Regional strategy (RSES) · Southern Region
Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy for the Southern Region
The regional strategy for the Southern Region, including the Cork, Limerick–Shannon and Waterford metropolitan area strategic plans.
Southern Regional Assembly · January 2020 · 382 pages
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- Southern Regional Assembly | RSES31 • No place or community is left behind by the RSES. A dual-track strategy is pursued that builds on the cities, metropolitan areas as significantly scaled engines of sustainable growth, and supports opportunities for competitive advantage by repositioning the Region’s strong network of towns, villages and rural areas in an imaginative, sustainable and smart manner; • The need to provide an adequate supply of quality housing to meet existing and future demand, including addressing the current housing crisis and homelessness; • Invest in and deliver infrastructure to improve the liveability and quality of life of urban and rural areas; • Regenerate and develop existing built-up areas as attractive and viable alternatives to greenfield development; • Use quality urban design to enhance the character of a place and to ensure development is respectful of the existing physical, social, environmental and cultural context; • Tackle legacy issues, such as concentrated disadvantage in central urban areas through social, economic, recreational, cultural, environmental and physical infrastructural regeneration; • Link regeneration and development initiatives to environmental protection and climate action measures to support a reduced carbon footprint; and ensure development is climate resilient; • Provide strong regional policy support for local level policies and initiatives which, in turn, achieve national policy targets for renewal and compact growth; and • Provide strong regional support for policy and initiatives at the local level which restrict urban generated sprawl, strengthen the urban fabric and role of settlements servicing hinterlands, consolidate existing settlements, and protect the environment and resources of rural areas from haphazard, urban-generated housing patterns. Key principles in developing the strategy are:
- Southern Regional Assembly | RSES32 3.2 | Sustainable Place Framework The NPF projects that the population of the Region will grow by 380,000 to almost 2 million by 2040, with around 225,000 additional people in employment. There will be between 196,000 and 235,500 additional people up to 2026 and between 280,000 and 343,500 additional people up to 2031. This will require up to 86,000 new homes by 2026 and 125,000 by 2031 and additionally, to cater for our changing population, such as social housing, upgrading and replacement of older and poor quality stock, housing for smaller families and an ageing population additional housing responses will be required. Table 3.1 sets out a summary of the key regional targets for structuring overall regional population growth and a further breakdown to the local authority level is included in Appendix 1. The NPF Implementation Roadmap also expands on the growth figures for the Region. The RSES recognises that the level of change required by the NPF cannot be implemented immediately. It will require several RSES/Development Plan cycles to change long-term patterns of development (which has traditionally been considered in terms of greenfield development) and the lead-in time required for infrastructure to achieve change. There are also practical factors such as the stock of existing permissions which may develop over the next 5-10 years and which are not based on the strategy. SPA 2016 2026 2031 South-West 690,500 784,000-802,500 823,000-854,500 Mid-West 385,000 436,000-446,000 460,500-475,500 South-East 509,500 561,000 - 572,000 581,500-598,500 REGION 1,585,000 1,781,000 – 1,820,500 1,865,000 – 1,928,500 3.3 | A Tailored Approach The settlement typology set out in Table 3.1 is a tailored response to the challenges the Region faces. It is a framework based on the pillars of our three cities, supported by a network of strategically located Key Towns, towns and villages and rural areas. The RSES also identifies key networks between our settlements, and the other two regions, to capitalise on our shared strengths. The RSES is committed to supporting people and places throughout the Region - all communities both urban and rural. RPO 2 Planning for Diverse Areas The RSES recognises the strategic role played by all areas, both urban and rural, in achieving the set regional and national targets and objectives. The RSES supports sustainable enterprise growth, services, physical and social infrastructure investment and the sustainable growth of all communities in the Region. The overall strategy builds on cities and their associated metropolitan areas as engines of growth and seeks, in parallel, to re-position the Region’s strong network of towns, villages and diverse rural areas in an economically resilient, imaginative and smart way to foster sustainable competitive advantage. Table 3.1 | Regional Distribution of Growth1 1. As per “Implementation Roadmap for the National Planning Framework”. See Circular FPS04/2018
