Planning Policy Statement 14 (PPS14) is the new policy on Sustainable Development in the Countryside led by the Department for Regional Development. The main point of it, and the most talked about in the press, is the presumption against the development of single dwellings in the countryside.

PPS 14 has been drawn up to meet the policies of the Regional Development Strategy, Shaping Our Future, launched in December 2001 , which gained both rural and urban community acceptance throughout Northern Ireland for its guiding spatial development policies for “the balanced and sustainable development” of the region. This includes policies for a living and working countryside that reflect Northern Ireland’s unique rural character and sense of local rural belonging.

The policies of PPS14 can address the sustainability of Northern Ireland’s countryside by seeking to guide, not reduce, rural development and thereby avoid irreparable damage to the environmental and socio-economic fabric of our rural areas. PPS 14 is about managing growth and ensuring that those that need to live in the open countryside get priority and the essential needs of others are met in a way that provides vibrant rural communities.

The public consultation on PPS14 closed on 9th June and could well be watered down.

The problem is that PPS14 has had far more people objecting to it than people coming out in support. We think that’s mainly because lots of people have money at stake and that’s fair enough. But which is more important – having a countryside that we and future generations can all enjoy, or some people making lots of money in the short term?

And how many tourists have already stopped coming to Northern Ireland because of the way we’re ruining it?

In order to campaign effectively for the adoption PPS14 in its current form we need to demonstrate that we have widespread support. Join us now and ensure the voice of those who want to protect our beautiful countryside is heard.