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Superseded Replaced by National Planning Framework: First Revision.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.
Ask this document
Answers come only from the text of Project Ireland 2040: National Planning Framework, each claim linked to its page. They are not advice; check the page itself.
Free, with a daily limit.
- 5.2 Strengthening Ireland’s Rural Fabric and Supporting Rural Communities People in Ireland have a strong connection with rural areas for a number of different reasons. For some, it is the place in which they have chosen to live and work, where the land not only provides a home, but also provides an income. There are many examples of vibrant rural communities right across Ireland, in towns, villages and the countryside as well as on our islands. There are clearly differences between types of rural areas and rural communities, including scale, accessibility, the influence of neighbouring urban centres, natural resource assets and access to infrastructure and services. Our islands and coastal areas contain some of our most vibrant and culturally distinctive communities, with the majority of our inhabited islands lying off the western seaboard of Counties Donegal, Mayo, Galway, Kerry and Cork. They are an integral part of the State’s heritage and have a special significance in Irish culture. While there are many hundreds of small islands off the coast of Ireland, approximately forty, mainly Gaeltacht29 islands, support settled populations. As a result of their location, they are highly dependent on tourism, agriculture and fishing but equally are adept at self-reliance and have a very strong sense of identity. Safe and regular access to the offshore islands has been significantly advanced in recent years through passenger and cargo ferry services or new or significantly upgraded pier and landing facilities. This capital investment, in both infrastructure and services, continues to support the sustainability of island communities. However, rural communities are also facing challenges. These range from urban generated pressures in some locations, to a declining and ageing population, the structure of the economy and lack of access to quality infrastructure and new technologies, in others. In response to some of these challenges, the Action Plan for Rural Development sets out the Government’s approach for rural places in Ireland to grow and adapt through supportive measures which encourage innovation and build on the existing strengths of rural communities in Ireland. People in Ireland have a strong connection with rural areas for a number of different reasons. For some, it is the place in which they have chosen to live and work, where the land not only provides a home, but also provides an income. 69Project Ireland 2040 | Building Ireland’s Future | National Planning Framework
- As highlighted in the Action Plan for Rural Development, measures and initiatives to improve transport connectivity and rural transport services between rural areas can have a positive impact on the rural community, particularly for older citizens living in more remote areas. The commitment to review rural transport policy to ensure that it meets the needs of rural communities, as part of a wider review of public transport policy, and ongoing engagement with rural communities to assess and implement improvements to existing rural transport routes and develop new routes will further strengthen and support these communities. Rural communities, and particularly those engaged in farming, operate as custodians of the landscape by undertaking agricultural land management at varying scales. However, the viability of many landholdings is such that around half of farm families now depend on off-farm employment, much of which is focused on urban settlements. Alternative land uses such as forestry and renewable energy related development are also becoming more prevalent. National Policy Objective 14 Protect and promote the sense of place and culture and the quality, character and distinctiveness of the Irish rural landscape that make Ireland’s rural areas authentic and attractive as places to live, work and visit. The Action Plan for Rural Development will support this objective up to 2020; thereafter a review of the Action Plan will be undertaken to ensure continued alignment and consistency with the National Policy Objectives of this Framework. Based in Letterfrack, County Galway and established in 1971, Connemara West plc is a rural community development organisation that has created and delivered innovative rural development initiatives and models targeting a sustainable economic, social and cultural future for North West Connemara. Since 2010, Connemara West plc has pioneered a unique education-led development model, as part of its overall development strategy for the region which focuses on the independent study-abroad sector. The model expands the total number of United States colleges and students using Ireland as a study- abroad destination. High impact educational practices are delivered to the visiting college by leveraging local networks to provide internship, research and service learning opportunities with a variety of local organisations. Between 2010 and 2017 the number of colleges from the United States visiting Letterfrack through this development model has increased seven fold. This model