- Southern Regional Assembly | RSES33 Category Attributes Place Policy Level Cities - Metropolitan Area Metropolitan Areas – accessible with national and international connectivity, strong business core, innovation, education, retail, health and cultural role. • Cork • Limerick-Shannon • Waterford • NPF • RSES • MASP • Development Plan • Local Area Plans Key Towns2 Large population scale urban centre functioning as self-sustaining regional drivers. Strategically located urban centres with accessibility and significant influence in a sub-regional context. • Kilkenny • Ennis • Carlow • Tralee • Wexford • Clonmel • Killarney • Mallow • Nenagh • Thurles • Newcastle West • Clonakilty • Dungarvan • Gorey • RSES • Development Plans • Local Area Plans Towns & Villages Towns and villages of above 1,500 which provide a housing, employment or service function. The category is broad and ranges from large commuter towns to more remote towns and villages. To be identified in Development Plan • Development Plans • Local Area Plans Rural3 Rural villages less than 1,500 and the wider rural region. To be identified in Development Plan • Development Plans • Local Area Plans Networks Groupings of towns and villages (incl. cross boundary) which share geographic, economic, resources and contribute specialisms which if combined provide a strategic opportunity to drive regional economy. To be identified in Development Plan • City and County Development Plan • Local Area Plans Table 3.2 | Settlement Typology 2. The Regions network of Key Towns strengthens the urban structure across our region, align with NPO 7 of the NPF and are a compliment to the three pillars of our cities and metropolitan areas which are the primary drivers of population and employment growth in the region. 3. In identifying settlements under 1,500 as “rural” and aove 1,500 as “urban”, the RSES reflects the CSO categorisation of settlements which is contained in the NPF. The NPF seperately refers to the catehgorisation of settlements under 10,000 (Rural Regeneration & Development Fund) and above 10,000 population (Urban Regeneration and Development Fund) relating to eligibility for these funding mechanisms. This separate categorisation does not relate to the objectives in Ch 3
- Southern Regional Assembly | RSES34 The settlement typology is based on the following principles for economic growth: • Harnessing opportunities for economic growth by supporting synergies between talent and place; • Building on identified assets to strengthen enterprise ecosystems and provide quality jobs; • Re-intensifying employment in existing urban areas, complemented by strategic employment growth in the right locations; • Diversifying local and rural economies to better withstand economic shocks and sustain national growth. Further detail on employment and enterprise enablers and strategic attributes for the Key Towns are contained in the three MASPs. The key linkages between the spatial and economic components of the RSES are set out in Chapter 4 - A Strong Economy: Innovative and Smart. When allocating for future growth in the Core Strategy of each city and county development plan, the Region’s local authorities will have regard to the settlement typology and apply the following guiding principles, in particular: • Scale of population and its existing performance; • Extent to which a settlement is located inside or outside one of the three defined city-region catchments4; • Scale of employment provision, number of jobs, jobs-to-resident workers ratio and net commuting flows; • Compliance with the NPF (NPO 72) on a standardised, tiered approach that differentiates between zoned land that is serviced and that which is serviceable within the life of the plan, and the provision of cost estimates to deliver services and infrastructure. • Linking Core Strategies to an evidence base on the availability and deliverability of lands within the existing built up footprints. Such an evidence base will provide clarity for how sustainable and viable development will be progressed during the life of the development plan, incl. targeted timelines for addressing infrastructure deficits, delivering public transport improvements, delivering land supply, and transitional steps to achieve compact growth targets; • Extent of local services and amenities provision, particular higher education institutes, health, leisure and retail; • Extent to which sustainable modes of travel can be encouraged (walking, cycling or public transport); • Rate and pace of past development and the extent to which there are outstanding requirements for infrastructure and amenities; • Accessibility and influence in a regional or sub-regional context; • Sub-regional interdependencies, e.g. location of a settlement in relation to nearby settlements and scope for collaboration including cross-boundary collaboration for settlements adjoining local authority boundaries; • Character of local geography and accessibility as a service centre for remote and longdistance rural hinterlands; 4. The EU/OECD defines a city-region as a commuter catchment from which at least 15% of the relevant city area workforce is drawn.
