Development plan · Cork County Council
Cork County Development Plan 2022–2028 – Volume One: Main Policy Material
The council's development plan written statement: its strategy, policies, objectives and development standards. Variations adopted since are not in this text.
Cork County Council · 2022–2028 · 564 pages
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- 61 2.18 Implementation and Delivery 2.18.1 The implementation and delivery of the Core Strategy is a key strategic objective of the Planning Authority. The County Development Plan adopts a multi-faceted approach to support the delivery of the Core Strategy through: putting in place the appropriate planning policy framework at a local level to guide the sustainable development of key strategic growth areas; the identification of underutilised and/or vacant lands and implementation of active land measures to support sequential development, compact growth and regeneration; and, the introduction of monitoring and evaluation measures. Changing Delivery Context 2.18.2 The Planning System - including all actors, public and private - seeks to link current statutory policy with future implementation. Development Plan objectives give effect to national policies and the implementation of those objectives are informed by the delivery context. 2.18.3 As set out in this Plan, it is evident that the national/regional policy context has changed significantly under the National Planning Framework/Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy. However, the fiscal context and delivery mechanisms giving effect to the delivery of planned growth particularly relating to housing growth have also changed. 2.18.4 Alignment between all actors is required to a far greater extent than during previous population, economic and housing growth periods to deliver growth that meets both of the following key criteria: • fulfils national policy requirements; and • is viable (for housing, delivery costs must match affordability as set by macro-prudential lending policy) Deliverability Actors 2.18.5 Housing growth delivery (and complementary employment/commercial growth) is the result of a complex sequence of direct and indirect interactions, informed by a wide range of informing and often competing factors/actors. Alignment of actors and actions is critical to achieve supply to meet demand/needs, and, efficiency to meet fiscal requirements/ viability/competitiveness. 2.18.6 A Deliverability Framework is set out in Figure 2.7 providing a high level overview of the actors engaged in housing delivery. Figure 2.7: Deliverability Framework GO TO CONTENTS
- 62 2.18.7 A mechanism for alignment at policy activation stage is required – and critically, a process that will: • allow for collective responsibility for delivering growth; • fulfil national policy requirements; • provide for viability/affordability/competitiveness; • at the settlements and site levels provide learnings that will inform implementation and future policy objectives Critical Infrastructure 2.18.8 A constant challenge that remains from previous growth periods relates to the identification, provision and funding of infrastructure to serve communities and future growth – both private (on-site) and public (off-site) infrastructure. 2.18.9 Front loading of private investment to provide for on-site infrastructure is a challenge to economic and housing growth (but in particular the latter), complicated at strategic development sites where multiple landownerships exist. Regarding public (off-site) infrastructure provision, local authority’s development contribution schemes income cannot fully cover this cost and this construction industry contribution cannot be raised excessively - as for housing it will impact adversely on the ability to remain within the cost envelop requirements set by the Central Bank macro-prudential lending policy (i.e. costs cannot be passed onto the house purchaser). 2.18.10 Alignment of investment in public infrastructure – prioritisation, timing and allocation of costs – by all public infrastructure delivery agencies is key to ensuring the activation of development lands. In addition, only through a coordinated and targeted public infrastructure investment plan that provides for advance servicing of residential development lands will the full activation impacts of the Government’s Vacant Sites Levy be achieved. 2.18.11 The mechanisms for the delivery of infrastructure have changed significantly, as Government has re-organised infrastructure responsibilities in recent years. The primary national sources of infrastructure funding are: transportation (National Transport Authority (NTA), and, Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII); water services (Irish Water); urban and rural development (Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF), Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF), and, Town and Village Renewal). 2.18.12 During 2019, Cork County Council Members approved the borrowing of up to €130m from the European Investment Bank (EIB) and Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) over the next decade which will allow Cork County Council to progress a broad range of projects across the County, supporting growth target. This funding is to supplement public funding by NTA, TII, URDF, RRDF, and Town/Village Renewal. 