Development plan · Waterford City and County Council
Waterford City and County Development Plan 2022–2028 — Chapter 3
One part of the council's development plan written statement, which the council publishes in parts. Variations adopted since are not in this text.
Waterford City and County Council · 2022–2028 · 46 pages
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- WATERFORD CITY & COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2022 – 202879 Retail Design Manual – 2012 This is a companion document to the Guidelines detailed above and is intended to guide planning authorities in formulating appropriate design polices and development management responses when dealing with retail issues. They also provide relevant parties with evidence-based quality principles to ensure that new retail development meets the highest standards for design, streetscape integration and connectivity. 3.6.1 Waterford City and County Retail Strategy 2020 The Retail Strategy for Waterford City and County (Appendix 4 and Chapter 3 Part 2 of the Plan) aims to consolidate Waterford city centre retail core as the premier retail destination in the County and Region, to promote retail development in Dungarvan and Tramore town centres, suburban district/ neighbourhood centres and to cater for local retail needs of communities across the County. 3.6.2 The Retail Hierarchy The retail hierarchy for the City and County is set out in Table 3.3. Waterford City is at the top of the hierarchy and forms Tier 1 within the retail hierarchy. The second-tier centres consist of the key town of Dungarvan, Tramore and existing district/suburban centres in the environs of Waterford City. Tier 3 consists of Urban Towns, while Tier 4 contains the Local and Neighbourhood Centres in Waterford City with Tier 5 comprising of Small Local Shops serving residential areas/ estates and shops attached to petrol filling stations etc which serve a local catchment area. Table 3. 3 Waterford Retail Hierarchy Level/Function Centre Tier 1 Metropolitan Waterford City Centre Tier 2 (L1) Sub-Regional Dungarvan Town Centre Tier 2 (L2) District/Suburban Centres Tramore Town Centre (In excess of 10,000 Population) Ardkeen/Farronshoneen Ferrybank Centre Abbeylands Kilbarry, Tramore Road, Inner Relief Road Waterford Shopping Centre, Lisduggan Tier 3 Small Towns and Rural Areas Dunmore East (1,500 – 5,000 Population) Portlaw Lismore Tallow Kilmacthomas Cappoquin Tier 4 Local Shopping Ballinakill Ballybeg Carrickphierish Cleaboy Hypermarket, Morgan Street Kilcohan The Outer Ring Road Williamstown, Ballygunner Road (opposite Meadowlands). Knockboy Tier 5 Other Local Shops in Waterford City Villages in Waterford County
- WATERFORD CITY & COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2022 – 202880 3.6.3 Assessment of Retail Developments In accordance with the Retail Planning Guidelines, a number of relevant development management criteria have been identified for the assessment of retail developments. It is important to note that these criteria should be read in conjunction with other requirements of the Plan, in particular those set out in Volume 2 Development Management Standards, as well as the Retail Strategy in Appendix 4. 3.6.4 Multifunctional and Flexible City Centre The centre of Waterford City needs to become more resilient and adaptable to change. The City Centre must evolve to become a multifunctional and flexible space which, in addition to providing important retail uses, also provides a range of other uses including residential, leisure, recreation, employment, tourism, civic, community, cultural, health and education for the communities they serve. The combination of these uses will assist in further adding to the vibrancy and vitality of existing uses and can help to foster a real sense of place, identity and inclusivity for local residents and visitors alike. While this section focuses primarily on Waterford City, the principles can be applied to Dungarvan and Tramore as well as small towns and villages as multifunctional centres in the wider context of retail planning policy, it also draws on the approach to the creation of a sense of place (please also refer to policy objectives of Chapters 7 and 8). In general the retail sector as a whole has undergone significant change in recent years due to a shift in shopping patterns and the rise of internet shopping, ‘click and collect’ and the emergence of ‘omni channel consumers’, who use a combination of traditional brick and mortar retailing combined with online platforms to make their purchases. The focus going forward in physical retailing is on what is referred to as ‘experiential’ retail, with a resultant shift from a town centre dominated by comparison retail offer to one where more time is spent on ‘experiences’ such as leisure, culture, heritage, food, beverages and retail services. Traditional economic indicators alone are no longer sufficient to measure the performance of a town in what is now a much more diverse and complex offer. This new departure presents considerable opportunity for Waterford. The City already provides an array of leisure, employment, housing, cultural/heritage and education opportunities in addition, to a broad retail offer. The trends identified above can only help to strengthen the city. Other larger urban, suburban district, neighbourhood and small towns/ villages centres also stand to benefit from the trends identified above, in particular the increased popularity of neighbourhood and local shopping. 3.6.5 Core Shopping Area The core shopping area of Waterford City is identified on Figure 3.5. The area extends from the North Quays southwards and includes Barronstrand Street, Broad Street, John Roberts Square, Georges Street, Gladstone Street, Little Patrick Street, Patrick Street, Arundel Square, Conduit Lane, Exchange Street, Kiezer Street, Henrietta Street, New Street, Stephen Street and Michael Street and the blocks between these streets. In order to facilitate a multifunctional/ flexible approach to the city centre as well as maintaining and strengthening the retail character of the core shopping area, which can be adversely affected by dead frontage and lower-order retail uses, the retail core has been designated into Zone 1 and Zone 2 streets. The function of these zones area explained below, with lands use criteria set out in Table 3.4 and their location displayed in Figure 3.5 and 3.6.
