It would be interesting to compare planning applications to see the role of councils in bad rural planning

(Their letters can be read here: ‘I don’t trust our politicians to halt blight of single dwellings across our landscape’, April 25; ‘Northern Ireland has rural bungalow blight but it has bad urban planning too’ May 2; and ‘Since the 1960s what was the green and pleasant land of Ulster is disappearing almost by the day’).

I live in the Mid Ulster countryside where three houses and possibly a fourth are being built in a field behind us, two sited on top of a hill on the skyline.

It would be interesting to compare planning applications before and after planning authority was devolved to councils.

I don’t believe our councillors have the foresight, skill set or will to make correct decisions to protect our beautiful environment.

Paul Stewart, Co Londonderry

—— ——

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to newsletter.co.uk and enjoy unlimited access to the best Northern Ireland and UK news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Our journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them. By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website.

Alistair Bushe

Editor