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
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- Table 8.2: Employment Numbers in County Longford by Industry Sector with State Comparison (Source: CSO, Census 2016) Industry Longford Total State Total Longford Industry Share % State Industry Share % Agriculture, forestry and fishing 1,159 89,116 7.6% 4.4% Building and construction 841 101,849 5.5% 5.1% Manufacturing industries 2,566 229,548 16.9% 11.4% Commerce and trade 3,108 480,117 20.5% 23.9% Transport and communications 756 171,194 5.0% 8.5% Public administration 929 106,797 6.1% 5.3% Professional services 3,314 471,656 21.8% 23.5% Other 2,499 356,364 16.5% 17.8% Total 15,172 2,006,641 100.0% 100.0% Figure 8.3: Bar Chart Illustrating Employment Numbers in County Longford by Industry Sector with State Comparison (Source: CSO – Census 2016) 0.0% 5.0% 10.0% 15.0% 20.0% 25.0% 30.0% 17.8% 16.5% 23.5% 21.8% 5.3% 8.5% 23.9% 11.4% 5.1% 4.4% 6.1% 5.0% 20.5% 16.9% 5.5% 7.6% Longford & State Industry Sector Share Comparison OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS COMMERCE AND TRADE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHINGCounty Development Plan 2021–2027 231
- 8.4.4 Socio-Economic Profile of Persons at Work in Longford Table 8.3 details the social class of those persons aged 15 years and over at work, as recorded in the 2016 Census. It illustrates that there is a strong representation at managerial and technical and non-manual and classes. Similarly, there is a high level of manual skilled and semi-skilled reflecting the strength of the manufacturing sector in the County. Table 8.3: Socio-Economic Profile of Persons Aged 15 and Over at Work in County Longford (Source: CSO, Census 2016) Socio-Economic Class Number of Persons aged 15 years and over at Work % of Persons aged 15 years and over at Work Professional workers 836 5.5% Managerial and technical 4,024 26.5% Non-manual 3,201 21.1% Skilled manual 2,836 18.7% Semi-skilled 2,483 16.4% Unskilled 643 4.2% All other gainfully occupied and unknown 1,149 7.6% All social classes 15,172 100.0% 8.4.5 Educational Attainment The 2016 Census found that 32.5% of those persons over the age of 15 years in County Longford had completed a course ranked Level 6 or higher on the National Framework of Qualifications. The average age education ceased for the population aged 15 years and over for County Longford was 19.3 years in 2016, an increase on the previous census figure which was 18.4 years. Prominent fields of study from the total number of respondents in the County who have completed third level education (6,559 persons) include social sciences, business and law (24.2% or 1,586 persons); manufacturing and construction (17.8% or 1,170 persons); and health and welfare (15.4% or 1,009 persons). Opportunities for further education and upskilling remain available within the county through the Longford Westmeath Education and Training Board, which provides education and training, ranging from literacy and numeracy skills to QQI certified courses. The proximity of Longford to Athlone Institute of Technology, which is expected to gain Technological University status imminently, also offers key opportunities for further educational attainment. 8.4.6 Commuting From the 2016 Census, 15,064 persons aged 15 years and over at work commuted in County Longford. Table 8.4 below outlines the means of travel for those commuters within County Longford. Table 8.4: Commuting Means of Travel for Persons Aged 15 and Over at Work in County Longford (Source: CSO, Census 2016) Means of Commuting and Journey Times in County Longford Public Transport 247 Walking 1,193 Cycling 144 Car (Driver) 9,535 Car (Passenger) 753 Van 1,307 Other, including lorry 152 Work mainly at or from home 926 Not stated 784 Total Number Commuting 15,064 The majority of respondents (60.2% or 8,509 persons and excluding those who mainly work at or from home), have a commuting time of under 30 minutes, with 4,671 persons (or 33%) of respondents not working from home having a commute time of less than 15 minutes. In terms of commuting destinations, the vast majority are within County Longford (55.2% or 8,312 persons), with Westmeath (8.6% or 1,299 persons) and the Greater Dublin Area 4% or 562 persons) featuring prominently along with neighbouring counties of County Longford.Longford County Council 232
- 8.5 Quality of Life Quality of life issues are increasingly important in the investment decision making process, influencing not only decisions to locate businesses and industries, but also in the creation and retention of a suitable labour force to service and further develop established and proposed commercial concerns. County Longford has a significant advantage in the work life balance area where businesspeople can give priority to quality of life issues in investment or relocation decisions. Longford County Council shall continue to protect and enhance the attractive environment of the County and build on this asset for economic development purposes. In this regard, this section should be read in conjunction with Chapter 7: Placemaking, and Chapter 12: Natural Heritage and Environment. 