- WATERFORD CITY & COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2022 – 202881 Waterford City & County Development Plan 2022 - 2028 Waterford City Centre Retail Core Area Legend: Retail Core Area Figure 3.6 Waterford City Retail Core Area Figure 3.7 City Centre Precincts (Source North Quays Planning Scheme)
- WATERFORD CITY & COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2022 – 202882 The purpose of Zone 13 is to protect the primary retail function of the core shopping area with an emphasis on higher/medium order comparison retail and a rich mix of uses, while Zone 2 streets designation allows for a more flexible and multifunctional approach to be taken to uses on these streets 3.6.6 City Centre First/ Sequential Approach Where the location of a proposed retail development is in an edge-of-centre or out-of-centre location, a sequential test must be applied in line with the Retail Planning Guidelines. The order of priority for the sequential approach is to locate retail development in Waterford City Centre core shopping area and the suburban district centres, and only to allow retail development in edge-ofcentre or out-of-centre locations where all other options have been exhausted. 3 Zone 1 includes the following streets: Michael Street, Broad Street, Barronstrand Street, Great George’s Street, Blackfriars Street, Arundel Lane, Arundel Square and Peter’s Street. Table 3. 4 Core Retail Area Street Types Type Description Zone 1 Includes the main shopping streets of Michael Street, Broad Street, Barronstrand Street, Great George’s Street, Blackfriars Street, Arundel Lane, Arundel Square and Peter’s Street within Waterford City Core Retail Area. In order to strengthen the retail offer of these streets, the land-use objectives will be in favour of higher/medium order retail use at ground floor level. Proposals for service outlets such as, call centres, bookmakers, take-aways, amusement arcades and casinos will be discouraged at ground floor level. Other non-retail uses such as pubs, cafés, restaurants, will be considered on their merits; such developments will be permitted provided the primary retail function of the street will not be undermined. Zone 2 Includes all other streets and lanes within the Core Shopping area. These streets already have a mix of retail and nonretail uses. In order to strengthen the retail character of these streets, further development of retail frontages will be encouraged. Complementary non-retail uses such as a café and restaurants that add to the vibrancy of the street and create a mixeduse environment to provide for a more integrated shopping and leisure experience, will be considered favourably but with regard also to the primary retail function of the street. Applications for other retail service outlets and other uses such as internet cafés, call centres, bookmakers, take-aways, off-licences, amusement arcades, 'vape-shops', ‘cash for gold’ and ‘Pound’ type shops, car rental, financial institutions and offices at ground floor level will be assessed on their merits, and may only be permitted where such development would not result in a predominance of such similar non-retail frontages on the street. Other Areas Within other areas of the City Centre the Planning Authority will seek to promote the revitalisation of vacant / derelict properties / shop units as a priority. Any proposals for new retail/commercial developments or the conversion of existing residential buildings for retail/ commercial uses will be assessed on their merits and in accordance with the sequential approach to retail/commercial development. Applications for other retail service outlets and other uses such as internet cafés, call centres, bookmakers, take-aways, off-licences, amusement arcades, 'vape-shops', ‘cash for gold’ and ‘Pound’ type shops, and other uses that can adversely affect the character of an area will be assessed on their merits, and may only be permitted where such development would not result in a proliferation of such similar frontages/uses on the street.
