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.
- Climate Action The Chief Executive signed the Climate Action Charter on the 11th December 2019. The Climate Action Charter demonstrates Longford County Council’s commitment to work in partnership with the Department of Communications Climate Action and Environment in responding to climate change, while also providing local leadership in the area of Climate Action and support to communities in addressing such an important challenge. 3.6 County Longford Climate Strategy Progressing climate action is a priority for this County Development Plan which will be done through a Climate Strategy which incorporates national and regional policy through an approach which includes mitigation and adaptation. The two components of climate action are critical in order to build resilience and adapt to the changing climate in a planned and structured way. Figure 3.6: Mitigation and Adaptation (Source: Longford County Council Climate Adaptation Strategy 2019) Climate mitigation describes actions to reduce the likelihood of climate change occurring or to reduce the impact if it does occur. This can include reducing the causes of climate change (e.g. emissions of greenhouse gases) as well as reducing future risks associated with climate change. Climate adaptation is a change in natural or human systems in response to the impacts of climate change. These changes moderate harm or exploit beneficial opportunities and can be in response to actual or expected impacts. One of the key issues relating to the Plan in the context of climate adaptation is flooding. A Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) has been undertaken alongside the preparation of the Development Plan that has helped to facilitate the appropriate zoning of areas that are at elevated risk of flooding. The policies and actions in this plan seek to mitigate and reduce the severity of future climate change and adaptation to manage the risks and impacts associated with existing or anticipated impacts of climate change. Table 3.1 and Table 3.2 respectively identify the climate mitigation and adaptation measures proposed in this Plan. Mitigation Seeks to prevent Climate Change Adaptation refers to efforts to manage the risks and impacts associated with existing or anticipated impacts of climate change. Mitigation refers to the efforts to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases and reduces the severity of future climate change impacts Adaptation Seeks to respond to the impacts of climate change Build local citizen engagement, particularly with young peopleCounty Development Plan 2021–2027 61
- Table 3.1: Climate Mitigation Measures Topic Climate Mitigation Measures Buildings ■ Support energy-efficient building design and emission reduction measures ■ Promote building of energy efficient homes/higher density appropriate to demographics and with greatest infrastructure provision ■ Promote renewable and low carbon energy ■ Create or enhance carbon sinks Agriculture, Land Management and Forestry ■ Encourage the Agriculture Sector and our farming communities to adapt and change to produce more of our food locally in order to facilitate us all to shop local. ■ Encourage local food markets and shops to stock and sell local food produce. This will increase local employment and wealth generation as opposed to exporting it abroad. ■ Establish new community woodlands in urban/urban fringe areas ■ Support production of sustainable biofuels (farm contributions to localised energy supplies – biofuels/wind energy production) ■ Implement higher level Plan recommendations/objectives/ policies Transport ■ Support construction of green routes/cycleways/pedestrian routes, subject to normal environmental considerations ■ Support low-car developments in suitable locations and car sharing ■ Strengthen public transportation linkages and encourage their use ■ Support localisation of jobs/ shops/services to minimise needs for most common travel patterns ■ Support electric vehicle charging points and electrification of Council fleet Energy production ■ Promote energy-efficient building design ■ Promote links between developments and renewable energy resources, for instance by sourcing energy on-site (renewably or from low-carbon fuel sources) ■ Consider public lighting upgrades ■ Facilitate building retrofits Minerals ■ Locate developments strategically (e.g. waste materials) to minimise need to travel, subject to health aspects/business needs Resource Management ■ Support waste prevention and water conservation measuresLongford County Council 62
- Table 3.2: Climate Adaptation Measures Topic Climate Adaptation Measures Buildings ■ Land use zoning to be informed by flood risk ■ Promote the use of green roofs and natural ventilation ■ Enhance flood resilience of buildings, e.g. elevated work surfaces and storage facilities, raised sockets and electrical infrastructure, enhanced flood boards ■ Promote the use of permeable surfaces to decrease runoff rates ■ Institute grey-water recycling schemes to decrease abstraction of potable surface water resources, thus reducing water stress during periods of low rainfall ■ Maximise water conservation ■ Plant drought-resistant plants/ trees in public amenity areas to provide shade and increase green infrastructure linkages Agriculture, Land Management and Forestry ■ Support diversification of rural economy to promote crop viability options etc. ■ Encourage afforestation (where environmentally appropriate) to enhance interception and infiltration of precipitation ■ Support restoration of peat bogs when turf cutting has ceased ■ Support the recommendations of the National Peatlands Strategy Water management ■ Increase resilience to flooding through Sustainable Drainage Systems ■ Harvest rainwater/grey water ■ Ensure adequate/appropriate water supply and drainage ■ Support Water Conservation Strategies Infrastructure, including flood defences ■ Ensure critical