Development plan · Louth County Council
Louth County Development Plan 2021–2027
The council's development plan written statement: its strategy, policies, objectives and development standards.
Louth County Council · 2021–2027 · 548 pages
Ask this document
Answers come only from the text of Louth County Development Plan 2021–2027, each claim linked to its page. They are not advice; check the page itself.
Free, with a daily limit.
- Chapter 2 – Core Strategy and Settlement Strategy Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027 2-53 Table 2.21: Overview of Key Statistics for Self-Sustaining Towns Settlement Population 2016 Projected Population 2021-2027 Housing Stock 2016 Housing Allocation 2021-2027 Resident Workforce 2016 Total Jobs 2016 Job:Workforce ratio 2016 Carlingford 1,445 1,645 840 50 459 370 0.81 Castlebellingham /Kilsaran 1,126 1,236 510 65 451 295 0.65 Clogherhead 2,145 2,445 895 75 860 150 0.17 Termonfeckin 1,579 1,829 582 70 629 204 0.32 Tullyallen 1,547 1,767 500 65 675 138 0.20
- Chapter 2 – Core Strategy and Settlement Strategy Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027 2-54 2.17 SMALL TOWNS AND VILLAGES There are 8 settlements in the category Small Towns and Villages. These settlements have an important function in supporting local growth. They range in size with Baltray being the smallest settlement, with a population of 132 in 2016, while Dromiskin is the largest settlement with a population of 1,195 persons. Annagassan is another small settlement with a population of 201 in the last census, while the remaining settlements in this category had a population between 600-900 persons. Depending on the size, function, and location of the settlement, the employment provision varies. All settlements in this category had a jobs ratio of less than 0.4, which is an indication of a weak employment base and a dependence on outbound commuting for employment. Omeath, with a jobs ratio of 0.38, and Collon, with a jobs ratio of 0.31, had the highest Job:Workforce ratio in this category of settlements. The growth strategy for the Small Towns and Villages in this Plan will focus on localised sustainable growth that meets the needs of the local population. Any new residential development shall be proportionate to the size of the settlement in which it is located with priority given to infill and brownfield development. New development in settlements that have experienced high levels of growth in recent years will be carefully managed to avoid the creation of commuter settlements. Economic and employment related development that would strengthen the local employment base and reduce the dependence on commuting will be supported. Volume 2 of this Plan provides a Written Statement and associated Land Use Zoning and Composite Maps for each of the Small Towns and Villages.
- Chapter 2 – Core Strategy and Settlement Strategy Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027 2-55 2.18 RURAL NODES There are 24 Rural Nodes identified in Level 5 of the settlement hierarchy. These nodes are characterised by clusters of residential properties with limited local services and facilities. As part of the strategy of strengthening the fabric of rural nodes and creating sustainable rural communities this Plan has identified lands within nodes that are suitable to meet rural generated housing needs. This Plan supports the development of a ‘New Homes in Small Towns and Villages’ initiative advocated in Regional Policy Objective 4.78 of the RSES. This initiative will involve a coordinated approach between Local Authorities, Irish Water and local communities in the provision of serviced sites in rural nodes to meet local housing demand. This policy initiative will assist in strengthening and rejuvenating rural towns and villages throughout the County. Section 3.17.6 of the Housing Chapter provides further guidance on development in Rural Nodes. A map of each of the Rural Nodes can be viewed in Volume 2 of this Plan. 2.18.1 Strategic Policy Objectives for Self-Sustaining Towns, Small Towns and Villages and Rural Nodes Policy Objective SS 52 To support and facilitate balanced and proportionate population and economic growth in the Self-Sustaining Growth Towns, Small Towns and Villages, and Rural Nodes that will meet the needs of the residents of the settlements identified in each of the settlement categories. Policy Objective SS 53 To support the creation of vibrant rural communities by promoting and targeting sustainable growth in rural towns and managing the growth of rural areas under pressure for development. Policy Objective SS 54 To support the development of a ‘New Homes in Small Towns and Villages’ initiative between the Local Authority, Irish Water, communities, and other stakeholders that would identify opportunities for providing serviced sites to meet rural housing requirements in Towns and Villages in the County. Policy Objective SS 55 To support the rejuvenation of the central areas of settlements by facilitating sustainable development that would assist in reducing the level of vacancy and/or create locally based employment opportunities. Policy Objective SS 56 To require the design, scale, and layout of residential development to be proportionate to and respect the character of the settlement in which it is located and to avoid any layout that would result in a suburban style development alien to the local environment.
