Offaly County Development Plan 2021–2027 (as varied) — Chapter 1: Introduction

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 1 Introduction Page 2 Chapter 1: Introduction 1.1 Content This Offaly County Development Plan is a land use plan and overall strategy for the proper planning and sustainable development of the functional area of County Offaly over the 6-year period 2021- 2027. Not later than 4 years after the adoption of this Development Plan, the Council is required to review it and commence the preparation of a new Development Plan. The County Development Plan is presented in two volumes, namely; • Volume 1 - Written Statement This comprises the written text and indicates the development policies, Core Strategy and mandatory and discretionary objectives for different policy areas addressed by the Development Plan. In the interests of clarity, any reference to a policy or objective in the text of this County Development Plan, shall be construed as an ‘objective’ for the purposes of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended), and the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 (as amended). • Volume 2 - Settlement Plans This comprises land use plans for all the settlements in County Offaly, excluding Edenderry and Portarlington which have Local Area Plans. Following the implementation of the Local Government Reform Act 2014, this Development Plan incorporates the areas formerly within the administrative areas of Tullamore Town Council and Birr Town Council. Zoning maps are included for Tullamore and Birr, however new Local Area Plans will be made for these settlements after the adoption of this County Development Plan. 1.2 Accompanying Strategies This Development Plan is accompanied by a number of separate assessments / strategies. They have been undertaken in parallel with the preparation of the Plan. An iterative process has been followed whereby each revision of the Plan has been informed by the assessments. They constitute; • Appropriate Assessment (AA) Screening Report and Natura Impact Report (NIR) AA is a focused and detailed impact assessment of the implications of a plan or project on European Sites designated for habitats or species. AA is required by the EU Habitats Directive as transposed into Irish law through the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended). The screening report determined that the implementation of this County Development Plan was likely to have a significant effect on European Sites. Accordingly, a NIR was compiled. The findings of the AA are included in the NIR that accompanies the Plan. That report provides a clear understanding of the likely consequences of the Plan on European Sites. All AA recommendations have been integrated into the Plan. The

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 1 Introduction Page 3 emerging conclusion of the AA is that the Plan will not affect the integrity of the European Sites, alone or in combination with other plans or projects.1 • Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) SEA is the formal, systematic evaluation of the likely significant effects on the environment of implementing a plan or programme before a decision is made to adopt it, in this case the County Development Plan. SEA is required by the EU SEA Directive as transposed into Irish law through the Planning and Development (Strategic Environmental Assessment) Regulations 2004 (S.I. No. 436 of 2004) as amended. The findings of the SEA are included in the SEA Environmental Report that accompanies the Plan. That report provides a clear understanding of the likely environmental consequences of decisions regarding the adoption and implementation of the Plan. All SEA recommendations have been integrated into the Plan. • Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) SFRA is an assessment of flood risk and includes mapped boundaries for Flood Risk Zones, taking into account factors including Catchment Flood Risk Management Plan data, site walkovers and flood risk indicators. SFRA is required under ‘The Planning System and Flood Risk Management Guidelines for Planning Authorities’ (Department of Environment and Office of Public Works, 2009) and associated Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government Circular PL2/2014. All SFRA recommendations have been integrated into the Plan. • Record of Protected Structures (RPS) A Protected structure is a structure that is considered to be of special interests from an architectural, historical, archaeological, artistic, cultural, scientific, social or technical point of view. Details of all Protected Structures in County Offaly are entered in the Record of Protected Structures accompanying this County Development Plan. • Housing Strategy including a Housing Need Demand Assessment (HNDA) The purpose of the Housing Strategy is to ensure that the overall supply of housing in County Offaly is sufficient to meet the needs of the existing and future population of the county. The Housing Need Demand Assessment is a robust evidence base undertaken to correlate and accurately align future housing requirements. This in turn informs housing policies, social and affordable housing requirements and the Core Strategy. In addition to the above assessments, an Ecosystems Services Approach was taken in the preparation of the Plan (see Chapter 2 Core Strategy, Settlement Strategy and Housing Strategy sub-section 2.1.5). 1 Except as provided for in Article 6(4) of the Habitats Directive, viz. There must be: (a) no alternative solution available, (b) imperative reasons of overriding public interest for the Plan to proceed; and (c) adequate compensatory measures in place.

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 1 Introduction Page 4 • Wind Energy Strategy The Wind Energy Strategy will guide the development of wind energy developments in the county up to 2027. This Strategy builds upon its predecessor contained in the previous Offaly County Development Plan 2014-2020 and takes account of new and updated legislation, policy and guidelines at international, European, national and regional levels. 1.3 Profile of County Offaly 1.3.1 Location County Offaly is located strategically within the centre of Ireland and within the province of Leinster and shares boundaries with counties Meath, Kildare, Laois, Tipperary, Galway, Roscommon and Westmeath. While there are three regions in the Republic of Ireland as depicted below, they do not operate in isolation from each other and there are many complementing and connecting assets between the regions. County Offaly is located within the Eastern and Midland Region, yet it bounds the two other regions; the Northern and Western Region, and the Southern Region. Tullamore is the county town and the administrative centre of County Offaly. Under the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (2019), Tullamore is designated as a Key Town. Figure 1.1 Regional Assembly Areas