infrastructure and services (particularly emergency services) are resilient to new climatic conditions ■ Facilitate flood defences and flood resilient urban design ■ Coordinate emergency response plans; Wildlife and biodiversity ■ Create/enhance ecological linkages and buffer zones from development ■ Create/protect ecologically resilient and varied landscapes to help support a wide range of species Economy and tourism ■ Support opportunities for increased tourism as a result of warmer summers, within limits of existing infrastructure and sensitive habitats Human Health, Risk and Insurance ■ Provide green infrastructure to provide shade in urban areas ■ Provide building methods and materials to reduce the impacts of heat stress ■ Appropriate maintenance of surface water drainage infrastructure to avoid flood risk ■ Land use zoning to be informed by flood risk Longford County Council is committed to making the transition to becoming a low carbon and climate resilient County, promoting the economic, social and environmental benefits of low carbon development, with an emphasis on the reduction in energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions. This includes a combination of effective mitigation and adaptation responses to climate change.County Development Plan 2021–2027 63
- CPO 3.1 CPO 3.2 CPO 3.3 CPO 3.4 CPO 3.5 CPO 3.6 CPO 3.7 CPO 3.8 In addition, supporting the relevant policy area, specific Climate Change Actions are set out at the end of each chapter of this County Development Plan. Climate Change Policies – County Policy Objectives It is the Policy Objective of the Council to: Support the implementation and achievement of European, national, regional and local objectives for climate adaptation and mitigation as detailed in the following documents, taking into account other provisions of the Plan (including those relating to land use planning, energy, sustainable mobility, flood risk management and drainage) and having regard to the Climate mitigation and adaptation measures which have been outlined through the policy objectives in this Development Plan: ■ Climate Action Plan (2019 and any subsequent versions); ■ National Climate Change Adaptation Framework (2018 and any subsequent versions); ■ Any Regional Decarbonisation Plan prepared on foot of commitments included in the EMRA RSES; ■ Relevant provisions of any Sectoral Adaptation Plans prepared to comply the requirements of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015, including those seeking to contribute towards the National Transition Objective, to pursue, and achieve, the transition to a low carbon, climate resilient and environmentally sustainable economy by the end of the year 2050; and ■ Longford County Council Climate Change Adaptation Strategy 2019-2024. Support and facilitate European and national objectives for climate adaptation and mitigation having regard to the measures detailed in Table 3.1 and Table 3.2 (these have been informed by available guidance on Climate Action and Mitigation, including that from the EPA). Support the implementation and adoption of the Longford County Council Climate Change Adaptation Strategy and promote the County as a key driver of the transition to a low carbon economy within the Region. Contribute towards climate mitigation and adaptation, taking into account other provisions of the Plan (including those relating to land use planning, energy, sustainable mobility, flood risk management and drainage). Promote the benefits to quality of life, public health and biodiversity arising from implementation of policies promoting climate change adaptation and mitigation. Provide for a reduction in energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions by providing for consolidated future development which supports sustainable travel patterns in line with the County Core Strategy. Encourage innovation and facilitate the development of pilot schemes that support climate change mitigation and adaptation measures, especially in the energy and agriculture sectors Support the delivery of sustainable development projects under the European Green Deal and the Just Transition Fund.Longford County Council 64
- CPO 3.9 CPO 3.10 CPO 3.11 CPO 3.12 CPO 3.13 CPO 3.14 CPO 3.15 CPO 3.16 CPO 3.17 CPO 3.18 CPO 3.19 Climate Change Policies – County Policy Objectives It is the Policy Objective of the Council to: Support collaboration between local authorities, the Midland Regional Transition Team and relevant stakeholders and the development of partnership approaches to integrated peatland management for a just transition that incorporates any relevant policies and strategies such as the Bord na Móna Biodiversity Plan 2016-2021 and the national Climate Mitigation and Adaptation Plans. This shall include support for the rehabilitation and/or re-wetting of suitable peatland habitats. Work in collaboration with the Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland and relevant stakeholders to deliver a number of sustainable energy communities throughout the County. Consider the use of heat mapping to support developments which deliver energy efficiency and the recovery of energy that would otherwise be wasted. Carry out a feasibility assessment for district heating and any subsequent Local Area Plans or other statutory planning documents shall identify local waste heat sources, where appropriate. Seek to ensure primacy for transport options that provide for unit reductions in carbon emissions. This can most effectively be done by promoting public transport, walking and cycling, and by actively seeking to reduce car use in circumstances where alternative options are available. Maintain existing green infrastructure and encourage and facilitate, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, the development of green infrastructure that recognises the synergies that can be achieved with regard to the following: ■ Provision of open space amenities; ■ Sustainable management of water; ■ Protection and management of biodiversity; ■ Protection of cultural heritage; and ■ Protection of protected landscape sensitivities. Work with the National Trails Office, Coillte, the Department of Planning, Housing and Local Government, the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, and other relevant stakeholders, to improve on the existing level of infrastructure and facilities for walking and cycling. Complete a detailed local survey and audit of greenhouse gas emissions for the County in order to effectively target and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in a targeted approach at the County level and support the development of a Regional Inventory of GHG Emissions. Seek the integration of positive climate change mitigation and adaptation measures in all planning applications. Provide training on climate mitigation measures, to include the agricultural, construction, industry and transport sector. i. Create an ‘Implementation Plan’ of adequate detail that will allow for continued monitoring of Local Authority actions, responsibilities and progress specifically related to Climate Action. ii. Consider a variation of the development plan within a reasonable period of time, or to include such other mechanism, as may be appropriate, to ensure the Development Plan will be consistent with the approach to climate action recommended in the revised Development Plan Guidelines as adopted or any other relevant guidelines.County Development Plan 2021–2027 65
- Climate Change is a strategic and cross cutting theme across the County Longford Development Plan. As part of the collective need to tackle Climate Change, each chapter of this Plan concludes with a climate context and select number of associated climate actions, setting out definable and achievable targets. Reducing future risks associated with climate changeLongford County Council 66
- Core, Settlement and Housing Strategies CHAPTER 4 Centenary Square, Longford Town
- 68 4.2 Core Strategy Statutory Context Section 10 (1A) of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, sets out the requirement for the preparation of a Core Strategy which demonstrates how the development objectives contained within this County Development Plan are consistent, as far as practicable, with national and regional development objectives. The Core Strategy must also take account of any Ministerial policies and guidance in relation to national and regional population targets. Under the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended), a Core Strategy focuses on: ■ Defining a settlement hierarchy for the County that is consistent with the NPF and RSES. ■ Transposing the prescribed NPF and RSES housing and population targets set at County level for the rural and urban centres identified within the settlement hierarchy. ■ Providing an evidence-based rationale for the land proposed to be zoned for residential and mixed-use development having regard to the capacity of existing zoned land and the phasing of development taking account of the location of public transport and services. ■ Demonstrating how the Planning Authority has had regard to the statutory Retail Planning Guidelines in setting out objectives for retail development 4.3 Core Strategy Policy Context 4.3.1 Project Ireland 2040 - National Planning Framework The National Planning Framework (NPF) sets out the Government’s high-level strategic plan for the future growth and development of the country out to the year 2040 by which time it is estimated that an extra 1 million people will be living in the country. The NPF targets 50% of overall national growth between the five cities of Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford. Supporting these five cities are the designated Regional Centres, of which the closest to Longford are Athlone and Sligo. Of particular relevance to the core strategy is the following National Strategic Objective (NSO), which relates to the concept of ‘compact growth’: ■ NSO 1: Compact Growth: Carefully managing the sustainable growth of compact cities, towns and villages in order to add value and create more attractive places in which people can live and work. The NPF advocates the use of strategic, centrally located, and frequently publicly owned, lands for development as a means of realising their full potential through more efficient use of infrastructure and supporting amenities and the achievement of more effective densities and development consolidation rather than more sprawl development. This will be achieved by concentrating on delivering growth within the 4.1 Introduction This Core Strategy identifies the quantum, location and phasing of development in County Longford for the plan period which reflects the nationally and regionally defined population targets, settlement hierarchy and cognisant of the availability of existing services, planned investment, sequential development and environmental requirements. The Core Strategy prepared for the Longford County Development Plan 2021-2027 articulates the medium to longer term evidence and quantitatively based strategy for the spatial development of County Longford, whilst demonstrating consistency with national and regional objectives as set out in the National Planning Framework (NPF) and the Eastern and Midland Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (RSES). The Core Strategy sets out a vision for County Longford and strategic aims required to deliver this vision. The development of this Core Strategy has been guided by the Department of Environment Heritage and Local Government ‘Guidance Note on Core Strategies’ (2010), taking into account relevant changes brought about through the publication of the NPF and RSES. Encompassed within this are revised population targets, zoning requirements and associated policies to ensure consistency with these updated national and regional strategies. These are expressed in the Core Strategy Table (Table 4.15) and related zoning maps provided in Appendix 1 of this plan.Longford County Council 68