8.6 Impact of COVID-19 The preparation of this Economic Strategy has coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic which has had a severe economic impact internationally, nationally and at a local level. Uncertainty remains in terms of the future viability of certain businesses owing to the introduction of public health measures, such as social distancing, which undoubtedly impacts on business and services, particularly those without a strong online and virtual presence, and those reliant on in shop footfall and in situ customers, particularly in the retail, food and hospitality sectors. Prior to COVID-19, economic growth was predicted to continue at modest levels of 3.6% for 2020 and 3.2% for 202148. However, since the pandemic, national economic growth has been significantly revised with the Central Bank, ESRI and the European Commission all forecasting a contraction of on average -8.5% for 2020, followed by growth of 6% in 202149. While this would indicate a swift recovery from a sudden and sharp contraction, the economic outlook is undoubtedly dependent on overcoming the pandemic crisis. The Covid-19 pandemic also presents a number of opportunities. Remote working (at home and in e-hubs) has had a positive effect in terms of climate change, biodiversity, quality of life and health. The pandemic also provided the opportunity to evaluate the infrastructural capabilities of remote working at a mass-level, in terms of broadband provision to facilitate economic activity. Remote and e-working has been successful across a number of industry sectors. This will have implications for traditional working patterns and major economic centres, with the need for location-specific employment and office floorspace requirements being re-evaluated. For Longford, this has a significant bearing on this Economic Strategy and marks a key opportunity to promote Longford as an attractive location to live and work with substantial quality of life benefits available. As a result, the Economic Strategy presented in this plan places a heightened emphasis on supporting home or e-working and other microenterprises, as well as the provision of infrastructure and supporting services, such as hot desks, casual work spaces and meeting facilities, in order to sustain and enhance this increasingly important area of the economy. 8.7 County Longford Economic Development Strategy The Economic Development Strategy for the County is principally derived from the RSES and the spatial expression for the development of the County provided in the Core Strategy (see Chapter 4: Core Strategy and Housing). The focus is on developing strategic economic growth centres that will act as engines for economic growth throughout the County. The Economic Development Hierarchy is presented in Table 8.5 below. 48 European Commission (2020) European Economic Forecast – Winter 2020 (available at: https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/economy-finance/ ip121_en.pdf) 49 European Commission (2020) European Economic Forecast – Spring 2020 (available at: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ ip_20_799)County Development Plan 2021–2027 233
- Table 8.5: Economic Development Hierarchy Hierarchy of Employment Centres Sectoral Strengths Primary Economic Growth Town Longford Town Designated as a ‘Key Town’ in the RSES and most economically active settlement that provides employment for its surrounding area with high-quality transport links and the capacity to act as a growth driver to complement the Regional Growth Centre of Athlone. ■ Significant in-commuting and employment in sectors such as advanced manufacturing, pharma and agri-food. ■ Main administrative centre for the county ■ Primary retail centre. Secondary Economic Growth Town Granard Important supporting and complementary role in developing regional and countylevel economic growth in tandems with the primary economic growth town of Longford Town. ■ Well-established manufacturing base. Kiernan MillingLongford County Council 234
- Key Employment Centres Edgeworthstown Ballymahon Lanesborough Key settlements proving significant employment for respective urban areas and wider hinterland. Edgeworthstown ■ Long-established manufacturing and lightindustrial base. ■ Focus on agri-food and the service sector. ■ Excellent transports links through the N4 and Sligo-Dublin InterCity rail line. Ballymahon ■ Strong manufacturing and light-industrial base. ■ Key retail and service-sector centre. ■ Significant growth in tourism-orientated services and tourism accommodation which has coincided with the opening of the nearby Longford Forest Center Parcs resort in July 2019. Lanesborough ■ Currently in a state of structural economic change with the closure of the Lough Ree power station. ■ Key target area for employment and investment from the Just Transaction Fund. ■ Significant positive impacts on a variety of sectors, ranging from agri-food to tourism to alternative energy sectors. ■ Secured funding for the development of tourism and community development projects, notably a new community enterprise food hub which will create up to 90 jobs. ■ Strong retail and service sectors. Local Employment Centres Drumlish Newtownforbes Ballinalee Keenagh Abbeyshrule Ardagh Clondra Ballinamuck Aughnacliffe Small towns and key villages providing employment needs for local hinterlands. Local investment, generally small-scale industry. Rural Areas Rural Settlements, Rural Nodes and Rural Countryside Rural employment in the countryside Agriculture, forestry, horticulture, silviculture, hydroponics (growing plants without soil), energy production, rural resource-based enterprises, micro-industries and home working.County Development Plan 2021–2027 235
- CPO 8.1 CPO 8.2 CPO 8.3 CPO 8.4 CPO 8.5 CPO 8.6 CPO 8.7 Economic Development Strategy - County Policy Objectives It is the County Policy Objective to: Facilitate and support the growth of the economy in County Longford and the Midland Area in a sustainable manner, to create a viable and favourable economic environment for business and enterprise, whilst delivering sustainable jobs, employment opportunity and an enriched standard of living. Support and facilitate the economic development of the county in accordance with the Economic Development Strategy of the County Development Plan, across a range of sectors. There will be a general presumption against development that would prejudice the achievement of the Economic Development Strategy. Promote and facilitate regional-scale employment development as a priority in the Primary Economic Growth Centre of Longford Town, supported by the Secondary Economic Growth Town of Granard, and the Key Employment Centres of Edgeworthstown, Ballymahon and Lanesborough. Promote small towns and villages