allows local rural communities to access United States third-level expertise, capabilities and services in their own communities, expertise that can contribute to local development processes and outcomes. Connemara West plc directly employs 29 people on its campus in Letterfrack and including the other organisations it has helped to create or has invited onto its campus, there are over 140 other people employed on the site. The economic returns to the community from Connemara West’s activities are significant. Furthermore, the impact of Connemara West’s activities on local capacity and confidence building to develop evolving strategies for local development has contributed to underpinning the resilience and development of the community. Connemara West - Letterfrack 70Project Ireland 2040 | Building Ireland’s Future | National Planning Framework CASE STUDY
- 5.3 Planning for the Future Growth and Development of Rural Areas Neither all rural areas nor all of the communities that make up the fabric of rural Ireland are identical. Rural areas are also distinct and separate to the urban and outer urban areas that exist in our towns and cities. As a result, they require a different approach to urban or suburban development. The spatial, social and economic disparities between rural areas are a reflection of the fact that stronger rural areas tend to be located in a geographically advantageous place, and also have the human and social capital to address their needs and respond effectively to emerging opportunities and strategies. Rural communities across Ireland function well beyond their immediate catchments and have a strong interrelationship with adjacent towns and villages, often beyond county or regional boundaries. The Central Statistics Office (CSO) defines rural as the areas outside settlements with a population of 1,500 or more people. This includes smaller settlements of fewer than 1,500 people, home to around 20% of the population of rural areas30, and individual dwellings in the countryside, which together comprised approximately 37% of the population in 201631. This reflects Ireland’s historic rural and village settlement pattern. However, there are many towns and villages with populations of more than 1,500 people that are intrinsic to sustaining viable rural communities and do not function independent of their rural hinterland. In planning for the future integrated growth and development of rural areas, settlements with a population of 10,000 people or fewer, may be eligible for investment under either the Rural or Urban Regeneration and Development Fund, subject to the nature of the proposal32. In support of the overall pattern of rural and small town development in Ireland, this Framework seeks to protect areas that are under strong urban influence from unsustainable over-development on the one hand, and to encourage population to be sustained in more structurally weak areas, that have experienced low growth or decline in recent decades, on the other, while sustaining vibrant rural communities. National Policy Objective 15 Support the sustainable development of rural areas by encouraging growth and arresting decline in areas that have experienced low population growth or decline in recent decades and by managing the growth of areas that are under strong urban influence to avoid over-development, while sustaining vibrant rural communities. 71Project Ireland 2040 | Building Ireland’s Future | National Planning Framework
- Rural Towns Rural towns function as local drivers for their surrounding areas through well-established economic, administrative and social functions. They support clusters of services, have a significant share of homes and jobs, and act as transport hubs for a much wider rural community. There is a distinction between rural areas located within the commuter catchment of the five city regions and large towns and those that are outside commuter catchments. In rural areas accessible to cities and towns, commuter-generated housing has affected the character and cohesion of some locations. In other, less accessible rural areas, it has been challenging to retain and/or develop community and social facilities and local infrastructure as populations decline. As a consequence of changing settlement patterns in Ireland, building vacancy in rural towns and villages has become increasingly prevalent, resulting in the demise of the historic vibrancy and vitality of town and village centres. The re-use and regeneration of these buildings are essential catalysts to transforming the capacity and potential of smaller towns and villages in Ireland. As set out in National Policy Objectives 6 and 7, the National Planning Framework seeks to strengthen and diversify rural towns to be a focus for local housing and employment growth, based on regeneration and development that will include derelict site transformation and new technology, such as low carbon and energy efficiency and digital connectivity. National Policy Objective 16 Target the reversal of rural decline in the core of small towns and villages through sustainable targeted measures that address vacant premises and deliver sustainable reuse and regeneration outcomes. The qualities and character of our national built heritage in rural areas, including towns and villages, can add distinctiveness to place-making and over time can acquire special interest through its intrinsic quality. This ‘sense of place’ is also becoming an important factor in attracting foreign direct investment and individual talent to Ireland. Ireland’s built heritage assets are a non-renewable resource that merit being nurtured in a manner appropriate to their significance as an aid to understanding the past, contributing to community well-being and quality of life as well as regional economic development. Our market towns and villages sit alongside more modern, but equally distinctive settlements that knit modern architecture with the existing historic urban heritage. Investment in our towns and villages through regeneration, public realm improvements and the appropriate adaptation and re-use of our built heritage, are key factors in developing, promoting and investing in a sense of place and aligning the objectives of creating high quality with that of spatial planning. National Policy Objective 17 Enhance, integrate and protect the special physical, social, economic and cultural value of built heritage assets through appropriate and sensitive use now and for future generations. The qualities and character of our national built heritage in rural areas, including towns and villages, can add distinctiveness to place-making and over time can acquire special interest through its intrinsic quality. 72Project Ireland 2040 | Building Ireland’s Future | National Planning Framework
- Rural town living requires a proportionate and tailored approach to residential development. This means that it is necessary to tailor the scale, design and layout of housing in rural towns to ensure that a suburban or high density urban approach is not applied to a rural setting and that development responds to the character, scale and density of the town. Opportunities exist to create the conditions to support residential development in rural towns, whether through parking and streetscape improvements, traffic diversions, the provision of small-scale urban amenities such as open spaces or playgrounds, the acquisition of key sites and/or the opening up or amalgamation of ‘backlands’ for residential development and the provision of services such as waste-water treatment. National Policy Objective 18a Support the proportionate growth of and appropriately designed development in rural towns that will contribute to their regeneration and renewal, including interventions in the public realm, the provision of amenities, the acquisition of sites and the provision of services. In rural Ireland, many people seek the opportunity to build their own homes but find it difficult to do so in smaller settlements because of a lack of available sites and services. In order to assist this, local authorities will be supported in undertaking the necessary land acquisition, site preparation and local infrastructure provision to deliver self-build development options in smaller towns/villages. National Policy Objective 18b Develop a programme for ‘new homes in small towns and villages’ with local authorities, public infrastructure agencies such as Irish Water and local communities to provide serviced sites with appropriate infrastructure to attract people to build their own homes and live in small towns and villages. In all types of rural settlement, rural town living requires a proportionate and tailored approach to residential development. This means that it is necessary to tailor the scale, design and layout of housing in rural towns to ensure that a suburban or high density urban approach is not applied to a rural setting and that development responds to the character, scale and density of the town. 73Project Ireland 2040 | Building Ireland’s Future | National Planning Framework
- Countryside The Irish countryside is, and will continue to be, a living and lived-in landscape focusing on the requirements of rural economies and rural communities, based on agriculture, forestry, tourism and rural enterprise, while at the same time avoiding ribbon and over-spill development from urban areas and protecting environmental qualities. It is recognised that there is a continuing need for housing provision for people to live and work in Ireland’s countryside. Careful planning is required to manage demand in our most accessible countryside around cities and towns, focusing on the elements required to support the sustainable growth of rural economies and rural communities. It is important to differentiate, on the one hand, between rural areas located within the commuter catchment of the five cities and our largest towns and centres of employment33 and, on the other hand, rural areas located outside these catchments34. It will continue to be necessary to demonstrate a functional economic or social requirement for housing need in areas under urban influence, i.e. the commuter catchment of cities and large towns and centres of employment. This will also be subject to siting and design considerations. A more flexible approach, primarily based on siting and design, will be applied to rural housing in areas that are not subject to urban development pressure. This will assist in sustaining more fragile rural communities and in overall terms, will need to be related to the viability of smaller towns and rural settlements. This arises because in some locations, almost all recent single housing in the countryside has been developed privately, with social housing provided largely in settlements. In many parts of rural