Louth County Development Plan 2021–2027

1. Page 191

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   Chapter 5 – Economy and Employment Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027 5-29 5.16 SELF-SUSTAINING TOWNS A number of the self-sustaining towns such as Clogherhead, Tullyallen and Termonfeckin have experienced residential growth in the absence of employment generating development, resulting in the towns having a weak employment base. This Plan has identified these settlements for locally based employment growth including start up and micro-enterprises. Policy Objective EE 53 To promote Self-Sustaining Towns as an employment base for start-up businesses and rural based enterprises. 5.17 SMALL TOWNS Below the Self-Sustaining Towns within the Settlement Hierarchy is a network of small towns that provide an important function at a local level. The employment base in these settlements is not as broad as the larger settlements and is reflective of the size of the settlements and supporting infrastructure available. Locally based employment generating development of a scale reflective of the size of the settlement will be supported. Policy Objective EE 54 To promote employment and enterprise development in Small Towns in order to develop a cluster of enterprises and support the rejuvenation of rural settlements. 5.18 RURAL NODES The Rural Nodes in the County have a lower provision of services and amenities than Small Towns. There is a map setting out the development boundary of the Rural Nodes, however, there is no specific land use zoning within the settlement boundary. Whilst the Plan will support small scale rural enterprises in these Nodes, including start-ups or incubator units, any development of scale should be located in the larger settlements where there is capacity to accommodate growth. Policy Objective EE 55 To support the development of small scale rural enterprises where the scale and nature of the enterprise is appropriate for the location and surrounding land uses.

2. Page 192

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   Chapter 5 – Economy and Employment Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027 5-30 5.19 RURAL ECONOMY Rural areas make an important economic contribution to County Louth, including the provision of local employment, access to areas of high amenity, and the output of high quality agricultural produce. In 2016 33.9% of the population was identified as living in rural areas in Louth13. This Plan supports the sustainable development of rural communities and seeks to address the challenges they are facing. It will support job creation, social inclusion, the rejuvenation of towns and villages, and improvements to infrastructure including transport and broadband. At a national level, the Action Plan for Rural Development ‘Realising Our Rural Potential’ published in 2017 sets out the policy approach for Rural Development by the Government. The EU LEADER Programme supports private enterprises and community groups in delivering projects that aim to improve quality of life and diversification of economic activity in rural areas. Between 2014-2020 Louth received an allocation of €6.1 million to support rural development projects and initiatives. The rural economy in Louth consists of a range of businesses and enterprises including agriculture, equine, construction, manufacturing, and tourism. There is often a high degree of interdependency between rural enterprises in both the supply and manufacturing of products and materials. This is particularly evident in the agricultural and equine industry, where the nature of activities is such that there is a high level of direct and indirect employment. Any volatility in the agricultural sector therefore extends into the wider rural economy. 5.19.1 Agriculture The agriculture industry is facing challenges which may have significant impacts on the profitability of farms. Irish farms are heavily dependent on the UK as an export market and the uncertainty surrounding any trade agreements associated with Brexit brings serious concerns to farmers in relation to prices, potential tariffs and the associated higher operating costs associated with this. In addition the industry is coming under pressure to play a greater role in climate change and the reduction of carbon emissions. This may require changes to farming practices which may result in higher costs. The EU Farm to Fork Strategy and EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030 are key policy documents in the development of sustainable agriculture and the protection integration and management of wildlife habitats. This Plan will continue to support the agriculture industry and will promote any changes to farming practices that will adapt to climate change and provide more sustainable methods of production. 13 The Census defines an ‘aggregate rural’ area as anywhere with a population of 1,500 or less

