National Planning Framework
Project Ireland 2040: National Planning Framework
The original framework, replaced by the 2025 revision. Development plans adopted before 2025 were made under it.
Government of Ireland · February 2018 · 182 pages
Superseded Replaced by National Planning Framework: First Revision. It is kept because plans made while it was in force refer to it.
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- Climate Action and Planning The global climate is changing and the changes underway will have consequences for Ireland in the period to 2040 and beyond. It is necessary to address the long term causes of climate change through reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, while adapting to its effects over the short, medium and longer terms. The Government is committed to a long term climate policy based on the adoption of a series of national plans over the period to 2050, informed by UN and EU policy. This is being progressed through the National Mitigation Plan and the National Climate Change Adaptation Framework, both of which will be updated and reviewed periodically. In addition to legally binding targets agreed at EU level, it is a national objective for Ireland to transition to be a competitive low carbon, economy by the year 2050. The National Policy Position42 establishes the fundamental national objective of achieving transition to a competitive, low carbon, climateresilient and environmentally sustainable economy by 2050, guided by a long-term vision based on: an aggregate reduction in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of at least 80% (compared to 1990 levels) by 2050 across the electricity generation, built environment and transport sectors; and in parallel, an approach to carbon neutrality in the agriculture and land-use sector, including forestry, which does not compromise capacity for sustainable food production. Meeting our commitments will require investment and ambitious and effective action across all sectors, as well as societal behavioural change. As an island, it is in our interest to ensure we respond to climate change and its impacts such as sea level change, more frequent and sustained rainfall events and greater vulnerability of low-lying areas to flooding. Our most densely populated areas, including our cities, are potentially vulnerable if we do not take the appropriate steps in flood risk management. Climate change also has significant consequences for food production and biodiversity. If Ireland is to make up for lost ground in relation to carbon reduction targets and move towards the objective of a low carbon and climate resilient Ireland by 2050, it is necessary to make choices about how we balance growth with more sustainable approaches to development and land use and to examine how planning policy can help shape national infrastructural decisions. In addition, Ireland’s forests play an important role in helping with climate change mitigation, through carbon sequestration in forests and the provision of renewable fuels and raw materials. Irish forestry is a major carbon sink and afforestation is the most significant mitigation option that is available to Ireland’s land use sector. The planning process provides an established means through which to implement and integrate climate change objectives, including adaptation, at local level. Planning legislation also requires different levels of the planning process to address climate change. If Ireland is to make up for lost ground in relation to carbon reduction targets and move towards the objective of a low carbon and climate resilient Ireland by 2050, it is necessary to make choices about how we balance growth with more sustainable approaches to development and land use and to examine how planning policy can help shape national infrastructural decisions. 119Project Ireland 2040 | Building Ireland’s Future | National Planning Framework
- 120Project Ireland 2040 | Building Ireland’s Future | National Planning Framework National Policy Objective 54 Reduce our carbon footprint by integrating climate action into the planning system in support of national targets for climate policy mitigation and adaptation objectives, as well as targets for greenhouse gas emissions reductions. Under the National Planning Framework, the Government will support: Integrating climate considerations into statutory plans and guidelines In order to reduce vulnerability to negative effects and avoid inappropriate forms of development in vulnerable areas. More energy efficient development through the location of housing and employment along public transport corridors, where people can choose to use less energy intensive public transport, rather than being dependent on the car. The roll-out of renewables and protection and enhancement of carbon pools such as forests, peatlands and permanent grasslands. It is necessary to ensure that climate change continues to be taken into account as a matter of course in planning-related decision making processes. The development of sustainable supply chains in the bio economy. Grey adaptation which typically involves technical or engineering-oriented responses to climatic impacts, such as the construction of sea walls in response to a sea-level rise. Green adaptation which seeks to use ecological properties to enhance the resilience of human and natural systems in the face of climate change, such as creation of green spaces and parks to enable better management of urban micro-climates.
