Offaly County Development Plan 2021–2027 (as varied) — Chapter 5: Economic Development Strategy

1. Page 31

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 5 Economic Development Strategy Page 191 ENTP-10 It is Council policy to consider valid propositions for enterprise development where strong locational drivers apply and which do not apply to the same extent elsewhere. Key Town – Tullamore ENTP-11 It is Council policy to strengthen and channel development into Tullamore the primary driver for economic development within the county, which is designated as a Key Town in the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy. ENTP-12 It is Council policy to promote Tullamore as a key location for economic development supporting the provision of increased employment through the expansion of the existing enterprise ecosystem in the town and smart specialisation and support the provision of physical infrastructure and zoned lands to realise the delivery of strategic employment lands in central accessible locations. ENTP-13 It is Council policy to support infrastructural development in Tullamore to facilitate the development of Strategic Employment Zones. Self-Sustaining Growth Town – Birr ENTP-14 It is Council policy to promote Birr as a competitive and attractive location for economic development emphasising Foreign Direct Investment. ENTP-15 It is Council policy to promote and support the development of the lands zoned ‘Business or Technology Park’ in the northern part of the town. ENTP-16 It is Council policy to support leveraging opportunities in big data and data analytics from Irish Low Frequency Array (I-LOFAR), which is the Birr-based Irish station in a European wide network of state of the art radio telescopes used to observe the universe at low frequencies, and in this regard recognise Birr as a technology hub. ENTP-17 It is Council policy to support economic development and job creation through Birr’s role as a Tourism Destination Town. Self-Sustaining Towns – Edenderry, Portarlington ENTP-18 It is Council policy to encourage job creation in the Self-Sustaining Towns of Edenderry and Portarlington in order for them to become more self-sustainable and balanced considering they have experienced rapid population growth with high levels of commuter focused residential expansion without equivalent increases in jobs and services. ENTP-19 It is Council policy to support the proportionate economic growth of and appropriately designed development in self-sustaining towns that will contribute to their regeneration and renewal. ENTP-20 It is Council policy to promote Self-Sustaining Towns as an employment base for start-up businesses and enterprises.

2. Page 32

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 5 Economic Development Strategy Page 192 Towns – Banagher, Clara ENTP-21 It is Council policy to promote employment and enterprise development in Towns. Smaller Towns (Kilcormac, Ferbane, Daingean) and Villages ENTP-22 It is Council policy to support the sustainability of Smaller Towns and Villages, by supporting appropriately scaled economic development and services together with the enhancement of local infrastructure and amenities and improved sustainable transport links. Sector Focused ENTP-23 It is Council policy to actively encourage, facilitate and provide for the location and development of knowledge-intensive and technology based specialisation companies within the county, as appropriate, in accordance with development / environmental standards. ENTP-24 It is Council policy to actively encourage the redevelopment of sites with antecedent uses or disused sites which were formerly ESB plants and Bord na Móna works for enterprise and employment creation. ENTP-25 It is a Council policy to encourage the building of a resilient economic base by means of supporting investment in exporting, innovation, productivity, competitiveness, developing and enhancing accessibility and connectivity, development of talent / skills and the creation of attractive places and suitable infrastructure. ENTP-26 It is Council policy to encourage foreign direct investment through greater levels of enterprise collaboration, clustering and global connectivity. ENTP-27 It is a policy of the Council to support digital technologies in the interests of efficiency and competitiveness such as robotics, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, digital fabrication, augmented / virtual reality, blockchain and autonomous mobility. ENTP-28 It is Council policy to encourage collaboration in science, technology and innovation with a view to increasing Offaly’s innovation capacity. This can be supported by the Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund under the National Planning Framework. ENTP-29 It is Council policy to support Advanced Manufacturing as a centre of excellence in the Midlands. ENTP-30 It is Council policy to design, develop and roll-out social enterprise practices with a strong emphasis on collaboration. Home Based Employment, Remote Working and Non-Commuting ENTP-31 It is Council policy to support remote working opportunities from home and innovative designated hub/ co-working spaces, in the interests of mitigating long commuting times.