- Chapter 2 – Core Strategy and Settlement Strategy Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027 2-56 Policy Objective SS 57 To support the creation of sustainable attractive and inclusive communities where the residential needs of the entire population can be met. Policy Objective SS 58 To work closely with business groups and stakeholders to revitalise town and village centres and reduce the level of vacancy and to encourage town and village centre living. Policy Objective SS 59 To work with local landowners and businesses and community groups in facilitating and carrying out public realm works including works to roads and footpaths. Policy Objective SS 60 To encourage the re-use and rejuvenation of vacant and under-utilised lands in rural towns, villages and rural nodes for appropriate uses.
- Chapter 3 Housing “To facilitate the provision of a high quality, suitable mix of adaptable, lifetime housing that meets the needs of all residents in the County; based on the principles of place making, compact growth, and healthy, sustainable communities where housing is close to services and where sustainable modes of transport can be facilitated.”
No text on this page — it is probably a drawing, a map, a photograph or a scanned page. See it in the PDF.
- Chapter 3 - Housing Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027 3-1 3 HOUSING 3.1 INTRODUCTION This chapter will set out the strategy for the provision of housing in urban and rural parts of the County during the life of this Plan. It will focus on creating places where people want to live and delivering well designed and located housing that is adaptable and resilient to the impacts of climate change and capable of meeting the current and future housing needs of the County. It will also take account of the national and regional policy focus of achieving compact growth and will consider the role of building height in achieving higher residential densities in the Regional Growth Centres of Drogheda and Dundalk. 3.2 RECENT TRENDS IN HOUSING The effects of the global financial crisis in 2008 and the recession that followed are still evident in the residential sector, with demand for housing continuing to outstrip supply. This is due to a prolonged period of inactivity in residential construction which saw the number of housing units completed go from record highs in 2006 to record lows in the period 2008-2013. As the economy began to recover from 2014, the level of activity in residential construction began to increase, albeit from a relatively low base. Associated with the economic recovery is the increased demand for housing with inward migration increasing as employment opportunities improve. This placed additional pressures on an already dysfunctional housing market, resulting in record increases in rent and unprecedented levels of homelessness across the country. At the time of writing this Plan the country was emerging from an unprecedented lockdown in attempts to slow down the spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19). This lockdown resulted in disruption to almost all sectors of the economy. The economic impact of this lockdown on the national and global economy is unclear. This uncertainty and disruption in the economy may have significant impacts on the housing market, including a decrease in the number of residential units completed. This is dependent on a number of factors including the extent of the disruption, the speed of any recovery, the impact on household incomes, and international investment into the country. 3.2.1 Legislative Changes and Policy Response The response to the housing shortage has been co-ordinated by the government at a national level through the introduction of legislation and policy initiatives that aim to increase the output of housing. Consequently, there has been significant new legislative provision since the adoption of the last plan. The following pieces of legislation were enacted as part of the response to the housing shortage: • The Urban Regeneration and Housing Act 2015 included changes to Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended), with the affordable housing requirement being removed and the social housing obligation being lowered from 20% to 10% for developments of 10 or more units. Provision was included for the introduction of a Vacant Site Levy.
- Chapter 3 - Housing Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027 3-2 • Section 24A of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 (as amended) sets out the requirements for designating a Rent Pressure Zone. At the time of writing, all Local Electoral Areas in Louth with the exception of Clogher were designated as a Rent Pressure Zone. • Section 38 of the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2019 sets out the legislative requirements for a person who intends to let their property for short-term letting purposes if the property is located within a Rent Pressure Zone. • Section 3 of the Planning and Development Residential Tenancies Act 2016 introduced, for a limited period, arrangements for fast track planning applications for Strategic Housing Developments (SHDs) of 100 or more housing units, student accommodation of 200 or more bed spaces, or shared accommodation of 200 or more bed spaces, to be made directly to An Bord Pleanála for determination. The Housing Action Plan ‘Rebuilding Ireland – An Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness’ published in 2016 sets out a strategy for dealing with the housing shortage at a national level. It was a multi-annual plan that sought to increase the overall supply of housing to 25,000 units per annum by 2021. Accelerating the delivery of housing for the private, social and rented sectors was the core objective of Rebuilding Ireland. Supporting measures included a €6 billion fund that was intended to deliver an additional 50,000 social housing units by 2021. Examples of developments supported by this fund in the County include Ravel Grange in Dunleer and Castleguard in Ardee. Housing for All - A New Housing Plan for Ireland published in 2021. ‘Housing for All - A New Housing Plan for Ireland’ is the government’s housing plan to 2030, this Plan supports the implementation of the action plan and the Sustainable Residential Development and Compact Settlements Guidelines (DHLGH, 2024) with the aim of providing a diverse and innovative mix of housing that can facilitate compact housing and provide greater housing choice. In order to create a balanced community and to aid social integration, it is important that residential developments provide for a mix of house types, tenures and sizes to cater for the entire community. This includes social, private, affordable and specialist housing including housing for students, refugees and beneficiaries of temporary protection. A €200 million Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF) has been allocated to Local Authorities to provide enabling infrastructure for the release of large tracts of strategically located residential lands for the delivery of housing. The Council was successful in its LIHAF funding application for the Mount Avenue Road upgrade in Dundalk, which will support an initial development of 200 homes with a potential for up to 1,200 units on the wider lands and the upgrade of a road at Newtown in Drogheda which will support the delivery of up to 700 residential units in the long term.
