Louth County Development Plan 2021–2027

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   Chapter 1 - Introduction Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027 1-13 Strategic Objective SO 7 Protect and enhance the built, cultural and natural heritage assets of Louth, the intrinsic value of which helps to define the character of both urban and rural areas, contributes to the attractiveness, vibrancy and sense of place for residents, tourists and visitors, including improved access to the countryside through the development of greenways, walking trails and blueways in support of and advancing sustainable communities. Strategic Objective SO 8 Develop and support vibrant, inclusive, sustainable and healthy communities in Louth where people can live, work, invest and visit, enjoying access to a wide range of community, health and educational facilities and amenities, suitable for all ages and needs, in both urban and rural areas, thereby supporting a high quality of life for all to enjoy. Strategic Objective SO 9 Protect and enhance the unique character and identity of Louth’s towns and villages and improve quality of life and well-being through the application of Healthy Placemaking, underpinned by good urban design with the creation of attractive public spaces that are age friendly vibrant, distinctive, safe and accessible and which promote and facilitate positive social interaction. Strategic Objective SO 10 Support implementation of the objectives and actions for strengthening economic and community development in the County in accordance with the Louth Local Economic and Community Plan (LECP). Strategic Objective SO 11 Support the further development of a resilient economic base in Louth and promote both enterprise and entrepreneurship, underpinned by innovation and talent resulting in the delivery of sustainable jobs and economic growth. Strategic Objective SO 12 Support improvements in and access to education and training as central to skills, knowledge, innovation and quality job creation which will underpin future prosperity for all and aid in achieving a more sustainable, balanced and inclusive society. Strategic Objective SO 13 Support the sustainable development of rural areas that are under strong urban influence to avoid over-development, while sustaining vibrant rural communities. Strategic Objective SO 14 Reverse rural decline in small towns and villages through sustainable, targeted measures addressing vacancy and delivering sustainable reuse and regeneration outcomes.

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   Chapter 1 - Introduction Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027 1-14 Strategic Objective SO 15 Ensure the proper integration of transportation and land use planning through the increased use of sustainable transport modes and the minimisation of travel demand to achieve a sustainable, integrated and low carbon transport system with excellent connectivity both within and beyond the County. Strategic Objective SO 16 Ensure the efficient and sustainable use and development of water and waste water service infrastructure throughout the County in a manner that supports a healthy society, economic development and a cleaner environment. Strategic Objective SO 17 Facilitate the development of infrastructural projects, which will underpin sustainable development throughout the County during the period of the Plan. Strategic Objective SO 18 Afford suitable protection to the environment and natural resources of the County and ensure the fulfilment of environmental responsibilities. Strategic Objective SO 19 Provide a framework for the management and regulation of development and use of land that will guide day to day planning decisions, thus ensuring a more sustainable and integrated concept of development with regard to all forms of land use.

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   Chapter 1 - Introduction Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027 1-15 1.7 THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN REVIEW PROCESS The formal review process of the Louth County Development Plan 2015-2021 commenced on 27th September 2019 with a pre-draft consultation phase. In accordance with best practice, a Strategic Issues Paper was published. The purpose of this was to encourage dialogue on the key topics important to the County and to promote and support the involvement of the public at the early stages in the preparation of the Plan. The function of this stage was to determine the objectives and policies to deliver an overall strategy for the proper planning and sustainable development of the Development Plan area. The pre-draft consultation process was undertaken from Friday 27th September 2019 to Tuesday 26th November 2019, wherein a total of 244 submissions were received. In addition to consultations with stakeholders and the use of social media etc., the Council engaged in five public consultation events throughout the County. A Chief Executives Report was prepared in accordance with Section 11(4) of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) and presented to the Elected Members for their consideration. On the 23rd March 2020, direction was given by the Elected Members to proceed with the preparation of the Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027. However, shortly thereafter, the statutory timeframe for drafting the Development Plan as specified in the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) was interrupted by Covid-19. An Order under Section 251A of the Act resulted in an extension to the statutory timelines within which the Plan was to be prepared. It is important to note that the opinions, views and ideas set out in the written submissions and of those expressed and recorded at the public consultation events, were considered during the drafting of this Plan. The draft Plan was placed on public display from Wednesday 14th October, 2020 to Wednesday 23rd December, 2020 and a total of 833 submissions were received. The Elected Members, having considered the draft Louth County Development Plan 2021‐2027 and the Chief Executive’s Report on submissions/ observations received, resolved, following a series of Special Council meetings, to amend the draft Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027. The proposed Material Alterations to the draft Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027 and accompanying Environmental Reports were placed on public display from Tuesday 29th June, 2021 to Wednesday 28th July 2021. A total of 67 no. submissions were received during this public consultation period.

