THE decision by Mr Justice Gillen to overturn the controversial PPS14 regulation has been welcomed by Strabane District Council.

Strabane was one of several councils who backed a legal challenge mounted by Omagh District Council to Lord Rooker's ban on building dwellings in rural areas of Northern Ireland.

Commending the vision of Omagh council in opposing the regulation, chairman of Strabane District Council Gerard Foley said it was a critical victory, particularly for the Strabane District.

"We have one of the largest district councils in Northern Ireland and one of the lowest population densities.

"Approximately one third of our population lives in the countryside. We have deeply rooted local family and community networks within our rural areas.

He added, "Rural dwellers have a strong desire to remain in the countryside; yet, this policy effectively deprives most of them with no full-time involvement in agriculture of any prospect of building a house - regardless of the merits of the proposed site.

"Strabane District Council believes that the policy would lead inevitably to the decline of our rural community through lack of opportunity for family continuity and renewal," he said.

Looking to the future, Mr Foley said: "Ultimately we want policies that promote co-ordinated, planned, sustainable and vibrant rural communities; policies that uphold the tradition of rural life, whilst also regulating mass development. We were delighted to join Omagh District Council in representing the interests of our rural dwellers in this way. We are totally delighted with the news that the challenge has been upheld and look forward to a time when local government has a stronger role in producing development plans for our own areas. This is a perfect example where a 'one size' does not 'fit all' and that the differences between east and west need to be factored into consideration when setting public policy."