3. Page 33

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 5 Economic Development Strategy Page 193 ENTP-32 It is Council policy to co-operate with and facilitate Government agencies, and other bodies where feasible, in encouraging home-based employment including the provision of small-scale individual enterprises. Proposals which involve the change of use and/or new development for purposes of home-based employment will generally be considered favourably where it can be clearly demonstrated that a) the proposal is of an appropriate scale for its location; b) there are no adverse environmental, health and safety impacts, c) the proposal is without prejudice to residential amenity and d) the proposal will not detract from the vitality and viability of town or village centres. ENTP-33 It is Council policy to support local employment creation where it can mitigate against long distance commuting. Higher Education ENTP-34 It is Council policy to encourage and establish links between County Offaly, Maynooth University, Trinity College Dublin, University of Limerick, Athlone Institute of Technology and Cork Institute of Technology and other higher level colleges as appropriate, which will improve the skills base/education of inhabitants within County Offaly. ENTP-35 It is Council policy to encourage third level education in County Offaly through the provision of outreach / campus facilities for the accommodation of courses. ENTP-36 It is Council policy to support in conjunction with local, regional and national enterprise authorities’ efforts to counteract the effects from industrial decline by way of lifelong learning programmes, appropriate business supports and upskilling to facilitate moving to alternative sectors in the locality or region. ENTP-37 It is Council policy to support the examination of a need for complementary third level outreach facilities in Tullamore, particularly with regard to support for Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore and where appropriate, its continued development as a Teaching / University Hospital, together with potential for linkages to existing and new med-tech businesses and research facilities. ENTP-38 It is Council policy to encourage the provision of incubator units at a scale appropriate to their location, in accordance with the county’s settlement hierarchy and to ensure that an appropriate programme of support is in place across the county that will both provide education and networking opportunities for new businesses. Ferbane Food Campus ENTP-39 It is Council policy to promote the development of Ferbane Food Campus as a state-of-theart food product development and training facility to give food entrepreneurs the opportunity to develop their product. Communications Infrastructure ENTP-40 It is Council policy to promote and facilitate the sustainable development of a high quality Information and Communications Technology (ICT) network in the county in order to achieve balanced social and economic development whilst protecting the amenities of urban and rural areas.

4. Page 34

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 5 Economic Development Strategy Page 194 ENTP-41 It is Council policy to support and facilitate the delivery of the National Broadband Plan and the Offaly Digital Strategy as a means of developing further opportunities for enterprise, employment, education, innovation and skills development. ENTP-42 It is Council policy to require underground telecommunications ducting to be provided in all new developments and public realm schemes as appropriate, to support the rollout of all digital infrastructure including the National Broadband Plan throughout the county. ENTP-43 It is Council policy to achieve a balance between facilitating the provision of telecommunications services in the interests of social and economic progress and protecting residential amenity and environmental quality. The Council will have regard to the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Governments Guidelines on Telecommunications Antennae and Support Structures (and any future editions) and Circular Letter PL07/12 (Telecommunications Antennae and Support Structures) in assessing development proposals. ENTP-44 It is Council policy to avoid the unnecessary proliferation of masts in the county through colocation of antennae on existing support structures and masts. Masts and antennae shall be restricted in the following areas: • Upland areas of the Slieve Bloom Mountains, masts will not be permitted in areas above the 150- metre contour, unless it can be clearly demonstrated that it is not possible to locate antennae on the existing mast clusters at Wolftrap Mountain or Coolcreen; • Designated Areas of High Amenity; and • Within significant views or settings of recorded monuments and places, national monuments, protected structures, architectural conservation areas and archaeological sites. Climate Action ENTP-45 It is Council policy to support the creation of quality green jobs which are sustainable over the longer-term. ENTP-46 It is Council policy to support enterprise development of industries, agencies and communities that create and employ green technologies in the provision of their goods and services, while taking measures to accelerate the transition towards a sustainable, low carbon and circular economy. ENTP-47 It is Council policy to support and promote the development of economic and enterprise development and activity in a manner which contributes to the transition to a low carbon, climate resilient and environmentally sustainable county.