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   Chapter 1 - Introduction Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027 1-16 A Chief Executive’s report on submissions/observations received in relation to the proposed Material Alterations to the draft Development Plan was prepared and submitted to the Elected Members for their consideration. The Elected Members having considered the CE report resolved to adopt the Plan on the 30th September 2021. The Plan comes into effect on the 11th November 2021. 1.7.1 Legislative Background This Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027 has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) which requires that a Development Plan set out an overall strategy for the proper planning and sustainable development of the area in addition to the inclusion of mandatory objectives. These consist of inter alia, objectives for the zoning of land, the provision of infrastructure, the conservation and protection of the environment, and the integration of the planning and sustainable development with the social, community and cultural requirements of the area and its population. It also includes the requirement to prepare a ‘Core Strategy’ for the County, which must be consistent, as far as practicable, with the National and Regional development objectives set out in the National Planning Framework and the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy. A full list of mandatory objectives required for inclusion in a Development Plan as specified in the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) is detailed in Appendix 1, Volume 3. In addition to compliance with the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended), the Louth County Development Plan is informed by other legislation, in particular the requirement for Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Appropriate Assessment (AA). 1.7.2 STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), as required under the Planning and Development (Strategic Environmental Assessment) Regulations 2004, was carried out as part of the preparation of this Plan. SEA is the process by which environmental considerations are required to be fully integrated into the preparation and adoption of plans and programmes and in this case the preparation of the Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027. Article 1 of the EU Directive 2001/42/EC states, “The objective of the SEA process is to provide for a high level of protection of the environment and to contribute to the integration of environmental considerations into the preparation and adoption of specified plans and programmes with a view to promoting sustainable development, by ensuring that, in accordance with this Directive, an environmental assessment is carried out of certain plans and programmes which are likely to have significant effects on the environment”. The results of the SEA process were fully considered and integrated into the preparation and making of this Plan. The resulting Environmental Report has been published as a separate document in conjunction with this Plan and is included in Volume 5.

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   Chapter 1 - Introduction Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027 1-17 1.7.3 APPROPRIATE ASSESSMENT The EU Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and Wild Fauna and Flora, otherwise known as The Habitats Directive, in combination with the Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds (79/409/EEC as amended by 2009/147/EC), otherwise known as the Birds Directive, provides legal protection for habitats and species of European importance, through the establishment and conservation of an EU-wide network of sites known as the Natura 2000 Network of European Sites. Article 6(3) establishes the requirement for Appropriate Assessment (AA) of plans and projects likely to affect European Sites. Appropriate Assessment is an evaluation of the potential impacts of a plan on the conservation objectives of a European site, and the development, where necessary, of mitigation or avoidance measures to preclude negative effects. An Appropriate Assessment was conducted as part of the preparation of this Plan. A Natura Impact Report (NIR) has been published as a separate document in conjunction with this Plan and is included in Volume 5. 1.7.4 STRATEGIC FLOOD RISK ASSESSMENT (SFRA) In meeting the requirements of both the Strategic Environmental Assessment process and The Planning System and Flood Risk Management - Guidelines for Planning Authorities (2009), the Council has conducted a County wide Strategic Flood Risk Assessment for the Plan area. This provides a broad assessment of flood risk within the County and will inform strategic land-use planning decisions in this and other plans. The Strategic Flood Risk Assessment has been published as a separate document in conjunction with this Plan and is available in Volume 5. 1.7.5 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION AND PROTECTION The development objectives in the Plan are consistent, as far as practicable, with the conservation and protection of the environment. The accompanying Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), Appropriate Assessment (AA) and Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) processes have informed the preparation of the Plan (Volume 5 of the Plan provides associated documents detailing the findings). All recommendations made by these processes have been integrated into this Plan and this will contribute towards environmental conservation and protection within the County and beyond. 1.7.5.1 Ecosystems Services Approach and Natural Capital In preparing the Plan and developing policy objectives, the Council have followed these Ecosystem Services i Approach principles: a) Consideration of natural systems - by using knowledge of interactions in nature and how ecosystems function (including in Plan Chapters 8 and 11); i Ecosystems are multifunctional communities of living organisms interacting with each other and their environment. Ecosystems provide a series of services for human well-being (ecosystem services) either directly or indirectly contributing towards human wellbeing. b) Taking into account the services that ecosystems provide - including those that underpin social and economic