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   Chapter 5 – Economy and Employment Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027 5-31 5.19.2 Diversification The changing pattern of employment in agriculture has resulted in a new approach to the sustainable use of the countryside. Farm diversification has been identified as a method of broadening the employment base of rural areas and providing an alternative source of income to traditional farming methods. Examples include renewable energy development, energy crops, forestry and forestry recreation, rural tourism such as open farms/pet farms or equestrian activities, and the production of speciality products such as cheese or beef or artisan food and drink on a farm. This Plan will support rural diversification projects subject to the use and scale of the development being compatible with the surrounding area. 5.19.3 Rural Enterprises Rural businesses and enterprises are an important source of local employment in the County. This includes agricultural, equine, engineering/manufacturing, recreational, tourism, energy/renewable energy, and rural resource based enterprises. Whilst this Plan supports such enterprises and the diversification of the rural economy, it is also recognised that a balance is required between supporting rural based enterprises and projects and protecting the local environment. In the first instance, new employment related developments are directed to settlements where services are available and lands have been identified for employment uses. It is also recognised that there are instances where a development can be more readily accommodated or is more appropriate to a rural area. This can be due to a locational specific, or resourced based development, or a development of regional or national importance. An Economic Business Zone has been identified at Carrickcarnan which will facilitate employment related development, subject to the preparation of a Masterplan. These lands are strategically located along the Dublin- Belfast Economic Corridor and will assist in providing strategic employment to the surrounding rural area. The location of this Economic Business Zone is identified on Map 3.2 (Volume 1A) and Section 4 of Volume 2. In relation to the expansion of an existing rural enterprise, consideration will be given to the scale of the existing and proposed development, the capacity of local infrastructure to accommodate the expansion, and the compatibility of the development with the surrounding area. Any development of a rural based enterprise, either new or expansion to existing in the open countryside, must take account of the traffic related impacts and in particular the traffic movements and capacity of the road network to accommodate a development. There are restrictions on accesses to National and Protected Regional Roads in order to maintain the efficiency and functionality of the National and Regional road network which shall be considered if the development is to be accessed off a Protected Road. Further details on these restrictions and exemptions are set out in Tables 7.9 and 7.10 in the Movement Chapter. Chapter 13 (Section 13.13.11) provides further information on employment development in rural areas.

4. Page 194

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   Chapter 5 – Economy and Employment Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027 5-32 Policy Objective EE 56 To support rural entrepreneurship and rural enterprise development of an appropriate scale at suitable locations in the County. Policy Objective EE 57 To support the implementation of the LEADER Programme for the County. Policy Objective EE 58 To recognise the contribution of niche enterprises such as distilleries and breweries in supporting economic development and promoting tourism. Policy Objective EE 59 To support the provision of whiskey maturation facilities within the open countryside where the scale of such development is appropriate to the location and surrounding area which is located in reasonable proximity to appropriate levels of infrastructure and road access. Policy Objective EE 60 To secure vibrant and viable rural communities by supporting the development of rural based enterprises. Policy Objective EE 61 To continue to support the agricultural sector and to facilitate the development of environmentally sustainable agricultural activities. Policy Objective EE 62 To facilitate the diversification of the agricultural sector by supporting alternative farm enterprises subject to the nature and use of any enterprise being compatible with the environment in which it is located. Policy Objective EE 63 To consider, subject to the preparation of a Masterplan, the development of the Economic Business Zone at Carrickcarnan for commercial development including an Off line Motorway Services area, truck stop, service, repair and parking area and associated ancillary infrastructure to include motel/hotel, ancillary retail shop and dining facility, light industrial, storage and logistics facilities, retail warehousing (bulky goods only) and motor sales. Policy Objective EE 64 To ensure that all applications for industrial and enterprise development submit a carbon footprint calculation and demonstrates how the new buildings and processes/activities will seek to achieve the targets set out in the Climate Action Plan 2019 or any amendments to targets.