- CASE STUDY Tipperary County Council has long recognised the importance of the low carbon energy transition, both to the quality of lives of citizens and the opportunities it brings in terms of rural economic growth and development. Tipperary Energy Agency The partnership approach of Tipperary County Council, Tipperary Energy Agency, Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT), business and communities has resulted in a thriving and innovative energy sector in the County. Some key achievements and initiatives include: The Council has met and exceeded national targets for energy efficiency in public buildings. Tipperary County Council is the owner of the largest solar installation in the country and has switched 90% of its heat use from fossil fuels to renewable combined heat and power. The Tipperary Energy Agency (TEA) is internationally recognised, and in particular, is leading research and delivering exemplar community initiatives such as ‘Superhomes’, ‘Better Energy Communities’, ‘Insulate Tipp’ etc. Tipperary is home to Cloughjordan eco-village and Templederry community owned wind farm. The Council, through a partnership approach with LIT, is committed to research and development to promote the low carbon economy. 121Project Ireland 2040 | Building Ireland’s Future | National Planning Framework
- Project Ireland 2040 | Building Ireland’s Future | National Planning Framework122 Energy Policy and Planning Increases in population, economic growth, higher levels of food demand, transitioning to a more sustainable energy market and conservation goals will ultimately result in increased competition for suitable land to facilitate these accumulating pressures. Some parts of Ireland are more suitable than others for facilitating particular national sectoral aims by reason of physical factors, environmental sensitivities, land capacity and existing settlement patterns. Ireland’s national energy policy is focused on three pillars: (1) sustainability, (2) security of supply and (3) competitiveness. The Government recognise that Ireland must reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the energy sector by at least 80% by 2050, compared to 1990 levels, while at the same time ensuring security of supply of competitive energy sources to our citizens and businesses. Our transition to a low carbon energy future requires: A shift from predominantly fossil fuels to predominantly renewable energy sources; Increasing efficiency and upgrades to appliances, buildings and systems; Decisions around development and deployment of new technologies relating to areas such as wind, smartgrids, electric vehicles, buildings, ocean energy and bio energy; and Legal and regulatory frameworks to meet demands and challenges in transitioning to a low carbon society. In the energy sector, transition to a low carbon economy from renewable sources of energy is an integral part of Ireland’s climate change strategy and renewable energies are a means of reducing our reliance on fossil fuels. The forthcoming Renewable Electricity Policy and Development Framework will aim to identify strategic areas for the sustainable development of renewable electricity projects of scale, in a sustainable manner, compatible with environmental and cultural heritage, landscape and amenity considerations. The development of the Wind Energy Guidelines and the Renewable Electricity Development Plan will also facilitate informed decision making in relation to onshore renewable energy infrastructure. National Policy Objective 55 Promote renewable energy use and generation at appropriate locations within the built and natural environment to meet national objectives towards achieving a low carbon economy by 2050. Managing Waste Ireland has actively improved its waste management systems, but we remain heavily reliant on export markets for the treatment of residual waste, recyclable wastes and hazardous waste. A population increase of around one million people, alongside economic growth to 2040, will increase pressure on waste management capacity, as consumption is still a key driver of waste generation. While the ultimate aim is to decouple, as much as possible, consumption from waste generation over time, additional investment in waste management infrastructure, and in particular different types of waste treatment, will be required. In managing our waste needs, the NPF supports circular economy principles that minimise waste going to landfill and maximise waste as a resource. This means that prevention, preparation for reuse, recycling and recovery are prioritised in that order, over the disposal of waste. National Policy Objective 56 Sustainably manage waste generation, invest in different types of waste treatment and support circular economy principles, prioritising prevention, reuse, recycling and recovery, to support a healthy environment, economy and society.
- 9.3 Protecting Conserving and Enhancing our Natural Capital Water Resource Management and Flooding Planning is critically important to the management of water resources. The planning system both directly and indirectly influences effective water management. This includes water service provision, river basin management, landscape, flood risk planning, coastal and marine management and climate change adaptation. Accordingly, statutory development plans must ensure the integration of sustainable water management considerations. The objectives of the National Planning Framework must also be reflected in River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs). Environmental Impact Assessment NPF RSES Development Plans Local Economic & Community Plans Local Area Plans RBMP 46 Catchments Sub-catchments (100s+) Water Bodies (1,000s+) Detailed Programme of Measures Environmental Impact Assessment NPF RSES Development Plans Local Economic & Community Plans Local Area Plans RBMP 46 Catchments Sub-catchments (100s+) Water Bodies (1,000s+) Strategic Environmental Assessment Detailed Programme of Measures Flooding is a cross-sectoral issue that can affect all aspects of life, and that can be influenced, positively or detrimentally, by actions in many other sectors. Of particular importance is the consideration of potential future flood risk in the area of planning and development management, and the planning and design of infrastructure. Urbanisation can increase both the rate and volume of runoff from rainfall events and therefore requires urban storm-water drainage systems to manage and reduce the risk from pluvial (rain) flood events and extreme rainfall events. Core objectives include43 : avoiding inappropriate development in areas at risk of flooding; avoiding new developments increasing flood risk elsewhere, including that which may arise from surface run off; ensuring effective management of residual risks for development permitted in floodplains; avoiding unnecessary restriction of national regional or local economic and social growth; and improving the understanding of flood-risk and ensure flood risk management in accordance with best practice. Figure 9.1 | Hierarchical Structure of RBMP and Planning Policy 123Project Ireland 2040 | Building Ireland’s Future | National Planning Framework
- 124Project Ireland 2040 | Building Ireland’s Future | National Planning Framework Figure 9.2 | Flood Risk Management Core Objectives Avoiding inappropriate development in areas at risk of flooding; Avoiding new developments increasing flood risk elsewhere including that which may arise from surface run off; Ensuring effective management of residual risks for development permitted in floodplains; Avoiding unnecessary restriction of national regional or local economic and social growth; Improving the understanding of flood-risk and ensure flood risk management in accordance with best practice Flood Risk Management Core objectives Source: The Planning System and Flood Risk Management Guidelines for Planning Authorities 2009, DEHLG and OPW. National Policy Objective 57 Enhance water quality and resource management by: Ensuring flood risk management informs place-making by avoiding inappropriate development in areas at risk of flooding in accordance with The Planning System and Flood Risk Management Guidelines for Planning Authorities. Ensuring that River Basin Management Plan objectives are fully considered throughout the physical planning process. Integrating sustainable water management solutions, such as Sustainable Urban Drainage (SUDS), non-porous surfacing and green roofs, to create safe places.
