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Housing in the countryside - what has it got to do with the
Orange Order, the reader may say. Quite a lot actually. A
high proportion of the Orange Order's membership lives in
rural Northern Ireland, and they are rightly concerned about
the implications of the Government clampdown on new housing
applications.
The Government has warned that it will only be in exceptional
cases that new housing will be allowed in the countryside.
That makes it imperative that Orangemen and their families,
affected by the new law, have their rights protected - along
with the rights of all other sections of the population affected
by the new laws.
Orangemen, as responsible citizens, will not quarrel with
the need to restrict new housing in the Ulster countryside.
The figures released by the Government show that the most
recent applications for new houses amounted to 12,000, which
is three times the total for the whole of England, Scotland
and Wales.
That's an amazing statistic, and it underlines the fact that
the magnificent and beautiful Ulster rural areas are greatly
desired by those wanting to build.
A large proportion of those seeking new houses and bungalows
are undoubtedly city folk seeking a second home in the countryside.
They either commute each day to Belfast and other urban areas,
with little real contact with the rural community, or they
use the rural second home for weekend visits or during the
summer months.
A clampdown on this type of housing application is justifiable
and understandable. But much of the housing in the rural areas
is that sought be farmers, their sons and daughters, or people
engaged in rural industries and pursuits.
There are to be exceptions in the new legislation for 'deserving
cases', so the need is to ensure that people with firm roots
in the countryside and who are the real backbone of rural
Ulster are treated with fairness and common-sense.
These people do not want to be 'guided' into living in cities
and towns. They want to remain in the countryside, where,
in many cases, their ancestors have tilled the land for centuries.
A strong vibrant rural community is a must for Northern Ireland.
It already exists, and is one of the reasons why the Ulster
countryside is a vibrant and thriving thing, completely the
opposite to what it is in much of Britain.
There, the huge exodus from the land, the massive increase
in suburbia and the neglect of rural England, has led to the
loss of parish churches, schools, shops, post offices and
police houses in many places.
Here there is still a strong and active rural population,
a countryside of fine farms and fine people, and villages
which are full of activity, not that far from the nearest
large town.
The battle is on to retain the Northern Ireland rural population
and to prevent an incessant drift to the urban areas which
would not be good for the Province or its people.
The Orange Order, which has tens of thousands of members
in rural Ulster, will be at the forefront of the campaign
to save rural Northern Ireland and its marvellous countryside.
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