Planning policy is worsening rural depopulation at a time when remote working should be solving the problem.
That’s according to Billy Hennigan of Hennigan Auctioneers in Killarney.
There has been a dramatic fall in the price of rural sites compared with derelict properties.
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He claims planning regulations have led to a decline in the value of land with road frontage, because it’s so difficult to get permission to build on these sites; while the cost of derelict buildings is rising because of refurbishment grants and more relaxed planning laws.
Billy Hennigan believes if it were easier to get permission for new-builds, people who want to return home to their communities would have a chance:
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