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   Chapter 1 - Introduction Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027 1-18 b) Wellbeing, such as flood and climate regulation (including in Plan Chapters 8, 10 and 12), resources for food, fibre or fuel (including at Chapters 5 and 11), or for recreation, culture and quality of life (including at Chapters 4, 6, 9 and 11); c) Involving people - those who benefit from the ecosystem services and those managing them need to be involved in decisions that affect them. Public consultation has informed the preparation of the Plan which was further refined before adoption, taking into account submissions and observations made on the Plan during public display. The Council shall promote an Ecosystem Services Approach, following the above principles, in its decision-making processes, including those relating to the preparation of statutory land use plans. In recognition of the need to manage natural capital ii , provisions have been integrated into the Plan that will contribute towards management of air quality, noise pollution, light pollution, water quality and integrated catchment management. 1.7.6 POLICY CONSIDERATIONS The Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) requires that a Development Plan shall, so far as is practicable, be consistent with National and Regional Plans, Policies and Strategies relating to proper planning and sustainable development, have regard to Ministerial Guidelines (DHPLG), the Development Plans of adjoining authorities and the requirements of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended). This Plan is therefore required to comply with the National Planning Framework and the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly). In preparing the Plan, regard has been had to International, National, Regional and Local policy documents. These have been instrumental in formulating the Plan’s overall aims and strategic direction, including but not limited to integrating transportation and land use, a settlement strategy centred upon consolidated and compact development, maximising efficient use of land, and protecting both the natural and built environment etc. 1.8 NATIONAL POLICY Project Ireland 2040 is the government’s long-term overarching strategy to make Ireland a better country for its entire people. It is predicated on the proper alignment of investment priorities and capital expenditure with a carefully considered and defined strategy. Alongside the development of physical infrastructure, Project Ireland 2040 supports business and communities across all of Ireland in realising their potential. The two documents constituting Project Ireland 2040 are detailed below. The National Planning Framework (NPF) is a strategic plan for shaping the future growth and development of the country for the next 20 years. The ambition of the NPF is to establish a single vision for all communities throughout the country in accordance with shared goals identified as National Strategic Outcomes (NSO) and of which there are 10 identified. ii Renewable and non-renewable resources (e.g. plants, animals, air, water, soils, minerals)

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   Chapter 1 - Introduction Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027 1-19 From a planning perspective, Ireland is divided into three regions and of these, County Louth sits in the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly (EMRA) area. In accordance with its vision of regional parity, and to address the disproportionate growth in the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly area to date, the NPF targets a level of growth in the country’s Southern and Northern and Western Regions combined, to at least match that projected in the Eastern and Midland Region. The population target for the Eastern and Midland Region is for an additional 490,000-540,000 people to be living in the region by 2040. In addition to targeting the existing five cities in the country for 50% of Ireland’s growth the NPF, in recognition of the role of cross-border networks and the need to strengthen Irelands urban structure, identifies Drogheda-Dundalk-Newry on the Dublin-Belfast corridor as playing an important lead role in future growth and development with Drogheda and Dundalk identified as Regional Growth Centres. The NPF promotes regional concentration toward cities and larger urban areas, with a focus on compact urban growth in existing built up areas and provision of enabling infrastructure to promote investment. In accordance with the NPF, the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly prepared its Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy in 2019. Local Authorities were then tasked with preparing city and/or County Development Plans to correspond with the respective regional strategy to ensure that a shared vision is applied locally and to ensure alignment at national, regional and local level. The National Development Plan (NDP) 2018-2027 is intended to act as the investment plan, which will underpin and ensure the success of the National Planning Framework (NPF) wherein planning objectives are supported by investment priorities. This represents a very substantial commitment of resources through a total investment of approximately €116bn. Its stated aim is to act as a driver for “Ireland’s long-term economic, environmental and social progress across all parts of the country over the next decade.” This, in essence, will facilitate proactive rather than the heretofore, reactive intervention, in an attempt “to rebalance national planning and counter the gravitational pull of regions of socioeconomic advantage.” - (Eolas magazine - online March 2018).