Ireland, where a significant majority of housing output is in the countryside, this has contributed to spatial and social imbalance and the decline in population of smaller settlements. As a result, many key services have closed, in part due to population decline, leaving more marginalised and vulnerable citizens without access to those services. National Policy Objective 19 Ensure, in providing for the development of rural housing, that a distinction is made between areas under urban influence, i.e. within the commuter catchment of cities and large towns and centres of employment, and elsewhere: In rural areas under urban influence, facilitate the provision of single housing in the countryside based on the core consideration of demonstrable economic or social need to live in a rural area and siting and design criteria for rural housing in statutory guidelines and plans, having regard to the viability of smaller towns and rural settlements; In rural areas elsewhere, facilitate the provision of single housing in the countryside based on siting and design criteria for rural housing in statutory guidelines and plans, having regard to the viability of smaller towns and rural settlements. At a local level, the core strategy of county development plans will account for the demand for single housing in the countryside. This will be related to the local authority’s overall Housing Need Demand Assessment (HNDA) that will be required to be undertaken in future planning. Quantifying the need for single housing on an evidence basis will assist in supporting the preparation of a comprehensive housing strategy and associated land use policies. National Policy Objective 20 Project the need for single housing in the countryside through the local authority’s overall Housing Need Demand Assessment (HNDA) tool and county development plan core strategy processes. 74Project Ireland 2040 | Building Ireland’s Future | National Planning Framework
- 5.4 Planning and Investment to Support Rural Job Creation Creating the environment to support job creation in rural areas will be a key enabler to rejuvenating rural towns and villages, sustaining vibrant rural communities and reversing population decline. Rural areas support a mix of businesses of varying sizes, operating in a wide range of sectors from the traditional, such as agriculture and tourism, to more modern industries such as financial services and creative industries. Rural business also comprises micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), involved in non-traditional agricultural activities. All of these businesses serve a wide range of markets, from local to international level. Local services sectors, including tourism and smallscale manufacturing, are a significant part of the rural economy and are also important local employers. However, supporting the diversification of the rural economy is essential, not just to create additional jobs in rural areas, but also to maximise the opportunity to link employment to issues such as climate change and managing sustainable land use. Improved digital connectivity, through the roll-out of the National Broadband Plan, will also open up unprecedented opportunities for businesses in rural areas to offer new services and to reach new markets over the coming years. Facilitating the development of enterprises and local economies to allow for the creation of a wider variety of employment opportunities will involve capitalising on local assets, including human, natural and cultural, through improved policy coherence to raise the potential of rural areas and contribute to local and regional growth. Opportunities for upskilling, including through blended on-line, part-time or outreach courses, will be important to securing and accessing employment within rural areas. Ireland’s natural resources are some of our greatest assets and through the development of the agriculture, food, forestry, tourism and renewable energy sectors, this will not only sustain rural employment, but also contribute to driving the national economy. Rural areas have significant potential in these sectors, and as digital links and opportunities for remote working and new enterprises continue to grow, employment is likely to increase in areas such as agri-tech, ICT, multi-media and creative sectors, tourism, and an added value bio-economy and circular economy. Future employment opportunities in the rural economy require measures to support rural entrepreneurship and also innovative rural M&SMEs. Building on diversification and modernisation strategies, improving governance models and supporting innovative food and non-food value chains can help boost economic development, ecosystem services and entrepreneurial innovation. The development of a strong enterprise culture is central to the economic and societal vibrancy of rural communities. The development of micro enterprises (those with less than 10 employees) is particularly relevant to the sustainability of smaller towns and rural areas. The network of Local Enterprise Offices, established in recent years, offers dedicated supports to businesses operating in this sector. National Policy Objective 21 Enhance the competitiveness of rural areas by supporting innovation in rural economic development and enterprise through the diversification of the rural economy into new sectors and services, including ICT-based industries and those addressing climate change and sustainability. 75Project Ireland 2040 | Building Ireland’s Future | National Planning Framework