- Southern Regional Assembly | RSES35 • Track record of performance and delivery, as well as ambition and scope to leverage investment; • Environmental and infrastructural constraints; • The appropriate density and scale of development relative to the settlement and location, incl. differing rates and nature of development experienced; • Need for attractive, alternative options to rural housing within smaller towns and villages. RPO 3 Local Authority Core Strategies In preparing Core Strategies, local authorities shall determine a hierarchy of settlement and appropriate growth rates in accordance with the guiding principles (including environmental protection) and typology of settlement in the RSES. RPO 4 Infrastructure Investment Infrastructure investment shall be aligned with the spatial planning strategy of the RSES. RPO 5 Population Growth and Environmental Criteria Increased population growth should be planned with regard to environmental criteria, including: • Assimilative capacity of the receiving environment; • Proximity of Natura 2000 sites and potential for adverse effects on these sites, and their conservation objectives; • Areas with flood potential.
- Southern Regional Assembly | RSES36 RSES Strategy MapCarlowWexfordKilkennyTipperaryLimerickCorkWaterfordClareKerry M18 M8 M7 N20 M8 M9 M11 M7 M9 M8 N25 N24 N21 N22 N71 N69 N69 N71 N71 N72 N73 N11 N24 N25 N76 N80 N80 N21 N20 N68 N67 N67 Ennis Cork MASP* Mallow Clonakilty Tralee Killarney Limerick Shannon MASP* Clonmel Nenagh Newcastle West Thurles Kilkenny Wexford Carlow Dungarvan Waterford MASP* Potential for a Cork Harbour Strategic Integrated Framework Plan Initiative Potential for a Waterford Estuary Integrated Framework Plan Initiative”. Strategic Integrated Framework Plan for the Shannon Estuary Gorey * Note: Refer to the MASP sections for further details Cities Key Towns Rail Network Strategic Road Network County Boundaries MASP Boundary Rural Innovation Port Tier 1 Port Tier 2 Regional Land & Marine Frameworks Atlantic Economic Corridor Eastern Corridor Other Key Roads Economic interactions between the Corridors, Inter-regional Networking potential, Metropolitan Areas and Wider Region
- Southern Regional Assembly | RSES37 3.4 | Cities – Metropolitan Areas The strategy for the development of the Region is built on the pillars of our three cities, each incorporating more than one local authority within their metropolitan areas. The RSES includes Metropolitan Area Strategic Plans to ensure coordination between local authority plans. A key component of the RSES is about building partnerships and a collaborative approach between the cities and metropolitan areas to realise combined strengths and potential, and to support their development as a viable alternative to Dublin. Our cities need sustainable planning to ensure that they can absorb a significant scale of development, retain their essential character and ensure quality of life. Compact urban settlements, efficient public transport networks and the provision of essential physical and social infrastructure is required in tandem with achieving projected growth. Responding to the radical change and growth required by the NPF and the RSES will be a major challenge for our cities and metropolitan areas. Each city has unique strengths and opportunities. Each one is a major centre of employment, has a third-level education presence, healthcare structures, accessible public transport, and interregional road networks and is linked with international gateways of airports and ports. Cork has an existing metropolitan and city-region planning framework (Cork Area Strategic Plan). The newly emerging metropolitan frameworks in Limerick-Shannon and Waterford provide a significant combined proposition for effective regional growth and, at national level, an effective counterbalance to the Greater Dublin Area. The three cities have extensive areas of influence, as demonstrated by the catchment zone map. The MASPs address these areas for each city and metropolitan area, included in Volume 2. A summary of each MASP is set out in the following pages. RPO 6 Collaboration between Metropolitan Areas It is an objective to establish a collaborative intra-regional partnership approach between the region’s metropolitan areas of Cork, Limerick Shannon, and Waterford and a similar inter-regional approach with the Galway Metropolitan Area in the Northern and Western Region, that they are prioritised in line with the NPF’s strategic objectives and population targets, for focused and long-term investment as economic engines to ensure regional parity. The three metropolitan areas will lead together in partnership to harness their combined potential as viable alternatives to the unbalanced growth of Dublin. WATERFORD CORK LIMERICK SHANNON GALWAY
