Development plan · Longford County Council
Longford County Development Plan 2021–2027
The council's development plan written statement: its strategy, policies, objectives and development standards.
Longford County Council · 2021–2027 · 486 pages
Ask this document
Answers come only from the text of Longford County Development Plan 2021–2027, each claim linked to its page. They are not advice; check the page itself.
Free, with a daily limit.
- 7.4.11 Places of Worship As the population of the County becomes more diverse there has been an increase in the number of faith communities in the County. This has given rise to demand for worship spaces. Community centres may provide temporary solutions, as communities become more established and/or numbers increase, a dedicated place of worship may be required. The Council will encourage appropriate, easily accessible locations which comply with the Council’s standards with regard to design, vehicular movement/parking and landscaping etc. 7.4.12 Burial Grounds Local Authorities are responsible for ensuring that there are adequate burial facilities, including the reservation and acquisition of lands for such facilities, where necessary. The Council aims to provide an adequate level of cemetery provision on a county wide basis, taking into account the likely future requirements. In this regard the Council will seek to ensure that the lands necessary to provide for future needs are acquired and developed in a planned manner. Places of Worship – County Policy Objectives It is the County Policy Objective to: Encourage and facilitate the development of places of worship in appropriate locations in urban centres and proximate to residential communities. Burial Grounds – County Policy Objectives It is the County Policy Objective to: Facilitate the provision of traditional burial grounds, eco-friendly burial grounds, crematoria, and the extension of existing cemeteries and associated facilities, as appropriate, to cater for the needs of the County, subject to appropriate planning considerations, including ground and surface water, environmental, noise and traffic impacts. Facilitate and support the development of multi-denominational burial grounds, having an awareness of the needs of multi-faith and non-religious communities. Ensure that the cemeteries and associated facilities for which the Council is responsible are accessible and appropriately maintained. Encourage local community groups to develop, manage and maintain burial facilities. Protect the cultural heritage of historical burial grounds within the County and encourage their management and maintenance in accordance with best conservation practice. CPO 7.60 CPO 7.61 CPO 7.62 CPO 7.63 CPO 7.64 CPO 7.65 221County Development Plan 2021–2027
- 7.5 Placemaking Climate Context and Associated Actions In accordance with the format set out in Chapter 3: Climate Change of this Plan the following is an assessment of the content of this chapter in a Climate Context and associated Actions. Placemaking is an overarching idea, as well as a hands-on tool for improving spaces. Irrespective of scale, it can refer to a site, a street, a community, a village, a town, or even a county or region. Traditionally the placemaking process has associated itself with the physical, social, ecological, cultural and ‘spiritual’ qualities of the urban realm. However, in an era of ever-increasing and more severe heat waves, precipitation, droughts, and floods, responding to the impacts of climate change has now firmly positioned itself alongside these considerations. Public spaces are where physical and social resilience meet and can now be considered a crucial tool in our arsenal to mitigate and adapt to rising temperatures and extreme weather conditions. Local Authorities are increasingly exploring the capacity of ‘Greenery and Amenities’ to improve our thermal comfort, regulating air temperature, radiation, humidity and wind pattern, and subsequent use and amenity. Public spaces should connect with nature and on a more practical level, encourage us to walk and cycle, while moving away from auto-centric design to place-led development. Mass transit and walkable, bike-friendly cities are among the best to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Our streets must be considered more as spaces and understood as a crucial tool towards improving our sustainable habits and supporting communities. Communities that are structurally sound, but also socially empowered and connected are more resilient to disaster. Climate Change will put increased pressure on economically constrained communities, many of which have limited resources to respond to the changing conditions. The most successful placemaking initiatives have strong community-based participation at its centre, prioritising the assess of local community and their potential to create quality public spaces that contribute to people’s health, happiness, and wellbeing. A7.1 A7.2 A7.3 A7.3 A7.4 A7.4 Placemaking Actions Longford County Council shall: Prepare an overarching landscaping plan for the towns of Longford, Granard, Ballymahon, Edgeworthstown and Lanesborough to identify pocket parks, vertical landscaping, and green roof opportunities, and micro-spaces in Council public ownership to be immediately exploited, alongside an ambition to improve