- Forestry The forest industry, comprising the growing, harvesting and processing of forest products makes a significant and increasing contribution to the Irish economy. The direct and indirect contribution to the economy has been calculated at €2.3 billion annually with some 12,000 jobs dependent on the sector in 2012. Timber production currently stands at over 3 million m3 per annum, almost 20% of which is grown on private land. As the quality of land is often a determining factor in the land-use decision-making process, lower quality land that currently presents challenges for economic agriculture may represent a resource that might be used for afforestation. It is likely that forest cover will continue to focus on suitable agricultural land which may be easier to convert to afforestation owing to more limited agricultural use. The afforestation of agricultural land, supported by Government incentives, aims to increase long-term timber supply to support the development of a sustainable processing sector and offers significant carbon sequestration potential, thereby contributing to national greenhouse gas mitigation targets and the bio-economy. By the end of 2012, forest cover in Ireland had reached almost 732,000 hectares, or 10.5% of total land area. Afforestation levels over the last number of years have averaged 6,100 hectares per annum and annual increases in planting are targeted, to 8,290 ha by 2020. Increased planting and the attainment of afforestation targets will depend on the availability of land in general and, specifically, a change in land use from agriculture to forestry. Agriculture The agri-food sector continues to play an integral part in Ireland’s economy and is our largest indigenous industry, contributing 173,400 direct jobs and generating 10.4% of merchandise exports in 2016. Agriculture has traditionally been the most important contributor to rural economies and it remains important as a significant source of income and both direct and indirect employment. However, it must adapt to the challenges posed by modernisation, restructuring, market development and the increasing importance of environmental issues. Much of the economic benefits in the agri-food sector are dispersed throughout the country making it particularly vital to rural areas and economic development generally. Continued development of the agri-food sector will be supported through the implementation of Food Wise 2025. Food Wise 2025 sets out a strategic plan for the development of the agri-food (including seafood) sector over for the period up to 2025 and is the successor to the Food Harvest 2020 strategy. Food Wise 2025 identifies growth projections for the sector including: 85% increase in the value of agri-food exports to €19 billion; 70% increase in value added in the agri-food, fisheries and wood products sector to in excess of €13 billion; 65% increase in the value of Primary Production to almost €10 billion; and 23,000 additional direct jobs in the agri-food sector all along the supply chain from primary production to high valued added product development. Food Wise 2025 has five cross-cutting themes: sustainability, human capital, market development, competitiveness and innovation. Sustainability is key to the strategy, which states that: “environmental protection and economic competitiveness are equal and complementary – one cannot be achieved at the expense of the other”. Food Wise also supports technology and processes that result in a more efficient use of resources. 76Project Ireland 2040 | Building Ireland’s Future | National Planning Framework
- Another type of tourism attraction that demonstrates how the potential of all areas can be harnessed, are ‘Dark Sky’ Parks and Reserves, focused on areas “possessing an exceptional or distinguished quality of starry nights and a nocturnal environment that is specifically protected for its scientific, natural, educational, cultural heritage, and/or public enjoyment”.35 This is particularly true of mountainous and peatland areas where there is little or no light pollution, serviced by adjoining rural communities. There are currently two Internationally recognised Dark Sky areas in Ireland, a Park located in County Mayo and a Reserve located in County Kerry. National Policy Objective 22 Facilitate tourism development and in particular a National Greenways, Blueways and Peatways Strategy, which prioritises projects on the basis of achieving maximum impact and connectivity at national and regional level. Energy Production Rural areas have significantly contributed to the energy needs of the country and will continue to do so, having a strong role to play in securing a sustainable renewable energy supply. In planning Ireland’s future energy landscape and in transitioning to a low carbon economy, the ability to diversify and adapt to new energy technologies is essential. Innovative and novel renewable solutions have been delivered in rural areas over the last number of years, particularly from solar, wind and biomass energy sources. In meeting the challenge of transitioning to a lowcarbon economy, the location of future national renewable energy generation will, for the most part, need to be accommodated on large tracts of land that are located in a rural setting, while also continuing to protect