2.18.13 Cork County Council is focusing the EIB/CEB funding on an investment program to support communities, create conditions to enable effective regional development and drive economic performance across the entire county. This borrowing, together with funding provided by the National Urban and Rural Regeneration Funds (URDF/RRDF) and Development Funds will facilitate progress across all of the Council’s eight Municipal Districts. 2.18.14 The Council has established a dedicated Capital Programme Implementation Unit to deliver its Social Sustainability Investment Programme. Projects which are set to benefit under this scheme include, town centre public realm upgrades, town inner relief roads, the development of parks and amenities, tourism related infrastructure, the protection of culture and heritage, energy efficiency projects and economic development. 2.18.15 These project types are critical to supporting growth across the County and specifically in creating the Key Attractors that will contribute to putting in place the necessary conditions to support growth as set out in the NPF. As a result, post- NPF the Council has undertaken a number of co-ordinated initiatives that will inform settlement specific interventions during the lifetime of this plan – as set out in the Implementation Chapter of this Plan. Infrastructure Funding 2.18.16 Currently, public infrastructure funding is provided through a range of mechanisms. By creating an Active Land Management process of alignment in terms of infrastructure funding, interventions and priorities (aligned also with landowner / house-builder engagement), expenditure on public infrastructure can be utilised to maximum effect in terms of development activation and cost efficiency. This overall alignment is critical in order to give full effect to the Council’s Active land Management activities and deliver the Core Strategy targets. 2.18.17 Creating the correct conditions to support growth has always been central to ensuring cost-effective and sustainable growth occurring, however post-economic crash fiscal constraints (in both public and private financing) and macroprudential lending rules (for housing) has heightened the importance of achieving a high degree of efficiency in delivery development – including infrastructure provision. 2.18.18 The Implementation and Delivery Chapter of this Plan sets out in detail the infrastructure needs and funding context to support the delivery of housing growth identified in this Core Strategy. GO TO CONTENTS
- 63 Return on Investment 2.18.19 Based on analysis undertaken by Cork County Council relating to the activation of zoned housing, delivering advance public infrastructure to support housing growth has the potential to provide for a positive Return on Investment to the public exchequer. Housing Implementation Mechanism 2.18.20 Having regard to the changed delivery context for policy implementation (particularly regarding housing delivery), as well as the multiplicity of actors in the implementation process, an ALM propelled housing activation pathway is required to ensure delivery of national, regional and local policy objectives and that viability, affordability and competitiveness are maximised. 2.18.21 This housing activation pathway requires the following four characteristics: • Alignment of actors; • Adequate and advance funding; • Provide for engagement at the site specific level; and, • Have sufficient flexibility to overcome activation and viability barriers at the site specific level. Vacant Sites Levy for Residential Lands: 2.18.22 The Council has actively engaged in the implementation of the Government’s Vacant Site Levy (VSL), establishing its Vacant Sites Register in 2016. However only when sufficient and targeted public infrastructure capacity is available will the full impact of the Vacant Site Levy be achieved as the VSL applies generally to serviced lands. 2.18.23 Therefore the scope and efficacy of the Government’s Vacant Site Levy can be expanded if a process of alignment is built around it including: multi-annual residential (private and public) delivery targets by typology and location (informed by the Council’s Core Strategy); multi-annual (private and public) residential delivery programme by typology and location; alignment of infrastructure agencies priorities and investment programmes; and, a programme that removes barriers to development as required at the site specific level. Such a multi-annual residential delivery programme will need to be based on engagement with landowners. 2.19 Active Land Management 2.19.1 While this Core Strategy sets out the housing requirements based on the target populations as set out in the NPF and RSES, this section deals with the supply side which falls under the remit of ‘Active Land Management’ and matching supply with a proposed achievable demand. 2.19.2 Active land management is the management and delivery of zoned lands to ensure those lands come into active use; ensuring that social, environmental and economic considerations are appropriately integrated into land identification and delivery and, ensuring an adequate volume of appropriate lands are identified to ensure the availability of an appropriate supply of serviced/serviceable zoned lands to serve existing and future housing demand. 