- Southern Regional Assembly | RSES38 The following objectives will apply for each MASP: RPO 7 Delivery and Funding It is an objective to: a. Support sustainable delivery of the Strategic Investment Priorities identified by the NDP for the Cork, Limerick- Shannon and Waterford metropolitan areas and progress co-ordination between the principal stakeholders for delivery to achieve the vision and objectives identified in each MASP. b. Promote the sustainable implementation of innovative, collaborative projects through the Urban Regeneration & Development, Rural Regeneration & Development, Climate Action, and Disruptive Technologies funds within the Cork, Limerick-Shannon and Waterford Metropolitan Areas. RPO 9 Holistic Approach to Delivering Infrastructure It is an objective to ensure investment and delivery of comprehensive infrastructure packages to meet growth targets that prioritise the delivery of compact growth and sustainable mobility as per the NPF objectives including: Water services, digital, green infrastructure, transport and sustainable travel, community and social, renewable energy, recreation, open space amenity, climate change adaptation and future proofing infrastructure including flood risk management measures, environmental improvement, arts, culture and public realm. RPO 8 Investment to Deliver on the Vision for Metropolitan Areas It is an objective to: a. Identify investment packages at national level as they apply to the Cork, Limerick- Shannon and Waterford MASP area, and seek further investments for each to deliver on the seven Metropolitan Area Goals; b. Prioritise the delivery of compact growth and sustainable mobility in accordance with NPF objectives; c. Ensure the investment in and delivery of the Sustainable Place Framework within each MASP area, delivering quality of place attributes as an incentive to attract people to live, work and visit.
- Southern Regional Assembly | RSES39 Compact Growth in Metropolitan Areas To achieve compact growth, the RSES seeks to: a. Prioritise housing and employment development in locations within and contiguous to existing city footprints where it can be served by public transport, walking and cycling. b. Identify strategic initiatives in Local Authority Core Strategies for the MASP areas, which will achieve the compact growth targets on brownfield and infill sites at a minimum and achieve the growth targets identified in each MASP. Such strategic initiatives shall comply with MASP Goals to evolve innovative approaches for all MASPs. Initiatives may include: • Support the creation and role of Active Land Management Units with a remit to focus on the metropolitan areas and compact growth targets; • Tier 1 (Serviced Zoned Land) and Tier 2 (Serviceable Zoned Land) to be identified as part of the review of the City and County Development Plans in the Region; • Partnerships with the Land Development Agency to progress housing and employment delivery in city and town centres, focusing on co-ordinating and developing large, strategically located, publiclyowned land banks, reducing vacancy and increasing regeneration of key sites; • Support the role of the local authority as a development agency to kick start regeneration processes; • Initiatives that facilitate the regeneration of derelict buildings and vacant sites for the provision of high-quality, environmentally friendly Nearly Zero Energy Building (NZEB) affordable housing; • Strategic land reserve initiatives; • Deliver design briefs for strategic sites; • Seek design competitions for key strategic sites that deliver greater density, mixed uses where appropriate, sustainable design, smart technology, green infrastructure and public gain through good design; • Active land management within designated site specific regeneration areas under the Urban Regeneration and Housing Act 2015, and other locations in need of renewal, including the use of site briefs and masterplans for a design led approach to renewal; • The identification of public realm and site regeneration initiatives which combine, on an area wide basis, opportunities for regeneration of private owned underutilised sites, public owned underutilised sites, private and public buildings and upgrade of parks, streetscapes and public realm areas; • Creation of continually updated databases identifying brownfield, infill sites, regeneration areas and infrastructure packages to enable progress towards achieving compact growth targets. Through active land management initiatives, identify strategic locations for residential growth responding to the growth targets and achievement of compact growth and employment growth. RPO 10
