Development plan · Clare County Council
Clare County Development Plan 2023–2029 (as varied)
The council's development plan written statement: its strategy, policies, objectives and development standards.
Clare County Council · 2023–2029 · 568 pages
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- __________________________________________________________________________________ Clare County Development Plan 2023-2029 6 | Economic Development and Enterprise Limerick Economic Strategic Development Zone, County Clare’s rural and tourist attractions and access to talent; • To ensure that Ennis and Shannon continue to develop as drivers of economic growth in County Clare and the Southern Region; • To proactively implement the economic element of the adopted Clare Local Economic and Community Plan; • To maintain and promote County Clare’s broad economic and employment base; • To encourage, support and facilitate enterprise development at appropriate locations throughout the county; • To encourage, support and facilitate research, technology development and innovation as well as start-up business with high potential; • To maintain, adapt and promote the industrial areas in Shannon as a driver of economic and industrial growth throughout the region; • To facilitate the diversification of the county’s rural economy and work practices and to encourage cottage industry and micro-enterprise; and, • To support where appropriate the further establishment of digital hubs across the county which facilitate enterprises and local communities by accommodating eworking, small-scale training and conferencing. 6.2 Economic Development and Enterprise The Regional Economic Strategy as set out in the RSES is based on the following economic Principles: • Smart Specialisation Smart Specialisation brings together key stakeholders to identify the competitive advantages of an area with the view of developing economic opportunities. • Clustering Clusters are a geographic or virtual concentration of interrelated companies, suppliers, and associated institutions. Fostering modern cluster policies is a strong feature of the Region’s economic strategy. • Placemaking for enterprise development Placemaking policy is instrumental to ensuring that sufficient human capital and talent is captured. • Knowledge Diffusion ‘Knowledge diffusion’ is the spreading of knowledge - the process of knowledge transfer to different segments of society to develop a region’s human capital. • Capacity Building An inherent part of the economic strategy is the building of capacity to enable effective implementation and to respond to emerging challenges. These principles are supported and inform the economic strategy as set out in this plan.127
- __________________________________________________________________________________ Clare County Development Plan 2023-2029 6 | Economic Development and Enterprise Figure 1: Economic Principles (RSES for the Southern Region) A shared vision and proactive planning will help to co-ordinate infrastructural investment with economic growth, making the county an attractive location for the expansion of existing enterprise and for new business development. Economic development requires the promotion of County Clare in a national, European and global economy and the marketing of the resources and opportunities that County Clare has to offer. Clare County Council will work in collaboration with other agencies and stakeholders to actively promote and encourage economic development and enterprise development in the county. Indigenous enterprises are also highly important to the county, providing jobs in both urban and rural locations and supporting the local, regional and national economy. Clare County Council and its Local Enterprise Office will work on an ongoing basis to foster entrepreneurship and provide support for small and medium businesses. It is important that enterprise development and economic growth occur in all parts of the county. This will ensure that each settlement in the county achieves its economic potential and that there is balanced and sustainable growth across County Clare. Where appropriate, Clare County Council will promote the integration of employment uses with other land uses, including residential, tourism and retail uses, in order to provide mixed use developments in the interest of sustainable planning.128
- __________________________________________________________________________________ Clare County Development Plan 2023-2029 6 | Economic Development and Enterprise Clare County Council launched a new initiative in April 2021 aimed at mapping the talent and skills of those living and working in Clare. The Skills Map is designed to add value to Clare's economy, create new jobs and stimulate economic growth. It connects residents to employers hiring remotely or on-location and helps local government identify the skills and talent needed for County Clare to grow and prosper. Development Plan Objective: Economic Development and Enterprise CDP 6.1 It is an objective of Clare County Council and the Local Enterprise Office (LEO), Clare: a) To work in partnership with development agencies such as Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland, adjoining local authorities, the Southern Regional Assembly and all other relevant agencies to proactively pursue enterprise and sustainable economic development in line with the policies and objectives as set out in national, regional and local strategies; b) To co-operate with local and national development agencies and engage with existing and future employers in order