European legislation increases pressure on the planners

Who protects the environment? For years in Ireland, it seems as if nobody did – whether through toothlessness, inactivity, or a lack of public awareness. However, recent changes in legislation, both at home and in Europe, have meant that environmental considerations are very much to the fore – so much so that any future planning will require an extra level of environmental expertise which has been lacking in the past.

For example, the ...