5. Page 35

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 5 Economic Development Strategy Page 195 5.10 Enterprise Objectives Strategy ENTO-01 It is an objective of the Council to encourage, in co-operation with Enterprise Ireland, the Local Enterprise Office, and other local development bodies, the development of further small / medium-scale industries and services. Further, to promote the establishment of a number of small incubator units, together with a county-wide support programme, within designated areas to accommodate new business start-ups. ENTO-02 It is an objective of the Council to continue to liaise and work alongside the enterprise agencies, ESB and Bord na Móna and the private sector, to develop enterprise space at various locations throughout the county, where feasible and appropriate. ENTO-03 It is an objective of the Council to work alongside IDA to identify appropriately sized land banks and business premises at suitable locations in Tullamore in order to attract foreign direct investment. ENTO-04 It is an objective of the Council to improve the cluster-specific business environment by putting in place a favourable business ecosystem for innovation and entrepreneurship that supports the development of new industrial value chains and emerging industries. ENTO-05 It is an objective of the Council to support smart specialisation partnerships at a county and regional level. Key Town – Tullamore ENTO-06 It is an objective of the Council to facilitate the development of Tullamore, a Key Town under the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy, in accordance with regional policy. This will include measures to seek to reserve lands within Tullamore to make provision for potential nationally and regionally significant activities and to attract specialist large-scale enterprise development within the county. ENTO-07 It is an objective of the Council to identify and quantify suitable locations in Tullamore for strategic employment development, for large scale employment and enterprise activity. Self-Sustaining Growth Town – Birr ENTO-08 It is an objective of the Council to support leveraging opportunities in big data and data analytics from Irish Low Frequency Array (I-LOFAR), which is the Birr-based Irish station in a European wide network of state of the art radio telescopes used to observe the universe at low frequencies, and in this regard facilitate the development of Birr as a technology hub.

6. Page 36

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 5 Economic Development Strategy Page 196 Self-Sustaining Towns – Edenderry and Portarlington ENTO-09 It is an objective of the Council to encourage job creation in the Self-Sustaining Towns of Edenderry and Portarlington in order for them to become more self-sustainable and balanced considering they have experienced rapid population growth with high levels of commuter focused residential expansion without equivalent increases in jobs and services. ENTO-10 It is an objective of the Council to require that developments within or adjacent to the area of the Blundell Masterplan, Edenderry, 2020 demonstrate adherence to the urban design, place making and connectivity principles for the masterplan area. Towns – Banagher, Clara ENTO-11 It is an objective of the Council to facilitate new employment and enterprise development in Towns. Smaller Towns (Kilcormac, Ferbane, Daingean) and Villages ENTO-12 It is an objective of the Council to facilitate appropriately scaled enterprise development and services in Smaller Towns and Villages, together with the enhancement of local infrastructure and amenities and improved sustainable transport links. Communications Infrastructure ENTO-13 It is an objective of the Council to facilitate the development / expansion of a further digital/e-commerce hub in Offaly to serve the county in improving and promoting the use of the internet as a key educational and business driver. ENTO-14 It is an objective of the Council to support the national objective to promote Ireland as a sustainable international destination for Information and Communications Technology (ICT) infrastructures such as data centres and associated economic activities at appropriate locations. In this regard, the Council will support the provision of data centres at appropriate locations in the county subject to appropriate environmental assessment and the planning process and the criteria set out in Policies CAEP-41 and CAEP-42 in Chapter 3 of this Plan. ENTO-15 It is an objective of the Council to work with government agencies and telecommunication providers to facilitate the delivery of high speed broadband to all premises in Offaly. ENTO-16 It is an objective of the Council to work with statutory undertakers to make the most efficient use of infrastructure in the delivery of broadband in the county, particularly encouraging the use of existing telecommunications ducting where it is available. ENTO-17 It is an objective of the Council to encourage the provision of Wi-Fi zones in public buildings and tourist destinations in the county.