to maximise job opportunities in the county including the transition of talent from declining industries to more competitive sectors through the promotion of Labour Activation Programmes and market reactivation emergency funds; c) To support start-up businesses and small-scale industrial enterprise at appropriate locations throughout the county, subject to the principles of proper planning and sustainable development; d) To sustainably develop, deepen and enhance the economic resilience of County Clare by facilitating the widening of our economic sectors, boosting innovation, export diversification, productivity enhancement and access to new markets; e) To give favourable consideration to locating appropriate employment where it would address unemployment blackspots, support sectoral and location-based strengths and synergies with existing employers, and take advantage of ‘ready to go’ property solutions and local ambition; f) To support the development of innovation hubs and centres of excellence (with particular opportunities for innovation in areas such as agri-food, Agri-tech, marine research, creative industries and the knowledge economy) as local drivers for growth; g) To support the Southern Regional Assembly in the development of contingency plans and pilot projects to counteract the effects of industrial decline and potential129
- __________________________________________________________________________________ Clare County Development Plan 2023-2029 6 | Economic Development and Enterprise external shocks in the Region including lifelong learning programmes, appropriate business supports and up skilling to facilitate moving to employment in alternative sectors in the locality or region; and, h) To facilitate the further development of a diverse base of smart economic specialisms within the county including innovation and diversification in agriculture (Agri-tech, Food and Beverage), the Marine (Ports, Fisheries and the wider Blue Economy potential), Forestry, Peatlands, Renewable Energy, Tourism (leverage the opportunities from the Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland’s Hidden Heartland corridors), Social Enterprise, Circular Economy, Knowledge Economy, Global Business Services, Fin-Tech, Specialised Engineering, Heritage, Arts and Culture and the Design and Craft Industries as dynamic divers for the rural economy. 6.3 Regional Enterprise Plan to 2024 for the Mid-West The Regional Enterprise Plan to 2024 for the Mid-West is future-focused and centred around a number of priorities including: • to enable innovation across the region, • to contribute to the region’s ambition to lead on sustainability and low carbon, • to create a balanced region, where both urban and rural communities can work together, • growing new and existing small business, and, • assisting enterprise growth in more rural areas and areas of high unemployment. The plan complements and builds on the existing activities being undertaken by the Enterprise Agencies, the LEOs and the wider range of State Bodies directly involved in supporting enterprise development and is supported by the Regional Enterprise Development Fund (REDF). A number of ambitious enterprise development projects have been supported by the REDF which will be significant catalysts and economic drivers for the region including the Future Mobility Campus Ireland for the connected autonomous vehicle test bed in Shannon and Clare Maritime Enterprise Zone - Kilrush Marine Training Centre. The plan identifies key actions which will contribute further to the development of the region, these include: • Creation of a sustainable Regional Film Industry in the Mid-West, • Progress regional data centre projects with an emphasis on innovation and sustainability, • Innovation in education – inclusive, immersive, enterprise focused education programs, the Atlantic Green Digital Basin – decarbonising industry by developing the Shannon Estuary as a renewable energy hub, • Build regional research, education and training capacity for emerging renewable energy opportunities, • Create an efficient and sustainable regional network of enterprise centres and remote working eHubs,130
- __________________________________________________________________________________ Clare County Development Plan 2023-2029 6 | Economic Development and Enterprise • Establish a world class Marine, Renewable, Science and Climate Change Centre in Kilrush. New funding of up to €180m will be made available for the development and implementation of collaborative and innovative enterprise projects that can make a significant impact on enterprise development in the regions. Clare County Council and the Local Enterprise Office (LEO) Clare will continue to work with the relevant stakeholders to build on this success, to proactively progress the delivery of the actions set out in the Regional Enterprise Plan and to seek further job creation in various sectors including manufacturing, tourism, med-tech, aviation and aerospace, food and beverage, and sports and design, where there is real potential for job creation. Development Plan Objective: Regional Enterprise Plan to 2024 for the Mid-West CDP 6.2 It is an objective of Clare County Council and LEO Clare: To collaborate with all relevant stakeholders in proactively progressing the delivery of the actions set out in the Regional Enterprise Plan to 2024 for the Mid-West (or any updated/superseding plan). 