- Green Infrastructure Our environment is an asset that if planned for in the same way as for other forms of infrastructure, can provide long term benefits. Nature and green infrastructure provide a range of uses, goods and services and make the best use of land, help manage competing demands and can complement other sectors. For example, an attractive environment is important for tourism and a vibrant, well planned urban area with good amenities will contribute to attracting skilled employees and investment to underpin long-term development. Our natural assets are also valuable for carbon capture, which will assist in meeting climate mitigation and adaptation goals and national biodiversity targets. Green infrastructure planning will inform the preparation of regional and metropolitan strategies and city and county development plans by: Assisting in accommodating growth and expansion, while retaining the intrinsic value of natural places and natural assets; Providing increased certainty in planning by proactively addressing relevant environmental issues; Encouraging more collaborative approaches to plan-making by enabling examination of the interactions between future development requirements and the capacity of receiving areas; and Ensuring that sufficient and well planned green spaces, commensurate in scale to long-term development requirements, are designated in statutory plans. Example of Green Infrastructure integrated into an urban landscape National Policy Objective 58 Integrated planning for Green Infrastructure and ecosystem services will be incorporated into the preparation of statutory land use plans. It is also important to consider the interrelationships between biodiversity, natural heritage, landscape and our green spaces. 125Project Ireland 2040 | Building Ireland’s Future | National Planning Framework
- 126Project Ireland 2040 | Building Ireland’s Future | National Planning Framework Biodiversity At a national level, certain habitats and species are legally protected within the Natura 2000 network44, incorporating Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), with additional Special Protection Areas and Marine SACs. The majority of our habitats that are listed under the Habitats Directive were considered to be of “inadequate” or “bad” conservation status by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) in 2013, with 9% being in a “favourable” state45. Clearly, there is significant scope for improvement. The importance of our biodiversity is not restricted to legally protected areas and there are a range of measures in place to protect species and habitats more broadly. In this regard, the Habitats Directive contains obligations to protect certain species wherever they occur, while the Birds Directive contains protections for all birds, and they may only be disturbed or controlled subject to licence or derogation, as appropriate. The Environmental Impact Assessment Directive also requires that the direct and indirect significant effects of a project on biodiversity, with particular attention to species and habitats protected under the Birds and Habitats Directives are identified, described and assessed as part of the consent process. The diversity of our biological communities is also important for the quality of our water, soils and as a source of food. Land use change, including in particular pressures from urbanisation, can have a direct and indirect impact on Ireland’s habitats and species. National Policy Objective 59 Enhance the conservation status and improve the management of protected areas and protected species by: ○ Implementing relevant EU Directives to protect Ireland’s environment and wildlife; ○ Integrating policies and objectives for the protection and restoration of biodiversity in statutory development plans; ○ Developing and utilising licensing and consent systems to facilitate sustainable activities within Natura 2000 sites; ○ Continued research, survey programmes and monitoring of habitats and species. Natural Heritage Ireland has an abundance of iconic natural heritage areas such as internationally recognised world heritage sites, turloughs and peatlands. There are many other nationally distinct areas, that are not only a key part of our cultural heritage but also important to our tourism industry and for their contribution to quality of life and the attractiveness of places for economic investment. Our national parks and nature reserves are also key natural assets that offer potential to further optimise the visitor experience of state owned lands, through delivery of quality outdoor activity infrastructure and essential ancillary facilities. National Policy Objective 60 Conserve and enhance the rich qualities of natural and cultural heritage of Ireland in a manner appropriate to their significance.