the integrity of the environment and respecting the needs of people who live in rural areas. In relation to peatlands, some of Ireland’s cutaway bogs are suitable to facilitate the generation of energy, most notably wind/biomass. Considering the significant amount of peatlands in the ownership of semi-State bodies, a medium to longer-term strategic national land use plan for peatlands in State ownership will be prepared in order to manage their most appropriate future use, building on the existing National Peatlands Strategy and other national policy related to peatlands conservation and management. Tourism Tourism and agriculture are inextricably linked in rural areas, given that agriculture, in many places, creates and maintains the landscapes upon which tourism trades. The maintenance of access to our landscapes and the creation of new accesses are dependent on maintaining good links with the agricultural sector. Likewise, the built, cultural and natural assets which constitute the ‘raw material’ of the tourism industry are also essential to the ‘production capability’ of the sector. Tourism has the capacity to directly and indirectly sustain communities, create employment and deliver real social benefits for rural Ireland. The development of greenways, blueways and peatways offer a unique alternative means for tourists and visitors to access and enjoy rural Ireland. The development of a strategic national network of these trails is a priority and will support the development of rural communities and job creation in the rural economy, as well as the protection and promotion of natural assets and biodiversity. Due to the cross-sectoral nature, extensive reach and elements of land take associated with a national greenway, blueway and peatway strategy, the support and buy-in of local communities, landowners, local authorities and State agencies is critical to successful implementation, which must also be supported by an investment and co-ordination plan. Such a network would allow for greater access to more remote parts of the country and presents opportunities for associated tourism development to take place in rural areas. 77Project Ireland 2040 | Building Ireland’s Future | National Planning Framework
- Circular Bioeconomy While rural and coastal areas have the potential for, and will develop, many types of economic activities, those activities associated with the bio-economy such as development of new bio-refining technologies represent a competitive advantage. The bio-economy comprises “the production of renewable biological resources - such as crops, forests, fish, animals, and micro-organisms and the conversion of these resources and waste stream residues, by-products or municipal solid waste into value added products, such as food, feed, bio-based products and bioenergy” (European Commission, 2012). The transition to a more circular economy and bioeconomy, where the value of bio-based products, materials and resources is maintained in the economy for as long as possible, and the generation of waste minimised, will provide an essential contribution to our national goal of developing a sustainable, lowcarbon, resource efficient and competitive economy. Aggregates and Minerals Extractive industries are important for the supply of aggregates and construction materials and minerals to a variety of sectors, for both domestic requirements and for export. The planning process will play a key role in realising the potential of the extractive industries sector by identifying and protecting important reserves of aggregates and minerals from development that might prejudice their utilisation. Aggregates and minerals extraction will continue to be enabled where this is compatible with the protection of the environment in terms of air and water quality, natural and cultural heritage, the quality of life of residents in the vicinity, and provides for appropriate site rehabilitation. National Policy Objective 23 Facilitate the development of the rural economy through supporting a sustainable and economically efficient agricultural and food sector, together with forestry, fishing and aquaculture, energy and extractive industries, the bio-economy and diversification into alternative on-farm and off-farm activities, while at the same time noting the importance of maintaining and protecting the natural landscape and built heritage which are vital to rural tourism. Addressing Connectivity Connectivity in the 21st Century is of fundamental significance as the digital revolution continues to influence how our society and economy function. The provision of high speed digital infrastructure is critical to realising potential employment opportunities and facilitating innovation. For rural Ireland, broadband is essential enabling infrastructure that affords rural communities the same opportunities to engage with the digital economy as it does to those who live in our cities and towns. National Policy Objective 24 Support and facilitate delivery of the National Broadband Plan as a means of developing further opportunities for enterprise, employment, education, innovation and skills development for those who live and work in rural areas. 78Project Ireland 2040 | Building Ireland’s Future | National Planning Framework
Source Government of Ireland: Project Ireland 2040: National Planning Framework (February 2018) · 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.