Offaly County Development Plan 2021–2027 (as varied) — Chapter 2: Core Strategy

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 2 Core Strategy, Settlement Strategy and Housing Strategy Page 30 Settlement & Population Growth Requirement and Density Hectares and Unit Capacity Typology Settlement Population 2022 Housing Supply Target 2021- 2027 (adopted 2027; 663 annually) and perentage allocation Baseline Housing Growth Requirement 2025-2030 (891 annually for 6 years ) and percentage allocation Total unit allowance 2021-2024 plus 2025-2030 [(663*4)+5346)] and percentage allocation Density / ha. (in accordance with Compact Settlement Guidelines) No. of existing units permitted but not built since adoption of CDP 2021-2027 New Residential Zoned Lands remaining undeveloped and uncommitted at pre-Variation Proposed New Residential zoned lands in Variation No. 1 Total New Residential Zoned land (pre-variation undeveloped & uncommitted + variation) Extent of Strategic Residential Reserve Land remaining Hectares Unit Capacity (gross) Unit Capacity (net 80%) Hectares Unit Capacity (gross) Unit Capacity (net 80%) Percentage allocation Hectares Unit Capacity (gross) Unit Capacity (net 80%) Hectares Unit Capacity (gross) Unit Capacity (net 80%) Key Town Tullamore 15,598 1379 (35%) 1871 (35%) 2799 (35%) 35 429 7 261 209 56 1965 1571 48% 64 2226 1780 180 6313 5050 Self Sustaining Town Birr & Crinkill 5,521 441 (11%) 588 (11%) 880 (11%) 30 (Birr) 15 (Crinkill) 88 8 232 186 27 724 579 18% 34 956 765 5 (Birr: 2, Crinkill 3) 102 81 Self Sustaining Growth Town Edenderry 7,888 323 (8%) 428 (8%) 640 (8%) 30 25 15 464 371 7 197 158 5% 22 661 529 0 0 0 Portarlington (Offaly) 2,106 140 (3%) 160 (3%) 240 (3%) 30 38 6 180 144 0 0 0 0% 6 180 144 9 282 226 Town Banagher 1,907 158 (4%) 214 (4%) 320 (4%) 25 23 5 125 100 8 201 161 5% 13 326 261 0 0 0 Clara 3,403 213 (5%) 267 (5%) 400 (5%) 25 82 6 153 122 13 334 267 8% 19 487 389 0 0 0 Smaller Town Daingean 1,223 64 (2%) 107 (2%) 160 (2%) 20 15 3 54 43 0 0 0 0% 3 54 43 0 0 0 Ferbane 1,324 119 (3%) 160 (3%) 240 (3%) 20 32 3 65 52 6 112 89 3% 9 177 141 1 11 9 Kilcormac 1,051 57 (1%) 54 (1%) 80 (1%) 20 1 3 54 43 4 71 57 2% 6 125 100 1 19 15 Village Ballinagar 321 425 (11%) 588 (11%) 880 (11%) 15 1 1 19 15 6 89 71 12% 7 108 86 0 0 0 Ballycumber 216 15 2 1 15 12 0 0 0 1 15 12 0 0 0 Belmont 179 15 0 1 12 10 0 0 0 1 12 10 0 0 0 Bracknagh 274 15 0 2 27 21 0 0 0 2 27 21 1 9 8 Cloghan 654 15 2 1 21 17 7 110 88 9 132 105 0 0 0 Clonbullogue 401 15 7 3 38 30 2 25 20 4 63 50 0 0 0 Cloneygowan 308 15 1 1 18 15 0 0 0 1 18 15 0 0 0 Coolderry No census data 15 0 0 6 5 0 0 0 0 6 5 0 0 0 Geashill 392 15 0 1 20 16 1 11 9 2 31 25 0 0 0 Killeigh 183 15 1 1 13 10 5 75 60 6 87 70 0 0 0 Kinnitty 270 15 0 1 20 16 1 17 13 2 37 30 0 0 0 Moneygall 374 15 2 2 32 25 2 35 28 4 67 54 0 0 0 Mountbolus No census data 15 0 1 9 7 0 0 0 1 9 7 0 0 0 Mucklagh 918 15 5 2 33 27 4 57 45 6 90 72 0 0 0 Pollagh / Lemanaghan 231 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Rahan No census data 15 0 0 5 4 0 0 0 0 5 4 2 25 20 Rhode 841 15 18 5 71 57 0 0 0 5 71 57 0 0 0 Riverstown No census data 15 0 1 15 12 0 0 0 1 15 12 0 0 0 Shannon Harbour No census data 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Shannonbridge 167 15 7 1 13 10 2 29 23 3 42 33 0 1 0 Shinrone 707 15 0 3 41 33 3 50 40 6 91 73 0 0 0 Walsh Island 480 15 1 1 17 14 0 0 0 1 17 14 2 30 24 Sraids and Open Countryside 36,213 659 (17%) 909 (17%) 1359 (17%) n/a 141 n/a n/a n/a 0 0 0 0% n/a n/a 0 0 0 TOTAL 83,150 3978(100%) 5,346 7,998 n/a 921 86 2034 1627 153 4102 3279 100% 239 6136 4906 200 6792 5433 4 4 Hectare figures are rounded to the nearest whole hectare, with values of 0.5 hectares rounded up and values below 0.5 hectares rounded down.