- Landscape Ireland’s landscape offers a wealth of natural and cultural assets which support our quality of life and our visitor economy. We have a duty to future generations to use these assets responsibly whilst making our existing infrastructure work harder to deliver more benefits. The protection, management and planning of the landscape is also interconnected with the National Landscape Strategy for Ireland, and a national landscape character assessment, which, when finalised, will provide consistency in how we characterise and connect with the landscape. National Policy Objective 61 Facilitate landscape protection, management and change through the preparation of a National Landscape Character Map and development of guidance on local landscape character assessments, (including historic landscape characterisation) to ensure a consistent approach to landscape character assessment, particularly across planning and administrative boundaries. Figure 9.3 | The Landscape Wheel46 S I G H T Geology Landform Sounds Smells Touch/feel Hydrology Air & Climate Soils Land cover/ flora & fauna Land use Settlement Enclosure Land ownership Time depth Memories Associations Preferences Colour Texture Pattern Form CULT U R A L / S O C I A L P L A C E P E O P L E P E R C E P T U A L & A E S T H E T I C N A T U R A L LANDSCAPE 127Project Ireland 2040 | Building Ireland’s Future | National Planning Framework
- 128Project Ireland 2040 | Building Ireland’s Future | National Planning Framework Green Belts and Green Spaces Green belts and green spaces in our cities, towns and villages play an integral role as part of the fabric of our settlements, either through their use for community recreation and amenity purposes, supporting biodiversity or as a natural delineation of the settlement itself, forming the interface between urban and rural areas. Green spaces and parks have a role in determining the quality of life in and sustainability of, our settlements. Green belts adjoining our urban areas also fulfil a strategic purpose, as a potential asset for future, planned development as an urban extension, particularly at a city scale. National Policy Objective 62 Identify and strengthen the value of greenbelts and green spaces at a regional and city scale, to enable enhanced connectivity to wider strategic networks, prevent coalescence of settlements and to allow for the long-term strategic expansion of urban areas. 9.4 Creating a Clean Environment for a Healthy Society Water Quality Ireland’s rich water resources are of strategic importance and clean water is essential for creating a healthy society and supporting a growing economy. Our drinking water is primarily sourced from our rivers and lakes as well as from groundwater sources. It is essential that we have a resilient water supply to serve the existing population and for the additional 1 million people projected by 2040. Our water bodies are also a resource for leisure activities and for the tourism sector and the vast majority of our bathing waters are of very high quality47. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) consider urban waste water to be one of the principal pressures on water quality in Ireland and the treatment and disposal of waste water in an environmentally sound manner is critical for human health. This means that we need to ensure adequate treatment and capacity, storm water overflows operating correctly and that we avoid direct discharges of untreated waste water. Urban waste water treatment plant compliance and remedial actions are therefore a key short term priority. In the longer term, capacity issues will need to be resolved to meet growing demand to 2040 and beyond. At the household level, it will also be necessary to be more vigilant to the risks of contamination to private wells as a source of drinking water and failures in domestic waste water treatment systems. National Policy Objective 63 Ensure the efficient and sustainable use and development of water resources and water services infrastructure in order to manage and conserve water resources in a manner that supports a healthy society, economic development requirements and a cleaner environment. Air Quality Ireland benefits from prevailing weather patterns which typically bring relatively clean south-westerly Atlantic air over the country. Under certain conditions, typical weather patterns can be disrupted, and pollutant emissions build up in the air. These conditions can occur at any time of the year, but the impact on air quality can be particularly severe during winter, when the combination of cold, still weather, and increased emissions associated with a higher heating demand, particularly from solid fuels, can lead to high concentrations of pollutants with a consequent increased risk to human health. Pollutants can be produced depending on how we travel, consume goods and heat our homes. In our largest urban areas, air pollution levels can be higher, primarily as a result of exhaust emissions from vehicles and from residential heating emissions. In some rural areas, particularly where there is no access to the gas grid, air quality can be poor during the winter due to a reliance on solid fuels such as coal, peat and wood for home heating. Port-related activities can also have localised impacts on air quality. Air pollution can have negative implications for the health of our citizens and the attractiveness of cities and towns. Measures which seek a reduction in fossil fuel based energy sources will further reduce air pollution. Implementation of this Framework will assist in reducing emissions and help prevent people being exposed to unacceptable levels of pollution by supporting public transport, walking and cycling as more favourable modes of transport to the private car and the promotion of energy efficient buildings and homes and innovative design solutions. The careful planning of green spaces and vegetation are also important for air quality in urban areas, as trees naturally remove pollutants from the air and help better manage urban micro-climates.
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