2.19.3 In an effort to co-ordinate land use zoning, infrastructure and services, the National Planning Framework includes a number of specific objectives which set out a new two-tier approach to land zoning: • Tier 1 which is Serviced Zoned Land and • Tier 2 which is Serviceable Zoned Land. 2.19.4 All residentially zoned land is categorised in this way in this plan. The NPF indicates that if land does not fall into Tier 1 or Tier 2, then it should not be zoned for development or included within a Development Plan Core Strategy. Where land is zoned and remains undeveloped over time, it may be included in the Vacant Site Register and be liable for the Vacant Site Levy. • Tier 1 comprises lands that are able to connect to existing development services, i.e. road and footpath access including public lighting, foul sewer drainage, surface water drainage and water supply, for which there is service capacity available, and can therefore accommodate new development. These lands will generally be positioned within the existing built-up footprint of a settlement or contiguous to existing developed lands. Inclusion in Tier 1 will generally require the lands to be within the footprint of or spatially sequential within the identified settlement. • Tier 2 zoning comprises lands that are not currently sufficiently serviced to support new development but have potential to become fully serviced within the life of the plan i.e. the lands are currently constrained due to the need to deliver some or all development services required to support new development, i.e. road or footpath access including lighting, foul GO TO CONTENTS
- 64 sewer drainage, surface water drainage, water supply and/or additional service capacity. These lands may be positioned within the existing built-up footprint of a settlement, or contiguous to existing developed lands or to tier 1 zoned lands, where required to fulfil the spatially sequential approach to the location of the new development within the identified settlement. 2.19.5 The tiered approach to zoning (NPO72a) and other mechanisms to prioritise the delivery of zoned lands for development (NPO73a-73c) will be important considerations for this Plan and will be subject of more coordinated monitoring in line with the provisions set out in Chapter 19 Implementation and Delivery. Activation Mechanism 2.19.6 Having regard to the changed delivery context for policy implementation (particularly regarding housing delivery), as well as the multiplicity of actors in the implementation process, an activation pathway is required to ensure delivery of national, regional and local policy objectives and that viability, affordability and competitiveness are maximised. 2.19.7 This activation pathway requires to have the following four characteristics: • alignment of actors; • adequate and advance funding; • provide for engagement at the site specific level; and, • have sufficient flexibility to overcome activation and viability barriers at the site specific level. 2.19.8 In Cork County there is currently advance infrastructure in place for c.7,000 residential units to be constructed. Based on NPF residential targets, this capacity will be absorbed within the early delivery period of this County Development Plan. Additional public infrastructure capacity will be required to be created in order to facilitate housing delivery generally, but critically the provision of this new infrastructure capacity will be required to: • have regard to lead-in times for infrastructure provision (usually a minimum of two years for significant works); and, • be targeted at specific locations that reflect housing needs. 2.19.9 Only when sufficient and targeted public infrastructure capacity is available will the full impact of the Vacant Site Levy be achieved. 2.19.10 An activation pathway for scheme housing and commercial investment will ensure that the County Development Plan identified residential development land bank is activated, housing delivery meets the locational, typology and market price needs of County Cork residents, and that complementary commercial / employment facilities are delivered. This activation pathway features: • a local authority led process of targeted public infrastructure investment/priorities by multi agencies at agreed development locations/timing; • committed multi-annual funding for public infrastructure; • landowner and investor positive and structured engagement; • targeted use of the Vacant Site Levy process to give effect to national policy and local housing / employment needs; and • monitoring of development activation and use learnings to inform investment decisions, prioritisations, and, identification of future development land banks. GO TO CONTENTS
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- 67 CHAPTER 3 SETTLEMENTS AND PLACEMAKING Vision for this Plan To protect and enhance the unique identity and character of County Cork’s towns and villages and improve quality of life and well-being through the delivery of healthy placemaking underpinned by good urban design, with the creation of attractive public spaces that are vibrant, distinctive, safe and accessible and which promote and facilitate positive social interaction and supports the needs of the community.