6.4 Clare Local Economic and Community Plan The preparation of a Local Economic and Community Plan (LECP) by all local authorities is provided for in the statutory Local Government Reform Act 2014. This Act requires that a sixyear plan be adopted by Clare County Council, setting out high level goals, objectives and actions required to promote and support local economic and community development within the county. The LECP must include two elements: • A local economic element; and • A community development element. The county development plan informs the content of the LECP, and the content of the LECP must be consistent with the development plan. In this regard, both plans are interdependent in setting out the strategic vision for the economic growth of the county and are accompanied by supporting policies and objectives to be employed in securing this vision. In particular the LECP must be consistent with the Core Strategy and objectives of this plan and of the RSES. It is a Strategic Aim of the development plan to proactively implement the economic element of the adopted Clare Local Economic and Community Plan. 6.5 Atlantic Economic Corridor The Atlantic Economic Corridor (AEC) is the term applied to a non-administrative or ‘linear’ area along the Western seaboard, stretching from Kerry to Donegal including County Clare. The AEC aims to build and increase collaboration within the area that maximises its assets, attracts investment and creates jobs and prosperity in the Region. The Council will work with the relevant stakeholders in the delivery of the potential of the AEC for the county.131
- __________________________________________________________________________________ Clare County Development Plan 2023-2029 6 | Economic Development and Enterprise Development Plan Objective: Atlantic Economic Corridor CDP 6.3 It is an objective of Clare County Council: To support the development of the AEC initiative as a driver of enterprise, growth, investment and the attraction of entrepreneurial skills and talent along the Western Seaboard, and to work with key stakeholders including adjoining local authorities to optimise the combined advantages and opportunities of the AEC including delivering a high-value and low-carbon economy. 6.6 Economic Development in Ennis Ennis is designated as a ‘Key Town’ in the RSES, and as the County Town for Clare is an important residential, service and commercial centre which provides significant levels of employment. It is the administrative capital of County Clare, is home to international industries and indigenous companies, and is central to the economic and enterprise development of the county. Potential exists to further expand the employment base in the town, building a resilient and dynamic local economy. Ennis 2040 An Economic and Spatial Strategy is a long-term strategy for the sustainable development of this Key Town and addresses the measures required to manage economic, infrastructural, environmental and physical challenges. Volume 3(a)(i) of this plan contains a settlement plan for Ennis and Clarecastle which identifies lands for potential enterprise and industrial development and Volume 3(a)(iii) contains Ennis 2040 Economic and Spatial Strategy. Development Plan Objective: Economic Development in Ennis CDP 6.4 It is an objective of Clare County Council: a) To facilitate the implementation of Ennis 2040 in order to set the long-term economic strategy for Ennis with an agreed focus on its economic future and spatial development to 2040 and beyond in line with the requirements of the associated SEA Environmental Report, the Appropriate Assessment Natura Impact Report together with the Strategic Flood Risk Assessment; b) To support the future development of the ‘Key Town’ of Ennis as a self-sustaining, regional economic driver and as a key location of choice for investment in the Region; c) To support a future development of Ennis which capitalises on its strategic location relative to Limerick and Galway Cities and Shannon International Airport, as well as its role as a centre of employment and economic activity within the Region; d) To support the creation of a strong and diverse employment base, that capitalises upon the strengths of Ennis and its environs;132
- __________________________________________________________________________________ Clare County Development Plan 2023-2029 6 | Economic Development and Enterprise e) To facilitate the higher education growth potential of Ennis and its vision of becoming a centre for lifelong learning; and, f) To ensure compliance with the environmental requirements of objective CDP 3.3. 6.7 Economic Development in the Limerick-Shannon Metropolitan Area Shannon is an established centre of both foreign direct investment and indigenous enterprise. Industry and enterprise bases such as the Shannon Free Zone, Smithstown and Westpark Business Campus accommodate companies that make a significant contribution to the national economy each year. Lands are zoned in the Shannon Town and Environs Local Area Plan for future employment-generating development, including a substantial land bank in proximity to Shannon International Airport. The Council will protect and promote Shannon as an attractive location for industrial/enterprise development. Development Plan Objective: Development of Shannon CDP 6.5 It is an objective of Clare County Council: a) To protect and promote Shannon as a significant regional asset and an employment centre in the Limerick-Shannon MASP and as a primary location for industrial, manufacturing, warehousing, distribution, and transport operating centres, and to facilitate, where required, the adaptation of industrial areas to new employment generators; b) To facilitate the continued