7. Page 37

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 5 Economic Development Strategy Page 197 ENTO-18 It is an objective of the Council to avail of funding opportunities for the provision of Wi-Fi and broadband in the county to support economic development and social inclusion. Rhode Green Energy Park ENTO-19 It is an objective of the Council to support and promote the development of Rhode Green Energy Park for green energy, smart specialization and clustering and other complimentary green uses as outlined as ‘Uses Considered Appropriate for the Rhode Green Energy Park’ in Table 5.4. ‘Uses not considered appropriate for the Rhode Green Energy Park’ as outlined in Table 5.4 will not be encouraged. ENTO-20 It is an objective of the Council to ensure that proposed developments within the Rhode Green Energy Park adhere to the principles set out in Table 5.3: Guiding Principles for the Rhode Green Energy Park. ENTO-21 It is an objective of the Council to support and facilitate the infrastructural upgrades and works outlined in Table 5.5 in conjunction with the development of the Rhode Business Park. ENTO-22 It is an objective of this Plan for the Council to prepare the following; • a Design Statement showing the developers the preferred approach to materials, colours, boundary treatment, signage etc. in the Rhode Green Energy Park; • a Green Infrastructure Masterplan for the Rhode Green Energy Park to advise developers of how to retain and enhance existing green infrastructure and to provide new green infrastructure within and around the Rhode Green Energy Park; and • an Energy Efficiency and Climate Change Adaptation Design Statement for the Rhode Green Energy Park.

8. Page 38

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 5 Economic Development Strategy Page 198 5.11 Rural Economic Development Policies Strategy REDP–01 It is Council policy to liaise and co-operate with statutory, local development, sectoral and community / voluntary agencies and groups to develop economic, social and cultural benefits for the rural community and its service base. REDP–02 It is Council policy to support the regeneration of smaller towns and villages through identification of regeneration projects which could harness untapped assets with community support and wider private and public sector support and investment including the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund. REDP–03 It is Council policy to continue to protect existing resource-based industry from encroachment by residential development, for example mining, quarrying, gravel pits, and intensive agriculture. Agriculture REDP–04 It is Council policy to support the development of agriculture where it is compatible with the sustainable development of the county and commensurate with sustaining the farming community. REDP–05 It is Council policy to ensure that agricultural developments are designed and constructed in a manner that will ensure that groundwater watercourses and sources of potable water are protected from the threat of pollution in line with Water Quality Regulations and the requirements of the Water Framework Directive. REDP–06 It is Council policy to proactively encourage the Bord na Móna Peatlands Rehabilitation Scheme (which is to be administered by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) and regulated by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage) to deliver on potential amenity and tourism benefits for example complimenting the delivery of the Midlands Cycling Destination – Offaly, where routes pass through the rehabilitated bogs, subject to environmental, biodiversity and hydrological requirements’. Food and Beverage REDP–07 It is Council policy to have a positive presumption to developments that seek to provide added value in the food sector, including processing and servicing, subject to the relevant environmental considerations. The Council supports the development of the artisan food sector. REDP-08 It is Council policy to support food and beverage enterprises with the Origin Green accreditation in view of their sustainable food production. Diversification REDP-09 It is Council policy to facilitate the development of the rural economy through supporting sustainability and economic efficiency in agriculture and diversification into alternative on-farm and