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 1 Introduction Page 5 1.3.2 Population The county’s population was 77,961 in the 2016 census, having increased from 76,687 persons in the 2011 census. There are 35,294 persons residing in urban Offaly, and 42,667 in rural Offaly2. This equates to a 45% urban 55% rural split. 79% of the rural population (33,506 persons) reside in the open countryside or a Sráid, whilst the remaining 21% of the rural population reside in a Village of fewer than 1,500 persons. 1.3.3 Physical Features Offaly’s land extent is approximately 493,985 acres (199,981 hectares). It is primarily a county of flat and undulating lands, with the exception of the Slieve Bloom Mountains situated to the south west of the county. Approximately one fifth of the county comprises peatlands, and the majority of the remainder of the land is in agricultural / forestry use. A comprehensive system of eskers also exists, mainly concentrated in the northwest and centre of the county; the most comprehensive and visually dominate being the Eiscir Riada which more or less runs in a continuous line from Shannonbridge via Clonmacnoise, Clara and Durrow and onwards into County Westmeath. Other significant landscape features include the River Shannon and its Callows which runs along the western county boundary, its tributary the River Brosna, the Grand Canal which traverses the county from east to west, important archaeological and historical landscapes such as Clonmacnoise, Durrow and the extinct volcano Croghan Hill. County Offaly also has a well-developed network of towns and villages. The county is well served by strategic road and rail access. 1.4 Preparation of the Development Plan The content of this County Development Plan aligns with international, European, national, regional and local policy and legislation, in addition to Ministerial Guidelines / policy Directives. Sustainability is at the heart of planning. Since 2015, Ireland has been a signatory for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as outlined in Figure 1.2 and which frame national agendas and policies to 2030. 2 According to the Central Statistics Office the definition of ‘rural’ includes smaller settlements of fewer than 1,500 people and individual dwellings in the countryside, whilst ‘urban’ refers to settlements above 1,500 population.

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 1 Introduction Page 6 Figure 1.2 United Nations Sustainability Goals

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 1 Introduction Page 7 The Plan has been informed by Project Ireland 2040 which includes (i) the National Planning Framework (NPF) and (ii) National Development Plan (NDP), in addition to being informed by the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (RSES) for the Eastern and Midland Region (2019). Figure 1.3 below sets out the planning policy hierarchy from a national level down through a regional level to a local level. Figure 1.3 Planning Policy Hierarchy National Planning Framework – First Revision (2025) The NPF – First Revision, April 2025 is the overarching planning policy for the state (originally published in February 2018 under Project Ireland 2040) and contains 10 National Strategic Outcomes (NSOs) and 108 National Policy Objectives (NPOs). There is significant alignment between the UN SDGs and the NPFs NSOs. This planning framework sets out where development and investment should be guided to shape the national, regional and local spatial development in economic, environmental and social terms to 2040. The ambition of the NPF is to create a single version, shared set of goals for every community across the country. These goals are expressed as National Strategic Outcomes which are indicated below in Figure 1.4, which will influence the future development of County Offaly and the policies and objectives of this County Development Plan. The First Revision updates and strengthens the NPF (2018), updating projections and increasing ambition in key areas. Key changes include, updated population and housing projections to plan for approximately 6.1 million population by 2040, ambitious housing delivery target of approximately 50,000 new homes per year, greater emphasis on climate transition, environmental protection and sustainability, new/updated National Policy Objectives (NPO’s), guidance for zoning and land use changes and a stronger link to investment, infrastructure delivery and future-proofing growth as well as new planning tools for implementation, digitalisation and monitoring. National • National Planning Framework Regional • Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy Local • Offaly County Development Plan and Local Area Plans

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 1 Introduction Page 8 Figure 1.4 National Strategic Outcomes of the National Planning Framework Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy The principal statutory purpose of the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (RSES) is to support the implementation of Project Ireland 2040 and the economic policies and objectives of the Government by providing a long-term strategic planning and economic framework for the development of the Eastern and Midland Region. The future development of the county will be shaped by the Regional Policy Objectives (RPOs) as outlined in Figure 1.5 and the Settlement Strategy for the Eastern and Midland Region as outlined in Figure 1.6 and Table 1.1.

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 1 Introduction Page 9 Figure 1.5 Regional Strategic Outcomes of the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy for the Eastern and Midland Region (Source EMRA)

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 1 Introduction Page 10 Figure 1.6 Settlement Strategy of the Eastern and Midland Region (Source EMRA)

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    Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 1 Introduction Page 11 Table 1.1 Settlement Strategy for the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly Settlement Typology Description Settlement Dublin City and suburbs International business core with a highly concentrated and diversified employment base and higher order retail, arts, culture and leisure offer. Acts as national transport hub with strong inter and intra-regional connections and an extensive commuter catchment. Dublin City and suburbs. Regional Growth Centre Large towns with a high level of selfsustaining employment and services that act as regional economic drivers and play a significant role for a wide catchment area. Drogheda, Athlone, Dundalk. Key Towns Large economically active service and / or county towns that provide employment for their surrounding areas and with highquality transport links and the capacity to act as growth drivers to complement the Regional Growth Centres. Tullamore, Longford, Mullingar, Portlaoise, Bray, Maynooth, Swords, Navan, Naas, Wicklow-Rathnew, Graiguecullen (Carlow). Self-Sustaining Growth Towns Have a moderate level of jobs and servicesincludes sub-county market towns and commuter towns with good transport links and capacity for continued commensurate growth to become more self-sustaining. To be defined by development plans. Self-Sustaining Towns Have high levels of population growth and a weak employment base which are reliant on other areas for employment and / or services and which require targeted ‘catch up’ investment to become more selfsustaining. To be defined by development plans. Towns Have local service and employment functions. To be defined by development plans. Rural Smaller Towns, Villages and the wider rural region. To be defined by development plans.

Source Offaly County Council: Offaly County Development Plan 2021–2027 (as varied) — Chapter 1: Introduction (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.