connectivity between green spaces, and the implement of same with stakeholder approval; Prioritise the installation of soft-scaping over hardscaping within our towns and villages wherever possible, and ensure adequate understanding, adherence and address of the maintenance requirements of all existing and proposed surface treatments; Encourage all large-scale development proposals to actively assess and demonstrate, increased and/or improved quality social spaces, both externally and internally; The design of all open spaces to be professionally and adequately designed and orientated at its most preferred location within a scheme, and accompanied by a finishes schedule of highest quality and of sustainable materials; Encourage the installation of awnings and retention of tree canopy cover where practicable, within the commercial areas of the county towns and villages; Require all future residential developments over 10 no. or more units, to submit a Social and Community Statement, setting out the measures to be implemented that will bring about improved social benefit and amenity to the area (e.g. multiple house typologies, accessible housing, social services community housing, creche, etc). 222Longford County Council
- Economic Development CHAPTER 8 Abbott’s Factory, LongfordAbbott’s Factory, Longford
- 224 8.1 Introduction Longford is home to a broad economic and employment base ranging from micro-enterprises to large-scale multinational companies. This chapter sets out the economic strategy for County Longford, which aims to encourage employment growth and economic activity, and promote Longford as a local and regional centre of trade, business and tourism. In developing this economic strategy, cognisance has been taken of the diverse economic and industrial base within the County, as well as the urban and rural contexts that characterise the economic communities of County Longford. The County Development Plan is therefore a key strategic platform which sets out the economic vision for the County, guided by a range of policy objectives which have been framed in the context of the economic challenges that is envisaged will face County Longford over the plan period. This Plan contains an Economic Strategy which recognises the need to foster and facilitate a resilient and sustainable economy for the County, in a challenging economic climate as a result of Brexit, the re-orientation of traditional industry practices as we transition towards a low carbon society and the COVID-19 pandemic. Such challenges have very real impacts for the Longford economy, particularly given its strong agricultural sector and the longstanding direct and indirect economic benefits associated with Bord na Móna and the peat industry in the County. This Economic Strategy is supported by a number of key national and regional strategic policy contexts, most notably through the National Planning Framework (NPF), the Eastern and Midland Regional Economic and Spatial Strategy, in addition to other sectoral plans and strategies which are outlined accordingly. 8.2 Policy Context 8.2.1 Project Ireland 2040 Project Ireland 2040 encompasses two strands: a high-level national spatial plan to 2040 in the form of the National Planning Framework (NPF); and a detailed capital investment plan in the form of the National Development Plan (NDP) 2018-2027, which sets out the investment priorities that will underpin the successful implementation of the NPF. Key economic features of Project Ireland 2040 are addressed under the following National Strategic Outcomes (NSO’s): ■ NSO 3: This recognises the key role rural economies and communities play in defining our identity and our high-quality environment as well as driving our economy. It identifies traditional pillars of the rural economy, such as the natural resource and the food sector, as being key to future economic development as well as those emerging from improved connectivity and broadband access which has the potential to yield further rural economic development opportunities. ■ NSO 5: This advocates investment in world class infrastructure, including digital connectivity, and in skills and talent to support economic competitiveness, enterprise growth and to help develop deeply rooted sectoral clustering driven by effective collaborations built around investments in Higher Education and Further Education and Training (FET). Given the emphasis placed on building and enhancing Regional Growth Centres such as Athlone and Sligo as regional economic drivers, Longford is well positioned in terms of its geographic location and connectivity with these centres. 8.2.2 Eastern and Midland Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy 2019 – 2031 The RSES’s economic vision is to facilitate sustainable, competitive, inclusive and resilient growth. The RSES Economic Strategy focuses on the following key objectives: ■ Smart Specialisation – Entrepreneurial discovery process for industry, enterprise agencies, Higher Education Institutes (HEIs), communities and stakeholders; ■ Clustering – create, maintain or upgrade economic strongholds in a favourable business ecosystem; ■ Orderly Growth – strategic employment locations aligned with Growth Strategy. ■ Placemaking – creation of place for human capital with innovation, infrastructure and access to trade; ■ Future Proofing and Risk Management – identify and plan for emerging and unforeseen global and domestic challenges.Longford County Council 224
