Apartment Blight Targeted By Minister

Developers who buy the gardens of existing homes to cram in houses or apartments are being targeted by fresh guidelines.

Environment Minister Arlene Foster said she recognised the "public concern on this matter" and, pending the outcome of a policy consideration, planners had been issued with a new circular on the need to preserve the character of neighbourhoods.

News of the guidelines has emerged amid mounting concern at cramming and garden grabbing – which can prove irresistible to homeowners who find that their house and garden is worth many hundreds of thousands of pounds.

The Province's policy on developing brownfield sites - which at present includes gardens - is set to be changed in line with a similar policy in Great Britain.

Politicians across the UK have been pushing to change this designation so that gardens are not considered brownfield.

South Belfast Alliance MLA Anna Lo – who lodged written questions to the minister in the Assembly – claims the practice, and a general trend of over- development, is rife in her constituency area and wants to see it tackled - starting with a change in policy.

Ms Foster said she recognised the "public concern on this matter," and said that pending the outcome of the policy consideration by a joint group of officials within both the Department of the Environment and the Department for Regional Development, she had asked some months ago that all Planning Service staff be reminded of the need to consider fully the impact on the established residential character when processing applications for new residential development.

"To this end a planning circular on the assessment of planning applications for residential development in urban areas, villages and other small settlements was issued to

Planning Service operational staff in August 2007."

Ms Lo welcomed Mrs Foster's circular but said policy "needs to go a lot further" to stop over development in residential areas.

She said she wanted to see "restricted planning permission for apartments," to kerb developers aiming at the buy-to-rent market.

(BMcC)