development of the Aviation Cluster at Shannon as recognised in Ireland’s National Aviation Policy; c) To support the redevelopment and renewal of enterprise and industrial units in the Shannon area, in particular works to enhance the energy efficiency of the buildings and the physical appearance of the existing business park/industrial zones in the town; d) To support opportunities for the expansion of Shannon as a globally recognised centre of excellence for software engineering/aviation/logistics MedTech, engineering and ICT; e) To support the development of Shannon as a centre for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) or drones building on the establishment of Ireland’s first air taxi service in the town; f) To support the development of Shannon as a centre for research and development in Autonomous Connected Electric Shared Vehicles (ACES), including Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAV); and,133
- __________________________________________________________________________________ Clare County Development Plan 2023-2029 6 | Economic Development and Enterprise g) To ensure compliance with the environmental requirements of Objective CDP 3.3. Shannon International Airport provides international connectivity and is a major asset, not only in the promotion of economic development in the Gateway, but also in the economy of the wider Mid-West and Southern Regions. The Shannon Aviation Cluster spans the industry value chain, encompassing everything from aircraft leasing, maintenance and recycling to component manufacture, parts repair and business aviation. The Aviation Cluster is essential to the further industrial and economic growth of Shannon and is strongly supported by Clare County Council. The Airport is a gateway to Ireland’s premier tourist locations and offers full US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) pre-clearance facilities to airlines travelling to the USA. Clare County Council recognises Shannon International Airport as an enterprise and employment hub and the opportunities that it provides as an international gateway, together with the large number of global logistics companies located in close proximity and the availability of 24 hour unrestricted aircraft landing and take-off operations. Clare County Council will encourage and support the diversification of the Airport and the provision of increased cargo services. Development Plan Objective: Shannon International Airport See also Section 11.2.11 Shannon International Airport CDP 6.6 It is an objective of Clare County Council: a) To facilitate the future development and expansion of Shannon International Airport and its continued role as a driver of economic, social and tourism growth in the region whilst recognising the need to support actions to transition to a low carbon future; b) To facilitate the development of enhanced freight cargo facilities at Shannon International Airport; c) To facilitate the improvement/upgrade (as necessary) of key infrastructural resources within the Airport, to the airport lands, and to the N19 providing access to the area as well as improved sustainable transport links between Shannon International Airport, Limerick city centre, the Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest, the South Clare/UL Economic SDZ and the National Technology Park at Limerick; d) To support the development of initiatives that harness the potential of the Airport including, but not limited to, a residential flight school, unmanned aerospace systems (UAS) and a centre for space collaboration and research cooperation; e) To support and facilitate the development of renewable energy infrastructure within the airport and its confines, thereby enhancing energy security, including development134
- __________________________________________________________________________________ Clare County Development Plan 2023-2029 6 | Economic Development and Enterprise of facilities in support of the aviation sector’s transition to sustainable/renewable aviation fuel and energy; and, f) To ensure compliance with all relevant legislation as outlined in objective CDP 3.3. 6.8 University of Limerick – Clare Campus The University of Limerick is a significant strategic asset in County Clare and is a critical driver of economic development and the fostering of an innovative, knowledge-based economy for the Clare, Limerick-Shannon Metropolitan Area, and the Southern Region. The University, which caters for approximately 16,500 students, has developed significantly in recent years on the Clare side of the River Shannon, and now boasts three residential villages, Life Sciences, Health Sciences and the World Academy of Music and Dance buildings, a medical school, and the largest all-weather sports complex in Europe together with road and pedestrian bridges across the river. There is significant potential for the University to expand further northwards into County Clare within the designated University Zone. The University Zone can accommodate development and uses associated with higher education including research and development, student/campus accommodation, residential uses complementary to the uses contained within the existing University campus. It is intended to seek Strategic Development Zone status within this University Zone and undertake development of the zone within the lifetime of this plan. 6.8.1 South Clare/University of Limerick Economic Strategic Development Zone The development of the University of Limerick - Clare Campus in County Clare has been a matter of strategic importance for Clare and the