- The RSES also sets out a number of guiding principles for the identification of locations for strategic employment growth which have been considered in the County Longford Economic Strategy presented in this plan. 8.2.3 Putting People First – Action Programme for Effective Local Government This seeks to provide local authorities with more autonomy in the support of enterprise and the promotion of wider economic development, thereby creating and sustaining jobs. It contains 4 no. key objectives as follows: ■ Doing more for the economy, enterprise and the local economy; ■ Building a local government system for the 21st century; ■ Local Government that is soundly funded, working better and serving the community; ■ Good governance, strong leadership and democratic accountability. 8.2.4 Enterprise 2025 Renewed This sets out Ireland’s national enterprise strategy with a focus on export-led growth, underpinned by innovation and talent to drive economic growth and deliver quality jobs. Priorities include: ■ Developing Irish-owned enterprises and embedding resilience in the enterprise base, enhancing productivity and delivering quality jobs, including supporting companies to navigate Brexit; ■ Harnessing the distinctive characteristics of foreign and Irish owned enterprise mix through collaboration and clustering; ■ Emphasis on innovation, talent and leveraging strengths in disruptive technologies with more enterprises developing new products, services and solutions; ■ Investments in place-making and developing places that are attractive for business investment and people to live and work; ■ Provide opportunities for our enterprises supported by the Global Footprint 2025 Initiative47. 47 Global Ireland – Ireland’s Global Footprint to 2025 (2018), Government of Ireland. Available at: https://www.ireland.ie/media/ireland/stories/ globaldiaspora/Global-Ireland-in-English.pdf Kepak Factory, BallymahonCounty Development Plan 2021–2027 225
- 8.2.5 Future Jobs Ireland 2019 Future Jobs Ireland 2019 is part of a multi-annual framework which gives effect to national enterprise policy objectives and leverages all policy areas which relate to job creation and labour force participation, talent development, enterprise growth, innovation and competitiveness and transition to a low-carbon economy. 8.2.6 Winning: Foreign Direct Investment 2015-2019 This IDA strategy aims to increase foreign direct investment at a regional level, more evenly throughout the Irish economy which positively impacts indigenous business and regional locations. Targets include 80,000 new jobs; 900 investments; €3bn Research and Development (R&D) investments and balanced regional growth. 8.2.7 Food Wise 2015-2025 The national strategy for the development of the Agri-Food Sector outlines the key actions required to ensure it maximises its contribution to economic growth and exports in an environmentally sustainable manner over the coming decade. It identifies 4 no. elements to deliver growth: ■ Human Capital ■ Competitiveness ■ Market Development ■ Innovation 8.2.8 Midlands Regional Enterprise Plan to 2020 (DBEI) The Midlands Regional Enterprise Plan (MREP) presents the following Strategic Objectives of relevance to the economic development of Longford: ■ Strategic Objective 1: Ensuring that the Midlands is well positioned to address the challenges posed by the transition to a low carbon economy and renewable energy. ■ Strategic Objective 3: Position and support the Midlands as an advanced manufacturing centre of excellence. ■ Strategic Objective 4: Enhance the collective offering of the Midlands as a place to live, work, and invest in. ■ Strategic Objective 5: Strengthen the attractiveness of the Midlands as a destination to visit. ■ Strategic Objective 6: Harness the potential of the food and beverage industry in the Midlands. ■ Strategic Objective 7: Ensure the availability of skills and talent to realise the region’s economic potential and address upskilling requirements. 8.2.9 Just Transition Under the terms of the 2015 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Paris Agreement, Ireland is required to ensure that policy response to climate change is governed by the principles of a Just Transition to a low carbon economy. ‘Just Transition’ is an economy-wide process that produces plans, policies and investments that lead to environmentally and socially sustainable jobs, sectors and economies. This transition is underpinned by efforts to create fair and high value work, in a way that does not negatively affect the current workforce and overall economy. Just Transition has significant implications for County Longford, given the closure of the ESB power station in Lanesborough at the end of 2020. The indirect effect of this has been the cessation of industrial peat harvesting by Bord na Móna in the region which will have a significant economic impact. As a result, the Government has committed to overseeing the implementation of Just Transition for the region with the appointment of a Just Transition Commissioner and a midlands targeted Just Transition Fund (JTF) of €11 million, with the aim of supporting the retraining and reskilling of workers and to assist local communities and businesses in the midlands to adjust to the low carbon transition. 