as local employment centres where investment can be focused on creating additional employment opportunities that will sustain a local rural hinterland. Ensure that sufficient land is zoned for economic activity through the County Development Plan and any relevant Local Areas Plan. Such land will normally be protected from inappropriate development that would prejudice its long-term development for employment and economic activity. Ensure that zoning for employment uses will be carried out in a manner which protects investment in the national road network, in accordance with Chapter 2 of the DECLG guidelines on ‘Spatial Planning and National Roads’. Have regard to the County Policy Objectives contained in Section 5.2.3 of this Plan when assessing proposals for economic or employment generating development and their potential impact on the road and street network where the protection of routes of strategic importance within the County from further access creation and intensification of existing accesses and development on national routes is a key consideration. Development on the National and Regional Routes outlined in CPO 5.19 shall be carefully considered to preserve their strategic role and safeguard the strategic function of the national road network, in accordance with the provisions of the DoECLG Spatial Planning and National Roads Guidelines (2012). It is important to ensure that there is an adequate supply of zoned land for employment purposes at appropriate locations to accommodate employment growth. There is a total of 572 hectares of land available for employment purposes in the Primary Economic Growth Town of Longford, the Secondary Economic Growth Town of Granard and the Key Employment Centres of Ballymahon, Edgeworthstown and Lanesborough. This offers significant potential for future economic development within these centres. Adequate infrastructure is essential to facilitate future economic development in the County and Longford County Council will continue to work with infrastructure providers to secure adequate water services, effective public transport, energy, telecommunications, waste management and education facilities to support employment development. Quality of life considerations are also a key component for investment and this Plan will seek to protect the attributes that make Longford attractive. Indicators such as commuting times, availability of key services, recreation opportunities and the quality of the built and natural environment are important.Longford County Council 236
- CPO 8.8 CPO 8.9 CPO 8.10 CPO 8.11 CPO 8.12 CPO 8.13 CPO 8.14 CPO 8.15 CPO 8.16 CPO 8.17 CPO 8.18 CPO 8.19 CPO 8.20 CPO 8.21 CPO 8.22 Collaborate with key agencies in the identification, scope, development and promoting of sites as potential enterprise landing spaces throughout the County. Support economic development at locations that maximise existing infrastructural provision, particularly in relation to locating high employee generating enterprise and industry proximate to high capacity public transport networks and links. Support existing successful clusters in County Longford, such as those in the manufacturing, pharmaceutical, life sciences and agri-food sectors, and promote new and emerging clustering opportunities across all economic sectors within the County. Support and promote proposals for SME business development in centres where existing infrastructural facilities are available or where they can be provided with services and good communications. Support start-up businesses and small-scale industrial enterprises, particularly those that have a creative and innovative dimension. Support the use of town centre locations for new service-focussed enterprises. Identify suitable locations and support the provision of co-working facilities, digital hubs/e- Hubs and e-Working centres throughout the County that function as outreach hubs for citybased employers and promote flexible working arrangements. Accommodate valid propositions for enterprise development that may emerge for which there are strong locational or asset-based drivers that do not apply to the same extent elsewhere and to promote the development of ‘niche’ products. Encourage the reuse of sites and/or existing building stock where possible. Sites to be developed for industrial and commercial purposes shall be designed to the highest architectural standards to provide quality environments with adequate provision for landscaping, car and truck parking and circulation, and the disposal of foul and surface water following appropriate treatment. Ensure the protection of the environment in the installation of new developments through promoting the application of the Best Available Technology (BAT) principle in terms of control of emissions/potential pollutants. Seek to ensure that any significant future employment developments in the vicinity of the strategic road network will be accompanied by a mobility management plan that seeks to provide for an appropriate level of non-car-based transport options, utilising the strategic public transport network. Promote rural economic development by adopting a policy framework that recognises the need to promote the long-term sustainable social and environmental development of rural areas, encourages economic diversification and facilitates the growth of rural enterprises. Promote the development of high-quality tourism, leisure and complementary activities that can build on and complement the existing attractions in the area. Promote the principles of good placemaking with an emphasis on quality employment and residential developments in proximity to each other in order to reduce the need to travel and ensure that suitable local accommodation is available to meet the needs of workers in the County.County Development Plan 2021–2027 237