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 2 Core Strategy, Settlement Strategy and Housing Strategy Page 31 Occupancy Rate The occupancy rate applied in the Core Strategy Table is a graduated range of average household sizes falling from 2.84 in 2016 to 2.62 in 2027. This variable rate of occupancy was produced with regard to alignment with the NPF rate of 2.5 by 2040, however, on review of historic rates of change within the County, there was sufficient evidence to support a quicker pace of decline. Occupancy in each settlement typology was then aligned with this County-level trajectory between 2017 and 2027. The number of additional households formed per annum was calculated using the applicable year’s average household size.

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 2 Core Strategy, Settlement Strategy and Housing Strategy Page 32 Table 2.3 Assessment of Average Household Sizes and Forecasted Options

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 2 Core Strategy, Settlement Strategy and Housing Strategy Page 33 Settlement Hierarchy The Settlement Hierarchy is located within Topic 3 Settlement Strategy. Monitoring and Management With the adoption of specific population targets for the county and each settlement / settlement typology, the monitoring of the extent of residential development is required to ensure that development occurs in a coherent, reasoned and evidence based manner. The delivery of all residential development will be carefully monitored during the lifetime of this Plan to ensure it does not cumulatively result in the housing units and population been exceeded. 2.2 Core Strategy Policies CSP-01 It is Council policy to implement the Core Strategy for Offaly in order to be consistent with policies at a national and regional level, in particular population targets and distribution. CSP-02 It is Council policy to support the compact growth of towns and villages to ensure that development proceeds sustainably and at an appropriate scale, density and sequence and in line with the Core Strategy Table. CSP-03 It is Council policy not to exceed, through the facilitation of residential development, the allocated housing requirements set out in the Core Strategy. In this regard, development shall not be permitted where it conflicts with the Core Strategy. 2.3 Core Strategy Objectives CSO-01 It is an objective of the Council to monitor and manage the delivery of residential development in County Offaly through the development management process to ensure it is in line with the Core Strategy. In this respect, the Planning Authority shall maintain a record of residential development permitted in the open countryside, sráids and individual settlements in order to ensure compliance with the population allocations defined by the Core Strategy Table. CSO-02 It is an objective of the Council to zone an appropriate amount of lands within the settlement areas to accommodate the projected population growth as set out in the Core Strategy, including the undertaking of variations or reviews of Portarlington Joint Local Area Plan and Edenderry Local Area Plan which will be prioritised in view of legislation requirements to ensure consistency with the provisions of the Core Strategy. CSO-03 Where any ambiguity arises between the Core Strategy of the County Development Plan and residential proposals on land zoned to accommodate residential development in Local Area Plans, the County Development Plan shall take precedence, including during the transitional period before the variation of Local Area Plans. CSO-04 It is an objective of the Council to make Local Area Plans for Tullamore and Birr during the plan period of the County Development Plan 2021-2027. During the transition period between adoption of this County Development Plan and the adoption of the Local Area Plans for Tullamore and Birr, the

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 2 Core Strategy, Settlement Strategy and Housing Strategy Page 34 objectives (including zoning objectives), policies and standards in this County Development Plan shall apply to Tullamore and Birr. CSO-05 It is an objective of the Council that development proposed on new residential zoned land and on mixed use / town or village centre zoning should proceed on a sequential basis with priority given to lands closest to the centre and / or closest to key transport infrastructure.