- 69 existing built-up footprint of settlements by focusing on the re-use of previously developed ‘brownfield’ land, the development of infill sites, and the re-use and redevelopment of existing sites and buildings. It is an objective that at least 30% of all new homes in settlements outside the 5 cities and suburbs will be within the existing built up footprint9. County Longford is located within the Gateway Region and is strategically located as an interregional portal to the Northern and Western Region. The Gateway Region also includes the Regional Growth Centre of Athlone, a number of large county towns, as well as smaller towns and villages which support the wider rural and agricultural area where the population is more dispersed. In terms of specific National Policy Objectives (NPOs) relevant to County Longford, there are a number of National Policy Objectives (NPOs) and associated targets aimed at growing the Eastern and Midland Region: ■ NPO 1a: The projected level of population and employment growth in the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly area will be at least matched by that of the Northern and Western and Southern Regional Assembly areas combined. ■ NPO 1b: Eastern and Midland Region: 490,000 - 540,000 additional people i.e. a population of around 2.85 million. ■ NPO 1c: Eastern and Midland Region: around 320,000 additional people in employment i.e. 1.34 million in total. The NPF asserts that ‘in setting overall targets for future growth, it is a pattern of development that is being targeted, rather than precise numbers. From a long-term, national perspective, the targeted location, relative scale and proportionality of growth will assist in monitoring and assessing delivery and performance’. Key priorities in the NPF for the Eastern and Midland Region, and therefore relevant to County Longford, include: ■ Enabling the complementary development of large and county towns in the wider Greater Dublin Area and Midland areas on the key strategic and public transport routes 9 National Policy Objective 3c of the NPF Padraic Colum (aka Glennon Sawmills) Roundabout along the N4 / Longford Town bypassCounty Development Plan 2021–2027 69
- in a regionally co-ordinated manner, with an enhanced emphasis on measures to promote self-sustaining economic and employmentbased development opportunities to match and catch-up on rapid phases of housing delivery in recent years. ■ More effective strategic planning and coordination of the future development of nationally and regionally strategic locations at points that straddle boundaries between this and neighbouring regions as in the example of Athlone, which is a focal point for an area reaching into much of this and neighbouring regions in economic and employment, transport, education and public service delivery and retailing terms. ■ More emphasis on consolidating the development of places that grew rapidly in the past decade or so with large scale commuter driven housing development with a particular focus on addressing local community and amenity facility provision in many of the larger commuter towns through targeted investment under the relevant NPF National Strategic Outcomes (see Chapter 1: Introduction and Strategic Context). ■ Preparing and implementing a regional priorities programme, to shape and inform delivery of the Regeneration and Development Initiative. Part of this programme should identify significant ready-to-go city, rural town and village and rural rejuvenation priorities which could harness publicly owned land and other assets that are not being used actively at present such as former healthcare, military, transport and other complexes and combining the potential of such assets with community and wider private and public sector support and investment to bring about the transformation of both urban and rural areas and places in an integrated manner. In relation to the preparation of Core Strategies, the NPF places considerable emphasis on significant infill/brownfield growth, particularly in cities and large towns through effective linkages between the zoning of land and the availability of infrastructure. In this regard, the NPF advocates a two-tier approach to land zoning in relation to: ■ Tier 1: Serviced Zoned Land – this zoning 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. ■ Tier 2: Serviceable Zoned Land – this 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, water and/or wastewater treatment infrastructure. As part of the plan preparation process, substantial discussions were undertaken with Irish Water and local authority engineers regarding infrastructure needs. This will be augmented in accordance with national policy objective NPO 72A of the NPF which states that Planning authorities will be required to apply a standardised, tiered approach to differentiate between i) zoned land that is serviced and ii) zoned land that is serviceable within the life of the plan.’ and in accordance with the associated methodology for a tiered approach to land zoning as set out in Appendix 3 of the NPF. In this regard an Infrastructure Assessment Report (IAR) has been used to identify the existing and projected level of infrastructure provision within settlements. This has identified lands fully serviced and available for development and other sites that are in need of more infrastructural investment prior to development. The zoning of certain sites has been altered to reflect the findings of the IAR (see Volume 2: Appendices). The Planning Authority is committed to the preparation of detailed infrastructure assessments, consistent with NPO 72 and the methodology for a Tiered Approach to Zoning (TAZ) under Appendix 3 of the NPF, to inform the development strategy for future Local Area Plans in the county such as for Longford Town (policy objective CPO 4.9).Longford County Council 70
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.