Architects Say Planners Waste Their Time

"'The survey results show that we are not in a position to deliver quality in the built environment with current planning practices,' RIAI president Seán Ó Laoire said, adding that it was up to the Department of the Environment to improve things."

"He identified lack of consistency among local authorities as the main problem, saying this was 'wasting the resources of architects who have lodged planning applications as well as that of the local authorities themselves'. In the survey of 392 architects, carried out by Behaviour and Attitudes, Sligo County Council was rated as the best planning service provider and Clare County Council as the poorest in terms of dealing with planning applications."

"The greatest criticism was that planners were underqualified or under-trained, while 86 per cent felt the system was not good at coping with changes relating to the energy performance, accessibility and sustainability of buildings. Fifty-eight per cent agreed that inconsistent advice at pre-planning meetings resulted in unnecessary redesign work, while just over half expressed concern that only 14 per cent of the local authorities provided an on-the-spot validation service."