Kildare County Development Plan 2023–2029 — Chapter 1: Introduction and Strategic Context

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   environmental effects of implementing a plan, to ensure that these effects are appropriately addressed at the earliest appropriate stage of decision-making. A formal process of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is being undertaken as an integral part of the preparation of this Plan, pursuant to the requirements of the EU SEA Directive (2001/42/EC) and the Planning and Development (SEA) Regulations 2004 (as amended). The SEA Environmental Report will provide a clear understanding of the likely environmental consequences of decisions regarding the future development of County Kildare and will guide the preparation of objectives, policies and development alternatives for the Development Plan, with the aim of achieving sustainable development in the county without causing adverse harm to the environment. Appropriate Assessment (AA) Articles 6(3) and 6(4) of the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) place an obligation on competent authorities to consider the effects of every plan and project on its own or in combination with other plans or projects on one or more European sites (Natura 2000 sites) through a process known as Appropriate Assessment. Natura sites are Special Protection Areas (SPAs) for birds and Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) for habitats and species. A formal process of Appropriate Assessment was carried out as part of the preparation of this County Development Plan. On the basis of the screening for Appropriate Assessment, it was concluded that the Plan could, in the absence of mitigation, result in adverse impacts on the Natura 2000 network, therefore in accordance with Article 6(3) of the Habitats Directive, a Stage 2 Appropriate Assessment is being carried out. Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) In accordance with the Planning System and Flood Risk Assessment Guidelines for Planning Authorities (2009) and Circular PL02/2014 (August 2014) the purpose of the Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) is “to provide a broad (area wide) assessment of all types of flood risk to inform strategic land use planning decisions. A SFRA is being carried out as part of the process of preparing the Plan and will be taken into consideration when determining appropriate sites for development. 1.7.4 Appendices The Plan is also supported by a number of evidence-based supporting documents which provide the background work for the formulation of policies and objectives of the Plan. The Appendices are as follows: Appendix 1 Housing Need & Demand Assessment and Housing Strategy Appendix 2 Wind Energy Strategy Appendix 3 Open Space Strategy Appendix 4 Kildare Rural House Design Guide Appendix 5 Record of Monuments and Places (RMP) Appendix 6 Record of Protected Structures (RPS) Appendix 7 Scenic Routes Appendix 8 Statement of Compliance with Section 28 Guidelines. Appendix 9 Core Strategy Methodology Appendix 10 Rural Housing Policy Report (AIRO) Appendix 11 Single Rural Dwelling Density Toolkit Appendix 12 KCDP Implementation & Monitoring Framework11

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   1.8 Strategic Vision The ‘Strategic Vision’ for the County, as outlined at the start of this chapter, is ‘To build on the strengths of the county in order to improve the quality of life of all residents, through the creation of high-quality job opportunities, by the provision of high-quality residential development supported by high quality community and social infrastructure, through the provision of a high-quality sustainable transport network, by healthy placemaking and transformational regeneration. The vision for County Kildare also supports the transition to a low carbon climate resilient environment, by embracing inclusiveness, enhancing our built environment and enshrining the importance of conserving, restoring and protecting Kildare’s biodiversity for future generations.’ 1.8.1 Overarching Guiding Principles The following 17 chapters set out the planning policy framework within which the vision as set out above will be realised by 2029. Each chapter identifies an ‘Aim’ supported by policies, objectives, actions, and targets (as appropriate), through which this common vision for County Kildare will be realised. The key principles for this Development Plan are as follows. (i) To develop a county that is resilient to climate change, plans for and adapts to climate change and flood risk, facilitates a low carbon future, supports energy efficiency and conservation, and enables the decarbonisation of our lifestyles and economy (ii) To ensure the compact growth and regeneration of lands within all settlements across the Settlement Hierarchy (iii) To promote the sustainable development of communities by locating residential, employment, social and community facilities in close proximity to each other. (iv) To support national investment in public transport services to achieve the better integration of land uses and high-quality public transport provision and to reduce car dependency throughout the county. (v) To achieve a quantum of services and infrastructure in all settlements to match existing and future population demands. (vi) To promote economic development and employment opportunities within defined Strategic Employment Development Areas in the North-West corridor of the Metropolitan Area, in line with the overall Growth Strategy. (vii) To recognise the role of the rural countryside in supporting the rural economy and its role as a key resource for agriculture, equine, bloodstock, forestry, energy production, tourism, recreation, mineral extraction, and rural based enterprises. (viii) To support, facilitate and promote the sustainable development of renewable energy sources in the county. (ix) To protect local assets by preserving the quality of the landscape, open space, recreational resources, natural, architectural, archaeological, and cultural heritage and the material assets of the county. (x) To promote social inclusion and facilitating the delivery of objectives contained in the Kildare Local Economic and Community Plan (LECP) 2016- 2021 and any succeeding Plan. (xi) To promote co-ordinated spatial planning to conserve and enhance the biodiversity of our protected habitats and species including landscape and heritage protection.12

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   1.9 The Role of the Office of the Planning Regulator The Office of the Planning Regulator (OPR) plays a key role in the preparation of development plans in ensuring the overall plan is consistent with national and regional planning policies and guidance. The OPR has a range of functions including the independent assessment of all local authority and regional assembly forward planning, including the zoning decisions of local authority members in local area and development plans. Throughout the statutory public consultation of the plan process the OPR provides statutory observations to ensure consistency with relevant regional or national policies. In performing its functions, the OPR takes into account the objective of contributing to proper planning and sustainable development and the optimal functioning of planning under the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended). Kildare County Council takes all observations received from the OPR into consideration throughout the plan process and commits to working with the office to realise the optimal planning and development outcomes within the plan area. 1.10 Monitoring and Implementation It is important that the Development Plan provides for a circular process of action, where the adopted Plan is routinely monitored during its lifetime to assess and ensure the implementation of the various policies, objectives, actions and targets. In this regard, an ‘Implementation and Monitoring Framework’ is included in this Plan (Appendix 12). This will be continuously updated as the Plan progresses and will identify each of the objectives, targets and actions under the various chapters of the Plan, assigning each to a specific body/bodies for implementation and identifying a series of Key Performance Indicators against each one.13

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   County Development Plan 2023-2029 Ordnance Survey Ireland data reproduced under OSi Licence number CYAL50250173 © Ordnance Survey Ireland/Government of Ireland/Kildare County Council Municipal District Map Stage Drawn By: M O'Loughlin Date 28/01/2023 Date This drawing is to be read in conjunction with the written statement Description County Development Plan Kildare County Boundary Municipal Districts Athy Celbridge / Leixlip Kildare / Newbridge Clane / Maynooth Naas Legend 28/01/2023 Scale: N.T.S. Date the Plan comes into effect Checked By: L Crawford Date 28/01/2023 Map Ref: V1-1.1 Date: January 2023 County Development Plan 09/12/2022 Plan adopted by Elected Members Drawing No.: 200/22/1326 Approved By: C O'Donnell Date 28/01/202314

Source Kildare County Council: Kildare County Development Plan 2023–2029 — Chapter 1: Introduction and Strategic Context (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.