Madam, - Your Editorial of April 14th, "Changes in rural housing policy", states: "By authorising once-off housing in special areas of conservation (SACs) he is making nonsense of official policy concerning scenic protection". This suggests that SACs are concerned in some way with scenic protection. They are not. SACs are concerned with the implementation of the Habitats Directive which requires the conservation of natural habitats and the population of certain species of wild fauna and flora. It is Natural Heritage Areas (NHAs) under the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000, which have to do with the protection of landforms and geological or geomorphological features.
In any event, there is not now any legislation I am aware of that prohibits the granting of planning permission for a house on an SAC provided that the development does not constitute an operation or activity likely to have a significant adverse affect on the integrity of the site that comprises the SAC. - Yours , etc.,
HENRY COMERFORD, Luimnagh West, Corrandulla, Co Galway.