- CPO 8.25 CPO 8.23 CPO 8.24 Ensure a high-quality living environment in Longford which will help to retain the county’s indigenous skilled population and to attract additional high skilled labour into the county. Collaborate with agencies such as Enterprise Ireland, Connect Ireland and IDA Ireland in identifying key, strategic employment land banks within the County to principally accommodate prospective Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) employment and/or IDA Ireland affiliated enterprises and ensure that priority is given to sites and landbanks within settlement boundaries in the first instance and only where it can be demonstrated that no alternative landbank / landing space can be suitably identified, will a location outside of a defined settlement be considered. Facilitate the delivery of strategic employment landing space to principally accommodate FDI employment and IDA Ireland affiliated enterprises where appropriate and ensure that priority is given to sites and landbanks within settlement boundaries in the first instance and only where it can be demonstrated that no alternative landbank / landing space can be suitably identified, will a location outside of a defined settlement be considered.Longford County Council 238
- CPO 8.26 CPO 8.27 CPO 8.28 CPO 8.29 CPO 8.30 CPO 8.31 CPO 8.32 CPO 8.33 Primary Growth Centre – Longford Town - Policy Objectives It is the County Policy Objective to: Promote the Key Town of Longford Town as a primary centre of employment in the County and support the provision of increased employment through the expansion of the existing enterprise ecosystem in Longford and smart specialisation. Support the provision of physical infrastructure and zoned lands to realise the delivery of strategic employment lands in central accessible locations. Support and promote Longford Town as a key hub for employment, enterprise and tourism within the Gateway Region, and in its role as an economic driver complementing the Regional Growth Centre of Athlone. Support the development of a creative and innovation hub and co-working space within the settlement Support the development of a cross sectoral approach to promote Longford as a key tourism hub in the Midlands, building on Fáilte Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands brand and the Shannon Tourism Masterplan. Develop the recreation and amenity potential of waterways including the River Shannon and Lough Ree and the development of a greenway network including the Galway to Dublin Cycleway, subject to the requirements of the Birds and Habitats Directives and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport’s Dublin to Galway Greenway Plan 2017, including measures relating to environmental management and sustainable development Promote the plan led development and regeneration of publicly owned land banks in Longford Town for employment, education, community, cultural and recreational opportunities Support the economic development and regeneration of the town centre. 8.7.1 Economic Development Hierarchy 8.7.1.1 Primary Economic Growth Town – Longford Town Longford Town is the dominant settlement in the county in terms of population, economic activity, level of service and infrastructure and connectivity and therefore is the clear choice as the primary growth for the county. Critical mass is a core objective, supported by density levels which enable competitiveness and sustainability and create opportunities for economies of scale to justify strategic infrastructure provision. A total of 220 hectares of land is zoned and available for employment purposes in Longford Town, across a range of employment land-use types. The zoning allocation of lands for future residential development is highly dependent on demographic modelling and population targets. However, as similar zoning allocation of lands for employment uses is less certain, there is a need for a degree of flexibility in bringing forward lands identified for employment purposes in the lifetime of this plan.County Development Plan 2021–2027 239
- CPO 8.34 CPO 8.35 CPO 8.36 CPO 8.37 Secondary Growth Centres (Granard) - County Policy Objectives It is the County Policy Objective to: Support proportionate economic growth and appropriately designed development in the secondary growth centres which make a positive contribution to regeneration and renewal. Seek to target investment and location of new businesses in the core areas of the Secondary Growth Centre of Granard through sustainable targeted measures that address vacancy, encourage economic development and deliver sustainable reuse and regeneration outcomes. Support the development of high-quality e-working communal spaces and offices to facilitate increased levels of remote working. Support the development of tourism and heritage-based enterprises in Granard which complement the natural and cultural heritage value of the town, in particular the Motte and Bailey site. 8.7.1.2 Secondary Economic Growth Town – Granard Granard is identified as a secondary economic growth town, providing an important and complementary role in developing economic growth and sectoral interests in tandem with the primary economic growth town of Longford Town. Granard has a well-established manufacturing base with a particular emphasis on the food and agrifeed sectors, with the Pat the Baker manufacturing site and Kiernan Milling both significant employers in the area and contributing to a significant job to resident worker ratio. Similarly, Granard is a key retail and service centre for its inhabitants and surrounding hinterland, as reflected in the RSES where it is recognised as a ‘Key Service Centre’ in the retail hierarchy for the Region. Granard also has a growing tourism and heritage sector, driven principally by the Granard Motte historical site, where significant investment in tourism and regeneration funding has been acquired to deliver a world standard heritage tourism facility in the form of a cultural heritage centre and park, ‘Knights and Conquests’. St. Mel’s BreweryLongford County Council 240
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.