8.2.10 Rural Development Programme 2014- 2020 & Longford Local Development Strategy This has goals to encourage diversification of the rural economy. The Local Development Strategy encompasses actions in relation to energy and environmental measures, youth development work, employment generation, social enterprise, transport, town development, tourism generation and broadband provision. 8.2.11 Longford Local Economic and Community Plan (LECP) 2016-2022 The LECP supports the economic development of the County. Tourism, agri-food, ICT, engineering, biopharma and green enterprise are noted as key sectors in the economic development of the County, providing opportunities for employment and wealth generation, and facilities and infrastructure that enhance the quality of life for residents.Longford County Council 226
- 8.3 County Longford Economic Context 8.3.1 Strategic Location Given its midlands location, Longford is strategically positioned as a portal to the Northern and Western Region, with the county well served by transport links in the form of the Sligo-Dublin railway line, and several strategic national primary and secondary routes traverse the County from east to west and north to south. These include the N4 and N5, both of which are components of the Trans-European Transport Networks (TEN-T) Comprehensive Network. This high degree of accessibility has helped retain and enhance a range of enterprises within the County, as well as attract new businesses and industries to the locality. 8.3.2 Economic Profile The strategic location of the county has cultivated a sustainable economic environment. Longford boasts a wide and varied economic base which incorporates employment across a range of industries which cater for local, national and international markets. This environment has cultivated strong synergy effects, with a number of local enterprises directly supplying larger multi-national companies in the locality, which has seen significant clustering effects particularly in the biomedical, pharmaceutical and agri-food sectors. Longford has also seen a significant upscaling of its tourism sector in recent years, most notably through the development of Longford Forest Center Parcs which opened in July 2019, and which is a significant employer with approximately 1,000 employees. Significant expansion of tourism infrastructure throughout the county has also taken place, spearheaded by a number of regeneration projects undertaken by Longford County Council, in the form of an enhanced network of leisure trails and cycleways. This activity has coincided with the ‘Hidden Heartlands’ tourism marketing campaign undertaken by Fáilte Ireland. As a result, the tourism sector in County Longford is now a significant employment source. Longford Town remains the key economic driver for the county, as reflected in its designation as a ‘Key Town’ within the Eastern and Midland RSES, which characterises such settlements as ‘economically active towns that provide employment for their surrounding areas and the capacity to act as regional drivers to complement the Regional Growth Centres’. In this regard, Longford Town already boasts a high job to resident workers ratio (1.596 as per 2016 Census), with significant in-commuting and employment in sectors such as advanced manufacturing, pharma and agri-food. Given its strong employment base, its critical mass and its designation within the region under the RSES, Longford Town will be the focus for much of the economic development and projected population growth for the County for the period of this plan. Center Parcs, BallymahonCounty Development Plan 2021–2027 227
- Figure 8.1: Longford Economic Context (Source: midlandsireland.ie)Longford County Council 228
- 8.3.3 Demographic Context The 2016 Census recorded a population of 40,873 persons in County Longford and marked a continuation of sustained population growth in the county over the proceeding 20-year period to 1996, where the population of the county grew by approximately 35.5%. Moreover, whilst the intercensal period of 2011-2016 was characterised by significant economic recession across the country, the population in County Longford still maintained a steady population increase (+4.8%), which was also above the State population increase over the same period (3.8%). The County has an average age of 37.4 years, with a substantial proportion of its population, approximately 62.5%, within the working age cohort (persons aged 15-64). Similarly, there is a large family formation age cohort, with approximately 25% of the County population recorded at the 2016 Census within the age grouping of 20-39 years. Moreover, the County has a large youth demographic, with approximately 25% of the population of the County within the 0-19 years age group based on the 2016 Census, with the largest age group in the County comprising of the 5-9 years cohort. Notably, the second largest age cohort comprises of those within the 35-39 years age group. In terms of more qualitative characteristics, the 2016 Census also captured that 85.3% of the County’s population considered themselves to have “Good” or “Very Good” general health. These statistics indicate a strong current working age population within the County, with a substantial youth population, and a healthy population significant for sustaining future economic activity in the County. 