The Council Chamber Lanyon Building Queen’s University Belfast 3 rd December 2004 Organised by the School of Environmental Planning Queen’s University Belfast in association with the Rural Community Network under the auspices of Strategic Planning Action Network

SINGLE DWELLINGS IN THE COUNTRYSIDE – INFORMING THE DEBATE Friday 3 rd December 2004 The Council Chamber, Lanyon Building, Queen’s University, Belfast The issue of single dwellings in the countryside has given rise to heated debate in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. At a time when new policy directions are being formulated in both jurisdictions it would seem timely to take stock of stakeholder viewpoints. This one day conference convened by the School of Environmental Planning at Queen’s, in association with Rural Community Network, under the auspices of the INTERREG funded Strategic Planning Action Network (SPAN), is designed to provide a platform for listening and discussion around one of the most contentious topics in contemporary spatial planning in Ireland – – – – 2.00 Registration Welcome and Introduction Dr Michael Murray School of Environmental Planning, Queen’s University Belfast Session One: The policy-making context Chair: Dr Stephen McKay School of Environmental Planning, Queen’s University Belfast Recent housing trends in rural Ireland Ms Karen Keaveney and Professor Jim Walsh NUI Maynooth The background to and contribution of Planning Policy Statement 14: Sustainable Development in the Countryside Mr John Cummins Department for Regional Development, Belfast The Draft Guidelines on Sustainable Rural Housing Mr Niall Cussen Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Dublin Morning Coffee in the Canada Room Session Two: Design and landscape considerations Chair: Professor Malachy McEldowney School of Environmental Planning, Queen’s University The need for a design perspective on the development of countryside dwellings Dr Ken Sterrett School of Environmental Planning, Queen’s University Countryside dwellings - the need for a landscape conservation and sustainable development perspective” Mr Geoff Nuttall The National Trust Buffet lunch in the Canada Room and optional visit to the “Day of the Dead” exhibition in the Naughton Gallery 2.00 – – – – 4.45 Session Three: The rural community perspective Chair: Mr John Greer School of Environmental Planning, Queen’s University Positive planning for rural houses: seeking radical changes in rural planning policy Mr Jim Connolly Irish Rural Dwellers Association Sustaining rural communities in Northern Ireland Mr Gareth Harper Rural Community Network Afternoon Tea in the Canada Room Session Four: Towards policy coherence Chair: Dr Brendan Murtagh School of Environmental Planning, Queen’s University Connecting rural dwellings and rural development Dr Mark Scott Department of Planning and Environmental Policy, UCD Concluding comments