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   Chapter 5 – Economy and Employment Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027 5-33 5.20 RETAIL 5.20.1 Introduction The retail sector has long been a key sector and a major employer both nationally and locally and accounts for the largest proportion of the workforce in Ireland, with 298,000 employees working in the sector (CSO, 2019). At a local level, the 2016 Census confirmed that the retail and wholesale sector was the largest industrial sector in the County employing 15.9% of the total working population. The retail sector also supports indirect employment within the County, in sectors such as logistics and distribution. In this regard, the sector plays a crucial role in providing sustainable employment and supporting a vibrant economy in County Louth. The retail sector has and continues to experience significant change. The exponential growth of online shopping has altered the dynamic of consumer behaviour. Nonetheless, the in-store shopping experience remains the most immediate interaction between consumer and product. The retail store continues to offer the most intrinsic connection between the consumer and product and spans across each settlement in the country. The town and village centres also act as a focus for a variety of other activities including business, social, leisure and residential uses. The retail policies outlined in the Plan aim to preserve and enhance the viability and vitality of the town and village centres whilst recognising the need to provide for flexible retail formats in line with changes in consumer behaviour. 5.20.2 Policy Context The policy context in relation to retail is derived from guidance documents at a national and regional level including the National Planning Framework (NPF), the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy 2019-2031 and the Retail Planning: Guidelines for Planning Authorities 2012. 5.20.2.1 National Planning Framework National Policy Objective 7 in the NPF sets out the approach to urban development nationwide. This includes: • Encouraging population growth in strong employment and service centres of all sizes; • Reversing the stagnation or decline of smaller urban centres, by identifying and establishing new roles and functions and enhancement of local infrastructure and amenities; • Addressing the legacy of rapid unplanned growth, by facilitating amenities and services catch-up, jobs and/or improved sustainable transport links to cities, together with a slower rate of population growth in recently expanded commuter settlements; and • Supporting a continuation of balanced population and employment growth in self-contained settlements. One of the key future planning and development and place-making policy priorities for the Eastern and Midland Region includes: “A focused approach to compact, sequential and sustainable development of the larger urban areas along the Dublin – Belfast economic and transport corridor, along which there are settlements with significant populations such as Dundalk and Drogheda.”

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   Chapter 5 – Economy and Employment Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027 5-34 5.20.2.2 Retail Planning: Guidelines for Planning Authorities 2012 The Retail Planning: Guidelines for Planning Authorities 2012 require local authorities to prepare retail strategies and policies for their areas which are to be incorporated into county development plans. The 5 key Policy Objectives contained within the Retail Planning Guidelines for Planning Authorities 2012 are to: • Ensure retail development is plan led and follows the settlement hierarchy; • Promote town centre vitality through a sequential approach to development; • Secure competitiveness in the retail sector by actively enabling good quality development proposals to come forward in suitable locations; • Facilitate a shift towards increased access to retailing by public transport, cycling and walking in accordance with the Smarter Travel Strategy; and • Deliver quality urban design (Retail Design Manual). The Louth Retail Strategy has been prepared in compliance with the Retail Planning Guidelines and is included within Volume 3, Appendix 4 of this Plan. The Retail Planning Guidelines are accompanied by the Retail Design Manual (2012). The Design Manual provides a planning framework for future development of the retail sector in a way which meets the needs of modern shopping formats, while contributing to protecting, supporting and promoting the attractiveness and competitiveness of city and town centres as places to live, work, shop and visit. 5.20.2.3 Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy, 2019-2031 The RSES indicates that the retail sector is a significant employer and economic contributor in the Eastern and Midland Region and acknowledges the important role retail plays in place making and creating attractive liveable environments. It also acknowledges that retail can play a key role in the regeneration of areas. The RSES states that EMRA will “support and drive the preparation of a new retail strategy for the Region under the requirements of the Retail Planning Guidelines for Planning Authorities 2012, or any subsequent update, to update this hierarchy and apply floorspace requirements for the Region”. The Strategy also contains specific Regional Policy Objectives (RPO) concerning retail developments. Table 6.1 of the RSES sets out the Retail Hierarchy for the Region, including County Louth, as follows: Table 5.2: Table 6.1 of the RSES Retail Hierarchy for the Region Level 1 Metropolitan Centre Level 2 Major Town Centres and County Towns – Drogheda & Dundalk Level 3 Town and/or District Centres & Sub-County Town Centres (Key Service Centres) – Ardee, Drogheda District Centre: Matthews’ Lane; Dundalk District Centres: Dublin Road & Ard Easmuinn. Level 4 Neighbourhood Centres, Local Centres, Small Towns and Villages. Level 5 Corner Shops/Small Villages

