied).

100% accuracy is a fairytale. Some would argue that planners are simply procrastinating the work of dealing with the application, or hoping that the applicant won't bother resubmitting. It is a very reasonable argument. Rule (a) paragraph (b) subparagraph (c) is a comforting defense. There is a legal priciple: "De minimus non curat lex": The law does not deal in trifles. The planning system would do well to pay heed to this principle.

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OMFG...Intelligent, compassionate man in the White House...

Already inspiring confidence: Barack Obama gives a speech about things that really matter. While it is vital to remain critical of Mr. Obama into the future, as it should be for anybody else, its hard not to be just a little bit giddy about having this guy at the White House. The Irish electorate could learn some fundamentally important lessons from O.

Barack Obama's recent weekly address:

A small little victory against the forces of indifference..

I recently found myself a little bit annoyed by the fact that I had pressed the button on Cork County Council's website that says: (and I quote) "Help us to help you.... Comments, complaints, compliments" written on the bottom left of the Home Page. Having pressed this button which opens up the feedback dialogue box, I wrote down some points about improving the planning process in Cork County. The result of doing this?: Nothing

I tried again about two months later, this time thinking: I better keep a copy of my email this time. This I did. Response this time? Same. About 6 months later, I decided to get in touch with the Ombudsman to complain about this. The Ombudsman forced the County Council to reply to my comments. At this time, they (CCC) still didn't know which link on their website wasn't working!.. So I told them. Poor CCC don't have the resources to check their own website.

Anyhow, I received a communication from the Ombudsman recently to say that Cork County Council have put a system in place to ensure that all emails to them are tracked.... Well done to them for such ingenuity!

So.. lets see if their email system is working by clicking here and give the poor old Cork Co. Co. a few bits of advice or a little word of encouragement...

What is this thing called "Planning"?

The word "Planning" used in the Irish context mainly applies to the process of obtaining "planning permission". Planning Permission is the granting of the right by the Local Authority of an area such as a County or City Council to:

• Build anew (temporary or permanent)
  
• Change the use of an existing building or site;
• Alter a Protected Structure
• Erect signage
• Other Permissions relating to the altering of the public environment in some way

This permission may be given to a private individual or a company or other body. While the applicant is not required to own the land in question, the signed written permission of the owner is required to be submitted with the application.