Mid-West for over 20 years, having first been identified for expansion in the Clare County Development Plan 1999 and subsequently in the Mid-West Regional Planning Guidelines. This plan zones lands University for the future development of the University of Limerick – Clare Campus in County Clare and identifies the site as a proposed Economic Strategic Development Zone (SDZ). The zoning and its development as a plan-led Economic SDZ is logical in the context of the previous expansion of the University across the River Shannon into County Clare in 2001, and the expansion to date resulting in 40% of the UL campus now being located in County Clare. The Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy for the Southern Region recognises the spatial and economic suitability of the site as an SDZ, identifying the site as a ‘Strategic Employment Location’ and including an objective “to support an application for the designation and subsequent development ....... as an Economic Strategic Development Zone (SDZ), subject to the provisions of the Planning Act and all environmental considerations”. Moreover, the designation of the lands as an SDZ is identified as a ‘National Enabler’ in the Limerick-Shannon Metropolitan Area Strategic Plan (MASP). The scale of the site at 110 hectares and its integrity as an entity dictates that the site is best master-planned and developed in a plan-led manner as an SDZ. With this designation, the site has the capacity to become a game changer both regionally and nationally. The designation of the combined site and the formal adoption of a planning scheme will greatly enhance the135
- __________________________________________________________________________________ Clare County Development Plan 2023-2029 6 | Economic Development and Enterprise development opportunities for the site and facilitate orderly and planned development, as envisaged in the legislation. The designation of the lands as an Economic SDZ will enable the site to generate 3,500 jobs with additional employment being generated in the construction phase and subsequent spin-off developments. Foreign and indigenous industry will have the opportunity to partner with the University in investment, expansion, staff and student placement, research and career development. Talent is key to attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), and creating attractive places is key to attracting talent. The South Clare / UL Economic SDZ will be an environment with high quality placemaking providing for a full range of living, working, amenity, social, cultural, and recreational spaces integrated with a range of university facilities, including teaching, learning and research. It will be a model of sustainable urban living incorporating transport, education, and enterprise, building on the standards of the existing campus and functionally integrating with Limerick City and the Limerick-Shannon Metropolitan area. It will offer opportunities for collaboration in creating a world class living, learning, research and employment environment founded on high quality placemaking. The Economic SDZ will facilitate the development by the University of Limerick of ‘Academies of Learning’ on the University campus in County Clare. These ‘Academies’ represent the most significant revision in the relationship between Higher Education and Enterprise. Academies will be developed in collaboration between UL and indigenous and FDI companies to build programmes of learning that link education, enterprise, employment and living seamlessly on the SDZ campus. Industry will inform and design UL higher education modules and provide the teaching and practice-based learning for these programmes alongside UL faculties to meet the specific needs of industry’s recruitment and research requirements. UL Students will participate in Enterprise and FDI located on the SDZ as part of both their undergraduate and postgraduate education, experiencing the excitement of innovation, invention, and evolution. Global industries will locate on the SDZ attracted by a plan-led scheme, certainty of infrastructure, with access to talent and on-campus research and development, which can only be provided within a university campus. The Academies of Learning within the SDZ will become the ultimate fusion of UL’s practice of partnership. The SDZ will also give effect to IDA Ireland’s strategy, Driving Recovery and Sustainable Growth 2021-2024 which is based on five pillars - Growth, Transformation, Regions, Sustainability, and Impact. The Academies will establish Ireland and specifically the Limerick-Shannon Metropolitan Area as a ‘Treasury of Talent’ constituting a vital resource in attracting foreign direct investment. This will sustain both FDI and Indigenous Enterprise and the continued economic development of Ireland while establishing a European site of exemplar significance. This economic resurgence will generate an additional population within the city and surrounding settlements in the Limerick-Shannon Metropolitan Area. The impact on Shannon International Airport will be significant as the SDZ, which will be accessible from the proposed Limerick Northern Distributor Route (LNDR), focuses on international partnerships with Europe through the European University Network.136
Source Clare County Council: Clare County Development Plan 2023–2029 (as varied) (2023–2029) · Licence the publisher's termsText read from the publisher’s PDF; tables, maps and drawings do not survive as text, and page numbers are the PDF’s (its first page is 1). Check the original before relying on a passage.