- Southern Regional Assembly | RSES40 Introduction Metropolitan Cork has existing critical mass and is an emerging international centre of scale driven by the State’s second city of Cork at the core, and supported by a network of metropolitan towns and strategic employment locations. As a national primary driver and an engine of economic and population growth, Metropolitan Cork is a principle complementary location to Dublin. Strengthened regional connectivity will enhance integration of the Cork metropolitan area with the Atlantic Economic Corridor. It will regenerate and develop as an international Smart City and metropolitan area, enhanced high-quality environment, vibrant city centre, compact suburbs and metropolitan towns. The MASP builds on the strong tradition of collaboration in Cork, facilitated by initiatives such as the Cork Strategic Area Plan (CASP). Land Use and Transportation Sustainable regeneration and growth (particularly compact growth) will be achieved through effective sustainable transport and spatial land use planning. Sustainable higher densities must be delivered, especially at public transport nodal points. Significant investment across a host of agencies will be required to deliver holistic infrastructures for regeneration and growth areas to achieve the population and jobs targets. The game changer for Metropolitan Cork is the implementation of the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy (CMATS). Strategic residential and employment development must support the delivery of this network including the proposed high capacity Light Rail Transit Corridor. The distribution of growth must follow a spatial hierarchy that underpins delivery of the CMATS. Refer to Cork MASP Vol 2 for further details. Housing and Regeneration The sustainable growth of Metropolitan Cork requires consolidation, regeneration, infrastructure led growth and investment in each of the following locations: city centre (including the Docklands and Tivoli), potential light rail transit (LRT) corridor, strategic bus network corridor and suburban area nodal points and corridors along the Ballincollig to Mahon LRT line, district centres, north and south environs, Glanmire, city and suburban area expansion (sustainable and infrastructure led), metropolitan towns on rail corridor, (Monard SDZ, regeneration of metropolitan towns and urban expansion areas in Midleton, Cobh, Carrigtwohill, Blarney) and other metropolitan towns (including Carrigaline). Employment & Enterprise Strategic locations and drivers for economic growth in the metropolitan area will include intensification of employment in the city centre, docklands, city suburban areas, Higher Education Institutes (UCC and CIT) and international centres of research and innovation such as Tyndall, Rubicon, MaREI, Cork Science and Technology Park, Mahon, Ringaskiddy, Marino Point, Carrigtwohill), Little Island and Whitegate. Strategic assets supported include Tier 1 Port of Cork, Cork Airport, health infrastructure and Cork University Hospital. The special role of Cork Harbour reflecting its natural and historic heritage, industry, maritime economy, tourism and communities, as a unique driver for the region is recognised and will be subject to an integrated framework plan. Environment The Cork MASP seeks to integrate sustainable economic and social development with the protection and enhancement of the natural environment which ensuring our transition to a climate resilient society. Objectives seek a healthy, green and connected metropolitan area, green infrastructure, inter-connected parks, sports and recreation facilities and greenways. Placemaking initiatives and public realm enhancements are supported. Social Infrastructure The Cork MASP supports on-going collaboration with regional stakeholders to ensure that social infrastructure such as education, lifelong learning and skills, healthy cities, health infrastructure and community facilities are provided. Social inclusion and regeneration of disadvantaged areas are supported. Cork MASP
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