Urban sprawl is 'devastating' rural landscapes

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Archiseek / Ireland / News / 2004 / November 18 2004: Urban sprawl is 'devastating' rural landscapes

Urban sprawl has devastated Ireland's former rural landscape, according to the first aerial survey of Europe's changing landscape. The sprawl - consisting of blocks of houses usually seen in housing estates - has spread to most of the country's small rural villages and towns over a 10-year period. The housing estates, which are often driven by generous tax breaks for investors, have shot up beside tiny villages to accommodate long-distance commuters working in towns. The Celtic Tiger has also contributed to the boom in second 'holiday' homes. The extent of the urban sprawl has "surprised" the top scientists at the European Environment Agency (EEA).

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