- Chapter 3 - Housing Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027 3-3 The Land Development Agency was established in 2018. It is a commercial, state-sponsored body that will coordinate land within State control and identify any under-utilised lands with the potential for regeneration and residential development. In the longer term it is envisaged that the Agency will assemble strategic land banks from a mix of public and private lands which will bring long term stability to the housing market. In addition to legislative changes and policy initiatives there has been new and updated planning guidance published. The Design Standards for New Apartments published in 2023 are an update of the 2018 guidelines. These guidelines acknowledge that apartment developments will play a significant role in securing more compact and sustainable towns and cities and that they must be an attractive and desirable housing option if compact growth is to be achieved. The guidelines focus on: • Enabling a mix of apartment types that better reflects contemporary household formation and demand patterns; • Making better provision for building refurbishment and small scale urban infill schemes; • The ‘build to rent’ and ‘shared accommodation’ sectors; and • Removing requirements for car parking in certain circumstances where there are better mobility solutions and to reduce costs. The Urban Development and Building Heights Guidelines published in 2018, are closely aligned with the national strategic outcomes and objectives in the National Planning Framework, which support higher densities and more compact urban growth. These Guidelines support increased building heights in appropriate urban locations. The housing policy in this Plan has taken account of the updated legislation and policy response and guidance provided at a national level. 3.3 HOUSING SUPPLY IN LOUTH There has been a steady increase in the supply of housing in the County since 2015. This increased supply is concentrated in the urban settlements of Drogheda, Dundalk, Ardee and Dunleer. In the open countryside the construction and demand for one off housing remains high. 3.4 HOUSING STRATEGY In accordance with the requirements of Section 94 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended), a Housing Strategy has been prepared for this Plan.
- Chapter 3 - Housing Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027 3-4 The purpose of a Housing Strategy is to ensure that provision is made for the housing requirements of the existing and future population of the County. National Policy Objective 37 of the National Planning Framework (NPF), requires each Local Authority to develop a Housing Need Demand Assessment (HNDA), which must underpin and support the preparation of housing strategies and all related housing policy outputs. A detailed analysis of socio-economic data was used to create a robust, evidence based baseline that informed the policy framework for household growth during the plan period. It is anticipated that the HNDA carried out as part of the Housing Strategy in this Plan will enhance how acute and unmet demand for housing is identified before it arises. It provides a robust assessment of regional and localised influences, such as population and migration in quantifying needs and demands. The analysis of the socio-economic data provided the baseline for projecting future household tenure and size during the lifetime of the Plan. Further details are set out in Section 4.0 of the Housing Strategy ‘Housing Needs’ (Volume 3, Appendix 3). The Housing Strategy has determined that 1,949 households will not qualify for a mortgage during the plan period. It has also been determined that these 1,949 households will not meet the affordability criteria for private rental. These households are considered to require social and affordable housing. This equates to 29.1% of the additional anticipated households during the plan period. Full details of the Housing Strategy are set out in Volume 3, Appendix 3. Policy Objective HOU 1 To secure the implementation of the Louth Housing Strategy 2021-2027. Policy Objective HOU 2 To support the delivery of social housing in Louth in accordance with the Council’s Social Housing Delivery Programme and Government Policy as set out in ‘Housing for All - A New Housing Plan for Ireland’. Policy Objective HOU 3 To apply a social and affordable housing requirement, in accordance with the requirements of Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended). Policy Objective HOU 4 To facilitate the development of emergency accommodation, including hostels for homeless individuals and families, in a balanced way throughout the County but based on needs in particular areas. Policy Objective HOU 5 To review the Housing Strategy as part of the mandatory Two-Year Development Plan review.
Source Louth County Council: Louth 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.