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   Chapter 1 - Introduction Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027 1-20 1.9 REGIONAL POLICY 1.9.1 Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy 2019 - 2031 The Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly (EMRA), comprising of nine counties and 12 local authorities is divided into three sub-regions or Strategic Planning Areas (SPA’s) namely; the Dublin SPA, the Eastern SPA and the Western SPA. Louth sits in the Eastern SPA alongside Meath, Kildare and Wicklow. EMRA published its first Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy in 2019, the primary objective of which is to support implementation of Project Ireland 2040 alongside the economic and climate policies of the Government, by providing a long term strategic planning and economic framework. It identifies regional assets, opportunities and pressures and provides corresponding policy responses in the form of Regional Policy Objectives (RPOs). The Strategic Vision of the RSES is: “To create a sustainable and competitive Region that supports the health and well-being of our people and places, from urban to rural, with access to quality housing, travel and employment opportunities for all.” The growth strategy for the region seeks to align population, economic growth and services, making the best use of infrastructure, including public transport to reduce emissions and to strengthen the region’s strategic connectivity as part of an integrated land use and transportation strategy. 1.10 NATIONAL AND REGIONAL ALIGNMENT The RSES is underpinned by key crosscutting principles reflecting the three pillars of sustainability; Social, Environmental and Economic. Reflecting the challenges and opportunities of the region these are expressed in the RSES as the following Three Key Principles: • Healthy Placemaking; • Climate Action and; • Economic Opportunity. Falling out of these three key principles are 16 Regional Strategic Outcomes (RSOs), which align with the National Strategic Outcomes (NSOs) of the NPF and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027 in its policy objectives has sought co-ordination with and guidance from the aforementioned ‘Three Key Principles’ and associated ’RSOs’, in order to create a coherent policy alignment and hierarchy between national, regional and local level. To illustrate the alignment of local and regional goals, each chapter of the Plan has in broad terms, been assigned to one of the three aforementioned key principles to which it is most closely aligned (there may be cross over with the two remaining key principles). The subsequent alignment with RSOs detailed in Fig. 1.1 and Table 1.1 illustrates how the Plan is in accordance with the identified framework for preparing County Development Plans as referenced in the RSES.

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   Chapter 1 - Introduction Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027 1-21 • Promoting people’s quality of life by creating attractive and healthy places where people can live, work, invest, study and visit Healthy Placemaking • Enhancing climate resilience to accelerate transitioning to a low carbon society, whilst recognising the role of natural capital and ecosystem services in so doing Climate Action • Creating conditions and opportunities to make certain sustainable economic growth and quality jobs occur and ensuring a good standard of living for all. Economic Opportunity Table 1.1: Alignment of LCDP with Three Key Principles and Regional Strategic Outcomes Three Key Principles Louth County Development Plan Chapters Alignment with Regional Strategic Outcomes 1-16 Healthy Placemaking Core Strategy & Settlement Strategy Housing Social & Community Heritage (Natural and Built) 1, 2, 3, 9 2, 3, 4, 6, 9 4, 5, 6, 9, 13 4, 5, 9, 10, 11 Climate Action Movement Infrastructure & Public Utilities Environment, Natural Resources & the Coast Climate Action 4, 6, 9, 15, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14 3, 7, 8, 9, 1-16 Economic Opportunity Introduction Economy & Employment Tourism 14 3, 12, 13, 15 3, 15 Figure 1.1 - Figure 2.4 of the RSES

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    Chapter 1 - Introduction Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027 1-22 1.11 LOCAL POLICY 1.11.1 Louth Local Economic and Community Plan 2016-2022 The Local Government Act 2014 required that all local authorities develop a Local Economic and Community Plan (LECP). The Louth LECP includes a series of high level goals, objectives and actions to promote and support the economic and community development of the County both by itself directly, and in partnership with other economic and community development stakeholders. The two required elements of a LECP are: • A local economic element prepared and adopted by the Local Authority via the Strategic Policy Committee (SPC); and • A community development element prepared and adopted by the Local Community Development Committee. (LCDC). The Vision of the Louth LECP 2016-2022 is that “Louth will be a prosperous, proud, safe and inclusive County where people want to live, work, visit and invest, and where there is equal opportunity for all”. To this end, the Louth LECP has identified eight economic and eight community goals to be achieved through a series of identified objectives and actions, which collectively will deliver and realise the stated vision. These are as indicated on Table 1.2. The LECP is required to be consistent with the County Development Plan and the RSES, meaning it is closely aligned with planning policy at a local, regional and national level. Both the Economic and Community high level goals and objectives identified in the LECP have been incorporated and intrinsically linked with the policy objectives of this Plan. Whilst the linkage and compatability between the two documents is most obvious in Chapter 4 - ‘Social and Community’ and Chapter 5 - ‘Economy and Employment’, it is, in fact, peppered throughout and underlies the key principles and policy objectives of the entire Plan.

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.