8.3.4 Economic Activity in County Longford Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent economic downturn, the economic landscape in Longford had recovered significantly following the national economic recession and stagnation experienced between 2007 to 2014, albeit not to the same economic or labour market activity evidenced in the Celtic Tiger economic era. National employment before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic was at its highest ever level, with 2.3 million people at work and the lowest unemployment rate in 14 years, in spite of the uncertainties surrounding Brexit. 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 Age Group Population Percentage County Longford Age Grouping and Population Percentage – Census 2016 n Female n Male 85 years and over 80-84 years 75-79 years 70-74 years 65-69 years 60-64 years 55-59 years 50-54 years 45-49 years 40-44 years 35-39 years 30-34 years 25-29 years 20-24 years 15-19 years 10-14 years 5-9 years 0-4 years Figure 8.2: Population Pyramid of County Longford According to Age Group and Gender (Source: CSO – Census 2016)County Development Plan 2021–2027 229
- In Longford, the CSO recorded that since 2011, the total number of ‘active enterprises’ increased from 1,862 in 2011 to 2,022 in 2017. These figures indicate an improvement in enterprise formation levels from that experienced in 2008, prior to the full effects of the economic downturn, when 1,944 active enterprises were recorded in Longford were recorded in that year. It is also notable that the number of employees corresponding to the amount of active business was higher in 2008 (6,820), compared to the number of employees recorded in 2017 (6,341). Figures for 2017 suggest that companies operating in the ‘business economy’ are the major employers, (6,341 employees). Manufacturing also plays a significant role, with its employee total reaching 1,621, making it the next largest. 8.4 Employment For the Midlands region, there has been a consistent drop in the numbers of persons on the live register since before 2016. In January 2016 the total for the Midlands was 26,320 persons. By January 2017 this reduced to 22,642 persons, falling further to 18,798 persons in January 2018. Figures for the Midland’s live register in February of 2020 recorded a total of 14,167 persons, however, the potential economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic were beginning to become apparent following this, with an increase in Live Register figures for each subsequent month up to May 2020 with 15,183 persons recorded on the Live Register for the Midlands sub region. A similar, albeit less pronounced trend is also occurring in Longford, with Longford Town, which recorded 2,344 persons in February 2020, increasing to 2,529 in May 2020. In terms of unemployment rate, County Longford had the highest recorded in the 2016 Census for the State with 19.6%. 8.4.1 Labour Force Participation Rates and Principal Economic Status The labour force participation rate, as defined by the CSO, expresses the labour force as a percentage of the total population aged 15 years and over. It is another indicator of unemployment levels, with the State recording a rate of 61.4% in 2016, lowering from 61.9% in 2011, a decline of 0.5%. County Longford’s labour force participation rate has seen a decline of 1.3% from 2011 to 2016. The labour force for County Longford in 2016 comprised 18,873 persons, an increase of 440 persons from that recorded in 2011, and a participation rate of 60.2%. Table 8.1 provides details on the principal economic status of persons over the age of 15 years, which accounts for retirees as well as potential labour force participants. Table 8.1: Principal Economic Status of Persons Aged 15 and Over in County Longford (Source: CSO, Census 2016) Principal Economic Status Persons Aged 15 and Over % At work 15,172 48.4% Looking for first regular job 374 1.2% Unemployed having lost or given up previous job 3,327 10.6% Student 3,062 9.8% Looking after home/ family 2,873 9.2% Retired 4,782 15.2% Unable to work due to permanent sickness or disability 1,657 5.3% Other 118 0.4% Total 31,365 100.0% 8.4.2 Disposable Income Disposable income is also a useful barometer of how well the economy is performing in a particular region. CSO estimates of disposable income in 2017 show that Longford has an average of €18,721 per person. This estimate is lower than the average for each of the other Midlands region of Laois, Offaly and Westmeath, where disposable income is €19,030 per person. However, Longford still has a higher average disposable income per person than the averaged values for the Border (€17,051 per person) and West (€18,306 per person) regions. 8.4.3 Employment Sectors From analysis of the 2016 Census, the prominent employment sectors in County Longford are professional services (21.8%), commerce and trade (20.5%) and manufacturing industries (16.9%). Table 8.2 and Figure 8.3 illustrate jobs by industry sector share in County Longford with the State comparison.Longford County Council 230
Source Longford County Council: Longford County Development Plan 2021–2027 (2021–2027) · 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.