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- 69 CONTENTS Contents 3.1 Introduction to Placemaking 70 3.2 Urban Capacity Study 72 3.3 Understanding the Urban Structure of our Settlements 72 3.4 Movement and Public Realm 73 3.5 Encouraging Sustainable and Resilient Places 75 3.6 Planning for Culture and Creativity 78 3.7 Placemaking and Enterprise Development 79 3.8 Rural Placemaking 79 3.9 Ensuring Quality in Design 80 3.10 Design Standards Toolkit 81
- 70 3.1 Introduction to Placemaking 3.1.1 The National Planning Framework’s focus on delivering compact growth within the heart of our towns and villages is a new direction in planning for the country’s future growth. This will mean a new focus is required on urban opportunity sites through a combination of infill lands, backlands, under-utilised land and the introduction of targeted measures to address vacancy and the under-utilised building stock in the heart of our towns and villages. These are often more complex sites and therefore the Plan now provides a dedicated Chapter to Settlements and Placemaking policy and guidance to aid designers to respond positively to Cork County’s unique urban structure and deliver a tailored approach to housing, employment and community facilities within our wide network of settlements. 3.1.2 The Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (RSES) for the Southern Region emphasises the concept of Placemaking as a tool to enable sustained economic growth and employment including the integration of better urban design, public realm, amenities and heritage to create attractive and liveable places that support active lifestyles and positive human health. 3.1.3 The Placemaking approach follows the themes outlined in the National Planning Framework, Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy for the Southern Region (RSES), Creative Ireland’s Re-Imagine: Making Places Better and the RIAI Town and Village Toolkit. These will provide a new layer of robust, locally tailored policy to supplement existing Guidelines on Residential Development in Urban Areas (2009), Design Standards for New Apartments, as amended in 2020 and Urban Areas and Building Heights Guidelines (2018). What is Placemaking? 3.1.4 At its essence, Placemaking is about the layout, design and management of the built environment and public realm, how the buildings and spaces relate to each other and ensuring that places are attractive, safe and enticing, thus strengthening the connection between people and the places they live, supporting a greater sense of ownership, community values and activity. 3.1.5 How future development is planned will continue to be a significant determinant of people’s quality of life. Successful places are designed, built and managed with an attention to quality and puts the human experience at the heart of the design process. National and regional planning policy objectives places a strong emphasis on developing sustainable communities, and placemaking and the development of sustainable communities are mutually supportive. The renewed focus on compact growth requires a fundamental shift in the way we plan our towns and villages. Developers need to consider how to deliver permeable, well-connected schemes that responds to its local context and contribute to/ reinforces the town or village’s urban structure and land use mix. On its own, just zoning land for development, is not enough to ensure the delivery of attractive successful places that people will choose to live in. The Plan sets out a new set of Placemaking Principles that can help deliver quality development at a local level that reinforces the uniqueness of County Cork’s diverse places, nurtures them to realise their full potential and create a people centred design approach. 3.1.6 Successful Placemaking has four main components: • Harnesses the unique characteristics of each place; • Improves the quality of life for all; • Results in sustainable, well designed homes and communities who are aware of their natural environment and have access to active travel options. • Results in Protection of the environment. 3.1.7 The following diagram demonstrates how place-making and sustainable communities are interchangeable: Figure.3.1: Egan Wheel (Source Adapted “Egan Wheel” Egan 2004 GO TO CONTENTS
Source Cork County Council: Cork County Development Plan 2022–2028 – Volume One: Main Policy Material (2022–2028) · 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.