Engineers designing the vast majority of new homes in Sligo

ENGINEERS are outnumbering architects by a ratio of 5: 1 in planning submissions made to Sligo County Council.

The special meeting on the Draft County Development Plan 2017 - 2023 heard that out of 107 applications made, 18 were prepared by architects.

Councillors were discussting submission made by Leitrim firm Davitt Plan & Design who contended that part of the plan was “anti- competitive and unconstitutional”, and was an attempt by the Local Authority to “restrict the submission of planning applications to Registered Architects”.

This, according to Mr Davitt, was a “fundamentally flawed perspective”.

Responding, Council Chief Executive Ciarán Hayes said the overwhelming majority of planning applications received by Sligo County Council were prepared by engineers and technicians.

He said planning applications made by architects “are always of a very high standard, usually leading to a grant of planning permission without delays.”

The public can hire whomever they want to design their house. There is no legislation requiring the preparation of planning applications by architects.

“Over 80% of submissions are done by engineers and technicians and that’s the way we should leave it, leave it up to people,” said Cllr Joe Queenan. The Head of Plan- ning with the Council Frank Moylan said: “At the top of the chain are people who went through six years of college and they’re the architects. That’s merely advice we give.”

Councillor Paul Taylor said he didn’t agree with that at all. Cathaoirleach Cllr Hubert Keaney pointed out that in a Development Plan was to “give clear guidance on what is best practice.”

Ciarán Hayes said if asked by applicants what expertise they should go for, they would continue to give the same advice. “People might think if they don’t have someone with a load of initials after their name that their application might be affected,” said Cllr Taylor. Mr Moylan said this would not be the case.