7. Page 197

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   Chapter 5 – Economy and Employment Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027 5-35 5.21 LOUTH RETAIL STRATEGY The Louth County Retail Strategy (Volume 3, Appendix 4) has been prepared by Louth County Council in accordance with provisions set out in the ‘Retail Planning Guidelines for Planning Authorities’ published by Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (DoECLG) in 2012. The Retail Strategy informs the policy objectives of the Plan 2021-2027 in respect of retail development and ensures that such policy objectives are based on the most up to date information. The overarching aim of the Strategy is to ensure that future retail development in the County is accommodated in a manner that is efficient, equitable and sustainable. The Strategy provides important information on the quantum, scale and types of retail development required over the period to 2027, with a further outlook to 2030. A key focus of this Retail Strategy is to provide an up to date picture of the current retail landscape in Louth and to implement the objectives of the Retail Planning Guidelines 2012 with regards to future retail provision within the County. Its applied methodology considers the various trends within the sector and the ever changing nature of retail in Ireland. It has been prepared in the context of national economic recovery in which the retail market is showing signs of improvement, with marked increases in the volume of recorded sales. However, the Strategy was prepared over the period of late 2019 and early 2020, prior to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. It is widely acknowledged that the impact of this global pandemic on the retail sector in Ireland will be wide reaching. However, the long-term impact will not be measurable for some period of time and therefore, it is considered premature to attempt to capture such impacts within this Retail Strategy. The Strategy provides a ‘Health Check Analysis’ for the towns of Drogheda, Dundalk and Ardee. It is noted that there are significant levels of retail vacancy recorded in areas of the core shopping streets, particularly in Drogheda and Dundalk. It recommends that where high levels of sustained vacancy are evident in Drogheda and Dundalk, uses other than retail should be considered, where this would contribute towards improving the overall vitality and viability of the town centre and which complement the town centre retail offer. Policies to promote complementary nonretail uses in town centre areas (outside of the Core Retail Area) where a sustained level of vacancy is evident, have been included. The Strategy also addresses the requirement for future retail floorspace within the County. The floorspace requirement is estimated having regard to the changes to population, population forecasts, updated information on expenditure, trading retail floorspace and vacant retail floorspace. A summary of the floorspace requirements is set out in Tables 5.4, 5.5 and 5.6.

8. Page 198

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   Chapter 5 – Economy and Employment Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027 5-36 5.22 LOUTH COUNTY RETAIL HIERARCHY The purpose of establishing a county retail hierarchy is to indicate the role and importance of each development centre and to guide retail development in accordance with the framework provided, thus enabling each centre to perform its overall function within the County’s settlement hierarchy. The retail hierarchy for County Louth is illustrated in Table 5.3 below and is consistent with the Regional Retail Hierarchy set out in Table 6.1 of the RSES. Table 5.3: County Louth Retail Hierarchy Retailing Level Type of Centre Centre Level 2 * *Level 1 is Dublin City Centre Major Town Centre / County Town Drogheda Dundalk Level 3 Town and/or District Centres and Sub County Town Centres Ardee Drogheda District Centre: Matthews Lane Dundalk District Centres: Dublin Road & Ard Easmuinn Level 4 Neighbourhood Centres, Local Centres, Small Towns And Villages Dunleer, Annagassan, Bellurgan, Baltray, Castlebellingham/Kilsaran, Carlingford, Clogherhead, Collon, Dromiskin, Knockbridge, Louth Village, Omeath, Tallanstown, Termonfeckin, Tullyallen, Drogheda Neighbourhood Centres, Dundalk Neighbourhood Centres Level 5 Small villages Various