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 2 Core Strategy, Settlement Strategy and Housing Strategy Page 35 2.4 Topic 2: Settlement Strategy 2.4.1 Aim To provide for sustainable population growth and to manage development pressure within both the urban and rural environment in accordance with the Core Strategy whilst achieving a balance between social, economic, cultural and environmental factors. 2.4.2 Purpose A Settlement Strategy is a spatial expression of sustainable population distribution, settlement hierarchy and settlement role. It provides a strategic direction to the appropriate management of growth, investment and resources in accordance with the Core Strategy in a climate resilient manner. With the identification of projected population growth for County Offaly within the lifetime of this Plan and the identification of the relevant tiers of the settlement hierarchy, housing land has been allocated to deliver new homes to meet a growing population in a sustainable manner. In terms of the settlements, this land can be viewed on the Land Use Zoning Maps in Volume 2 of this plan, and in Local Area Plans. 2.4.3 Regional Context County Offaly is located within the Midland Region Strategic Planning Area of the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly area as depicted below. Figure 2.3 Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly Area split into 3 Strategic Planning Areas.

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 2 Core Strategy, Settlement Strategy and Housing Strategy Page 36 To achieve effective regional development, Dublin and the Regional Growth Centre of Athlone, will be supported by the complementary development and regeneration of a small number of selected Key Towns such as Tullamore. Regional Growth Centres, such as Athlone, are large towns with a high level of self-sustaining employment and services that act as regional economic drivers and play a significant role for a wide catchment area. They will accommodate significant new investment in housing, transport and employment generating activity, and capitalise on their strategic location and highquality connections to Dublin. The RSES (2019) sets out functional areas comprising of the Dublin Metropolitan Area, Core Region and Gateway Region. County Offaly is part located within the latter two areas as evidenced in the map below. The Core Region includes Electoral Divisions where at least 15% of the workforce are working in the Dublin Metropolitan Area. The Core Region includes the peri-urban ‘hinterlands’ in the commuter catchment around Dublin, whilst the Gateway Region acts as an inter-regional gateway to the rest of the island. Figure 2.4 Core and Gateway Region within Offaly Aim of the Core Region of the Eastern and Midland Region (includes east County Offaly): • To promote continued growth at more sustainable rates, while providing for increased employment and improved local economies, services and functions to allow towns become more self-sustaining and to create the quality of life to attract investment.

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 2 Core Strategy, Settlement Strategy and Housing Strategy Page 37 • ‘Catch up’ investment to promote consolidation and improvement in the sustainability of those areas that have experienced significant population growth but have a weak level of services and employment for their residents. • Promote the region for tourism, leisure and recreational activities including development of an integrated greenway network while ensuring that high value assets and amenities are protected and enhanced. Aim of the Gateway Region of the Eastern and Midland Region (includes the remainder of County Offaly): • Tullamore Key Town plays a regional role in providing key employment and services for its own extensive hinterland. • An extensive network of towns and villages have varying assets, and support the wider rural and agricultural area. 2.4.4 County Context 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 and individual dwellings in the countryside. The CSO defines a settlement of more than 1,500 people as ‘urban’. These definitions have been carried through into the NPF. A significant majority of housing planning permissions in County Offaly has been in the open countryside. 34%5 of housing units granted in the county have been one-off houses in the open countryside, which has contributed to spatial and social imbalances 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. In light of this, there is a need to focus on building up Offaly’s towns and villages. Development sprawl at every settlement level has manifested as scattered development, ‘leapfrogging’ and linear patterns of ribbon development, which has made it costly to align and invest in infrastructure delivery, has hampered an effective response to climate change, compounded issues such as congestion and pollution, increased commuting times and has had an overall negative impact on people’s health and wellbeing. 2.4.5 Strategic Approach to Future Growth Complying with the ‘Principles for Growth’ as set out in the Core Strategy is crucial in terms of the spatial approach to sustainably developing County Offaly. Future development will be directed in the following manner: • Compact growth, by targeting at least 30% of all new homes that are proposed in settlements within their existing built-up footprints, with a focus on infill / brownfield lands, rather than continually sprawling outwards. 5 Between January 2014 and December 2019