9. Page 39

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 5 Economic Development Strategy Page 199 off-farm activities such as the food and drinks sector, forestry, horticulture, crafts, agri-business, fishing, aquaculture, waste management, rural tourism, renewable energy and the bio-economy, while at the same time noting the importance of maintaining and protecting the natural landscape and built heritage which are vital to rural tourism. REDP–10 It is Council policy to favourably consider proposals for on-farm based diversification, which are complementary to the agricultural operation on the farm such as: • Specialist farming practices, for example, flower growing, equine facilities, poultry, mushroom growing, and specialised animal breeding; • Farm enterprises such as processing, co-ops, farm supply stores and agri-business; • The production of organic and specialty foods to meet the increase in demand for such products; and • The conversion of redundant farm buildings of vernacular importance for appropriate owner-run enterprises such as agri-tourism, as a way of supporting a viable rural community, subject to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area. REDP-11 As part of Offaly County Council’s recognition of the contribution that rural areas make to social and economic wellbeing, it is Council policy to support and protect existing rural economies such as (i) valuable agricultural lands to ensure sustainable food supply, (ii) the value and character of the open countryside and (iii) the diversification of rural economies to create additional jobs and maximise opportunities in emerging sectors, such as agri-business, renewable energy, tourism, and forestry enterprise. REDP-12 It is Council policy to 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 Information and Communication Technology (ICT) based industries and those addressing climate action and sustainability. Industry / Business REDP-13 It is Council policy to support rural entrepreneurship and rural enterprise development of an appropriate scale at suitable locations in the County. REDP–14 It is Council policy to favourably consider proposals for the expansion of existing industrial or new business enterprise in the open countryside where the proposal; a) is an appropriate size and scale, b) does not negatively impact on the character and amenity of the surrounding area, c) has regard to and complies with guidelines/standards including traffic, noise and environmental considerations, and d) is rural in nature by being rural resource based and not urban in nature.

10. Page 40

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    Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 5 Economic Development Strategy Page 200 Climate Action REDP-15 It is Council policy to support the agricultural sector to employ green technologies in the provision of its goods and services, while taking measures to accelerate the transition towards a sustainable, low carbon and circular economy. REDP–16 It is Council policy to encourage the development of environmentally sustainable practices with a low carbon footprint, particularly agriculture, to ensure that development does not impinge on the visual amenity of the open countryside and that groundwater, watercourses, wildlife habitats and areas of ecological importance are protected from the threat of pollution. REDP–17 It is Council policy to support the development of renewable energy in rural areas, where it is considered appropriate i.e. where it is demonstrated that such development would not result in significant environmental effects. Such development will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. REDP–18 It is Council policy to encourage state and private afforestation, both native broadleaf and coniferous species, in appropriate locations, in co-operation with Coillte and the Forest Service and in line with national policy and Forest Service Guidelines. In addition, it is policy to encourage the Forest Service to avoid a proliferation of new forest road entrances, particularly in Areas of High Amenity. Aggregates and Minerals REDP–19 It is Council policy to ensure those extractions (quarries / sand and gravel pits) which would result in a reduction of the visual amenity of Areas of High Amenity, eskers, esker landscapes, protected views or damage to designated sites, habitat types or species shall not be permitted. It is Council policy that all such workings should be subjected to landscaping requirements and that worked out quarries should be rehabilitated to a use agreed with the Council which could include recreational, biodiversity, amenity or other end-of-life uses. Planning applications for extraction shall be assessed against section 28 Ministerial Guidelines. The use of these rehabilitated sites shall be limited to wastes such as soil, stone and subsoils and sites shall be authorised under the appropriate waste regulations. Where the Council considers and accepts that in cases where inert material (for example soil, stones and subsoil) cannot be recycled or otherwise sold, such materials may be considered for the phased restoration and landscaping of the site in line with planning conditions imposed.

Source Offaly County Council: Offaly County Development Plan 2021–2027 (as varied) — Chapter 5: Economic Development 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.