9. Page 199

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   Chapter 5 – Economy and Employment Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027 5-37 5.23 REGIONAL GROWTH CENTRES 5.23.1 Drogheda Drogheda is a multi-modal settlement with excellent bus and rail connections, advantageously located adjacent to the M1. The town is a designated Level 2 Centre in the Retail Hierarchy, reflective of its status as a ‘Regional Growth Centre’ in the National Planning Framework. The ‘Love Drogheda Business Improvement District’ (BID) came into operation in 2020. A key objective of the Love Drogheda BID is to continue to develop and implement a series of new initiatives designed to both further promote and improve the trading environment for the area, within the proposed BID area, in which the ratepayers operate their businesses. Drogheda is well provided for in retail terms. The core retail area is delineated from Narrow West Street through to Scotch Hall Shopping Centre. Narrow West Street faces particular challenges with regards to vacancy and dereliction, while the remainder of West Street (further east) remains relatively strong and vibrant comprising a mix of convenience and comparison shopping, complemented by cafes and restaurants. Laurence Shopping Centre, which is located in the core retail area, has experienced high levels of vacancy since opening in 2005. There is a large volume of retail floor space available within the town centre including units with modern floor plates particularly within the Laurence Shopping Centre and redevelopment opportunities in the Narrow West Street area. There is a large quantum of convenience floorspace throughout the town beyond the core retail area including supermarkets operated by Tesco, Dunnes Stores, Aldi and Lidl. The M1 Retail Park and Donore Road Retail Park (located within County Meath) are the principle destinations for bulky goods shopping within Drogheda. The Retail Strategy included within Volume 3, Appendix 4 of this Plan provides further details in relation to Drogheda’s retail environment. 5.23.2 Dundalk Dundalk is strategically located along the Dublin-Belfast Economic Corridor with excellent road and rail connectivity to both cities. It is designated as a Regional Growth Centre in the RSES. The accessibility of the town has helped to attract significant investment in recent years. The town also benefits from having Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) located on its southern approaches, attracting students from throughout the north east region. There is a Business Improvement District (BID) scheme in operation in Dundalk. The scheme is a not for profit organisation charged with creating a welcoming and economically viable town centre environment.

10. Page 200

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    Chapter 5 – Economy and Employment Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027 5-38 It includes a collective of 1,200 businesses in the town centre, who work collaboratively with stakeholders, to enhance the appeal of the town centre as the place for shopping, recreation and business development by increasing footfall and collectively improving its overall trading performance. Dundalk has a number of prime redevelopment sites within the town centre, offering the opportunity to further enhance the town centre. The town also has appealing shopping streets including Clanbrassil Street and Park Street which offer a good range of high end independent clothing stores. Market Square has been regenerated in recent years and offers an attractive public space for seasonal events and festivals. The Marshes Shopping Centre continues to attract a wide range of national and international retailers while Dundalk Retail Park is the principle destination for bulky goods shopping. There remain challenges within the retail environment, specifically in relation to vacancy and the proliferation of lower order retail and retail service units within the retail core. The Retail Strategy included within Appendix 4, Volume 3 of this Plan provides further details in relation to the retail environment within Dundalk. 5.23.3 Additional Retail Floorspace Retail Strategies are required to provide a broad assessment of the additional retail floorspace required in counties over the lifetime of their strategies. The requirement for additional retail floorspace within County Louth is set out within the Retail Strategy. The floorspace requirement is estimated having regard to the changes to population, population forecasts, updated information on expenditure, trading retail floorspace and vacant retail floorspace. It sets out broad guidance on the type and amount of additional floorspace that will be required to accommodate additional expenditure over the timescale of the Strategy and up to 2030. A summary of the floorspace requirements is set out in Table 5.4. Tables 5.5 and 5.6 also set out the indicative potential for additional convenience, comparison and bulky comparison floor space in the towns of Drogheda, Dundalk and Ardee up to 2027 and 2030. The potential floor space capacity for each town is in accordance with the settlement and retail hierarchy of the County and has been proportioned in accordance with the population target of the aforementioned settlements for 2027. In accordance with the Retail Planning Guidelines, the indicative floorspace requirements set out in the tables below are only intended to provide broad guidance as to the additional quantum of floorspace provision. The quantum of floorspace should not be considered as upper or lower limits, merely as indicative of the scale of new floor space required to meet the needs of existing and future population and expenditure within the County.

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.