Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy Issues Paper Presentation

Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy – Issues Paper Presentation to the SPC for Economic Development and Enterprise Candace Ingram A/ Senior Executive Planner 8 th January 2018

Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (RSES) Purpose and Content � Published: 20 th November 2017 � Purpose of Issues Paper: to seek public views on what should be included in the strategy � Purpose of Strategy: support the implementation of the NPF (still draft) � Local Impact: RSES will influence and guide County Clare’s Development Plans and LAPs over next 12 years � Content: location form and density of housing, location of employment, Metropolitan Area Strategic Plans, key growth enablers

Proposed Timeframe for RSES Preparation �Submissions on Issues Paper – 2 nd February 2018 �Public consultation on draft RSES – May 2018 �Public consultation on amendments – September 2018 �Making of RSES – December 2018 �Previous Regional Planning Guidelines were prepared over a 2 year period

The Southern Region � The Southern Region consists of the administrative areas of Carlow, Cork, Clare, Kerry, Kilkenny, Tipperary and Wexford County Councils, Limerick City and County Council, Waterford City and County Council and Cork City Council. � The region is sub-divided into three Strategic Planning Areas (SPAs) each with separate SPA Committees � Mid West SPA – Limerick, Clare and Tipperary

National Hierarchy of Plans National Planning Framework Regional Spatial & Economic Strategy County Development Plan Local Area Plans

Clare County Council Submission on Draft National Planning Framework �The importance of inter-regional collaboration �Failure to recognise the LNDR as a key growth enabler in the Limerick area �The importance of UL to economic growth with in the region �Failure to give due recognition to the importance of Shannon Town and Shannon International Airport in the region �Support needed for the SIFP and the future development of the Shannon Estuary �The under-representation of Marine Spatial Planning in the NPF

Continued �Concerns regarding the focus of “strategic employment development” in the cities – does not recognise the potential of Shannon or the Shannon Estuary for such development �Unrealistically low population targets – need to be reconsidered �Need to recognise the importance of small towns and villages (<10, 000 pop. ) as centres for employment and services in rural areas. �Approach to zoning and population distribution may stagnate growth

Content of the RSES Section 23 of the Planning and Development Act sets out the required contents and objects of an RSES. In general terms the contents can be divided into: �Economic elements; and �Spatial elements

The Economic Elements �Creating and sustaining quality jobs �Identifying regional strengths and opportunities �Identifying the regional attributes that are essential to enhancing regional economic performance including: �The quality of the environment �The qualities of cities, towns and rural areas �Physical infrastructure �Social, community and cultural facilities �Proposals for augmenting the economic performance of the region

The Spatial Elements Will address the location and provision of: �Employment, industrial and commercial development �Retail development �Housing �Transportation, including public transportation, water services, energy and communications networks, waste management facilities �Educational, healthcare, sports and community facilities �The preservation and protection of the environment �The promotion of sustainable settlement and transportation strategies in urban and rural areas.

The Issues Paper - Overview The Issues Paper indicates that the RSES will contain policies on: � Co-ordination and alignment of population and jobs growth. � Preparation of Metropolitan Area Strategic Plans (MASPs) for the Cork, Limerick and Waterford Metropolitan areas. � Identification of locations for strategic employment growth. � Identification of a number of large regionally distributed towns where future population and jobs growth will be focused. � Targeted population growth in smaller towns and rural areas at an average rate of 15% across the region. � Identification and prioritisation of key future growth enablers

Population Targets 2016 -2040 Population Allocation of the Southern Region 370, 000 (maximum growth figure) 3 Cities (Cork 115, 000) (Limerick 52, 000) (Waterford 29, 000) 196, 000 (combined allocated growth figure) Large Towns 60, 000 (16% of overall allocation) Remaining population for Small Towns (<10, 000 population) and Rural Areas 119, 000 Distributed between 9 counties in the Southern Region (proportions to be decided by RSES) 13, 222 per county (between 2018 and 2040) Average growth in population per year over 22 year period 601 people per annum per county in region At an occupancy rate of 2. 5 as proposed in the Draft NPF 240 houses per year for Small Towns (<10, 000 population) and Rural Areas

Mid-West Population Changes Population 1991 Population 2016 % Change 1991 -2016 Proposed % Change 2040 2016 -2040 Population (ESTIMATE) Clare 90, 918 118, 817 31% 139, 167 17% Limerick City and County 161, 956 194, 899 20% 262, 555 35% Tipperary 132, 772 159, 553 20% 185, 200 16% Total Mid. West (including all of Tipperary) 385, 646 473, 269 23% 586, 922 24%

Small Town (<10, 000) Examples Town 2006 2016 Annual Pop. average change in Pop. 20062016 NPF proposed 15% growth from 20162040 Annual average pop. Growth propose d 20162040 Annual housing growth at 2. 5 person per househol d 6 year land zoning requiremen t including 50% headroom Shannon 9222 9673 45 1451 61 24 7. 2 ha Killadys ert 445 513 7 77 3 1 1. 1 ha Miltown Malbay 706 757 5 114 5 2 0. 86 ha Mount 154 shannon 173 2 26 1 0 0. 4 ha

Sample of Impact of NPF/RSES on Zoning Town Zoned Land required over next 6 Years (NPF growth rate) Amount of Residential Land currently Zoned in CDP Shannon 7. 2 ha 47. 11 ha Killadysert 1. 1 ha 8. 62 ha Miltown Malbay 0. 86 ha 5. 55 ha Mountshannon 0. 4 ha 2. 47 ha

Location of Core Population Growth Map courtesy of Limerick City & County Council

IMPORTANT! The National Planning Framework will address high level strategic issues. While the RSES is also strategic in nature, it is essential to ensure that County Clare is fully and properly represented in this Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy.

Submissions & Observations 1. In writing to the following address: RSES Submissions Regional Planning Unit Southern Regional Assembly House O’ Connell Street Waterford X 91 F 8 PC 2. By e-mail to the following address: rses@southernassembly. ie Closing Date: 5 pm on Friday 2 nd February 2018