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 2 Core Strategy, Settlement Strategy and Housing Strategy Page 38 • Making better use of under-utilised land and buildings including vacant, derelict and underoccupied buildings. • Supporting, facilitating and promoting a transition to a low carbon society. • Strengthening town and village centres to meet their full potential. • Aligning population, employment, community and housing growth in a balanced fashion. • Sequential provision of housing and infrastructure. • Reversing the decline or stagnation of many villages. • Develop the designated Key Town of Tullamore of sufficient scale and quality to be a driver of regional growth, investment and prosperity, followed by Self-Sustaining Growth Towns and Self- Sustaining Towns to grow to a sustainable level. Other towns need to be promoted for regeneration, local employment and managed levels of growth, and the rural area which includes smaller towns, villages, Sráids and the countryside shall be promoted for regeneration and local employment and services with targeted rural housing policies. • Housing can still be located in our towns, villages, Sráids including the open countryside, but at an appropriate scale that does not detract from the capacity of our larger towns to deliver homes more sustainably. Divergence between the places people live and work leads to long-distance commuting and congestion, which has a negative impact on quality of life. To address this, the Council promotes sustainable growth in the right locations and ‘catch up’ investment and consolidation in local services, amenities and employment in areas that have experienced large scale commuter driven housing development. The county’s most significant place-making challenge will be to plan and deliver future development in a way that moves more towards self-sustaining, rather than commuter driven activity, therefore allowing its towns, villages and rural components to play to their strengths, while above all, moving from a sprawl-led development model. 2.4.6 Urban The Settlement Strategy seeks to strengthen the urban fabric of the county, with an emphasis on building critical mass in the Key Town of Tullamore, the Self-Sustaining Growth Town and Self- Sustaining Towns. The focus is on achieving the consolidated growth of the settlements, with a significantly high proportion of housing in the existing built-up footprints of each settlement, strengthening town centres to their full potential by utilising under-utilised land and buildings and developing the settlements in a sequential manner. 2.4.7 Rural Rural population will continue to be supported through the smaller towns, villages and Sráids and through a sustainable approach to maintaining the rural economy and population, balanced against responsible environmental protection. Support for housing and repopulation, as necessary, taking place within towns and villages will help to act as a viable alternative to one-off housing in the open

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    Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 2 Core Strategy, Settlement Strategy and Housing Strategy Page 39 countryside and will contribute to the principle of compact growth. A national programme will be developed for ‘new homes in small towns and villages’ with local authorities, public infrastructure agencies such as Irish Water, and local communities providing serviced sites with appropriate infrastructure acting as a viable alternative to houses in the open countryside6. The open 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. The Council will ensure that development of the open countryside takes place in a way that is compatible with the protection of key economic, environmental, biodiversity and cultural / heritage assets such as the road network, water quality and important landscapes. In accordance with the RSES, it will be necessary to demonstrate a ‘functional economic or social requirement’ for housing need in Rural Areas under Strong Urban Influence and Stronger Rural Areas, which are identified in the Core Strategy Map. This will assist in sustaining more fragile rural communities and in overall terms, will need to be related to the viability of towns and villages. 2.4.8 Settlement Typology and Function The settlement strategy seeks to elaborate further on the role / function of each settlement tier in order to manage future growth appropriately. Set out below is the settlement typology and function of the settlements in County Offaly, which is based on the RSES (2019). 6 As stated in National Policy Objective 18b of the National Planning Framework 2018

Source Offaly County Council: Offaly County Development Plan 2021–2027 (as varied) — Chapter 2: Core Strategy (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.