- WATERFORD CITY & COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2022 – 202883 Applicants will be required to consider altering their formats and considering smaller sites and multi-storey options. In accordance with RPO 151(f) and (g) of the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy, adequacy of parking provision at non-residential sites will not be considered as a measure for site suitability in sequential tests. Where retail development in an edge-of-centre site is being proposed, the applicant must demonstrate that there are no sites or potential sites including vacant units within a city centre or within a designated district/ suburban centre that are (a) suitable (b) available and (c) viable, can that edge-of-centre site be considered. 3.6.7 Suburban District Centres and Local Shopping Retail provision has an important role to play in the creation of vibrant centres and sustainable neighbourhoods in both existing and new areas and will become more important in the creation of the City’s 10-minute neighbourhoods. The Council will encourage appropriate retail provision throughout the city in accordance with the Retail Planning Guidelines (2012) and the settlement and retail hierarchy, core strategy and retail strategy. 3.6.8 Retail Warehousing The Waterford City and County Retail Strategy highlights that there will be limited demand for further retail warehousing floorspace in Waterford City or County in the short term. The Retail Planning Guidelines, state that individual retail units should not be less than 700 sq. metres and not more than 6,000 sq. metres in size. These figures are gross floor area, including storage and garden centres. In respect of retail warehouse developments outside town centres, it is essential that the range of goods sold is restricted by planning condition to bulky household items such as DIY products, carpets, furniture, and electrical goods. Failure to do so may have a negative impact on the vitality and viability of the town centre area. The Guidelines provide for a cap on large-scale single retail warehouse units in excess of 6,000 sq. metres gross (including any ancillary garden centre) due to their potential impact on the road network and their potential for creating local monopolies which would inhibit competition within local catchment areas. However, the 6,000 sq. metre gross cap can be relaxed in the exceptional circumstance. The scale of such outlets requires a regional, if not a national, population catchment. Accordingly, proposed exceptions to the 6,000 sq. metres retail warehouse cap may be considered on the merits of individual development applications in the five cities of Dublin, Cork, Waterford, Limerick/Shannon and Galway. In order to be acceptable from a planning perspective, any proposal for an individual large-scale retail warehouse with a floorspace in excess of 6,000 sq. metres gross must demonstrate compliance with the criteria set out in the Section 4.11.2 of the Retail Planning Guidelines. 3.6.9 Joint Retail Strategy for the Waterford MASP Area The Retail Planning Guidelines (2012) states that ‘Joint or Multi-Authority Retail Strategies must be prepared’ for urban areas and identifies Waterford and Counties Kilkenny, Tipperary and Wexford as the planning authorities which should participate in the preparation of the Joint Retail Strategy. Having regard to the provisions of the Retail Planning Guidelines, 2012, and in particular paragraph 3.5 ‘Joint or Multi-Authority Retail Strategies’, and the Southern Regional Assembly ‘Regional Spatial Economic Strategy’, 2040, Waterford MASP Policy Objective 19 (a), the Council is committed to delivering a Joint or Multi-Authority Retail Strategy for the Waterford MASP Area.
- WATERFORD CITY & COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2022 – 202884 Waterford City Retail Policy Objectives W City Retail 01 Retail Guidelines Ensure that all proposed retail development accords with the relevant policies of the Development Plan and the requirements and criteria as established within the Retail Planning Guidelines 2012, the accompanying Retail Design Manual and the Waterford City and County Retail Strategy 2020 (or any subsequent updates of the above). W City Retail 02 Retail Hierarchy Retail development should be of a type, size and scale appropriate to the centre, having due regard for the retail hierarchy and the appropriate level of development at each tier. The appropriate level of development at each tier is defined in Section 4.12.6 of the Development Plan. W City Retail 03 Primacy of City Centre To affirm, maintain and protect the status of Waterford City Centre’s retail core area as the primary shopping area for high and medium order retail goods in the Southeast Region, affording a variety and mix of shopping, cultural and leisure attractions. W City Retail 04 City Centre First Approach/ Sequential Approach The retail core area will form the main focus and preferred location for new retail development. The Council will apply the sequential approach to retail development proposals outside the city centre retail core area. Edge of centre sites or out of town centre sites will only be considered when it has been clearly demonstrated that all suitable available and viable sites in the city retail core area/ suburban district centres have been fully investigated and considered in accordance with the Retail Planning Guidelines and in particular the sequential test. W City Retail 05 Suburban and Neighbourhood Centres To promote retail provision in the following location: • Suburban district centres, • Neighbourhood centres, • Local convenience shops in residential areas (where there is a clear deficiency of retail provision by permitting developments of up to 100m2 net sales area), subject to protecting residential amenity, and • Forecourt shops at service stations (up to 100m2 net sales space). The type of retail should be of an adequate level, type, scale and the nature of the floorspace proposed should be appropriate to that centre in the context of the guidance set out in the Retail Planning Guidelines (2012) or any update thereof. Any proposal for significant comparison floorspace should be supported by a clear assessment as to whether such development would have a material impact on Waterford City Centre. The sale of high and middle-high order comparison goods will be restricted to the City Centre area to protect and strengthen its retail primacy.
- WATERFORD CITY & COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2022 – 202885 Waterford City Retail Policy Objectives W City Retail 06 Multifunctional Centres We will support the development of Waterford City Centre, Suburban District Centres and Neighbourhood Centres as accessible, multifunctional centres which are of a high quality urban realm and placemaking standard, which provide a variety of uses at an appropriate scale, which facilitate the development of the City’s 10 minute neighbourhood concept and meet the needs of the communities they serve. In relation to the core retail area in Waterford City Centre we will promote active uses at street level on the principal shopping streets in the city centre retail core having regard to the criteria for Zone 1 and Zone 2 streets set out in Table 3.4. W City Retail 07 Retail Warehousing The Council will strictly control additional new retail warehousing in Waterford City for the duration of the Plan. Any application for retail warehousing will be required to demonstrate that the proposal will not impact adversely on the vitality and viability of the City Centre in accordance with the criteria set down in the Retail Planning Guidelines for Planning Authorities (2012) or any update thereof and the Retail Strategy. W City Retail 08 Joint Retail Strategy Within one year of adoption of the Waterford City and County Development Plan we will prepare a Joint Retail Strategy for the Waterford Metropolitan Area in conjunction with Kilkenny County Council/adjoining relevant local authorities and the Southern Regional Assembly, in accordance with the Retail Guidelines (2012) and Waterford MASP policy Objective 19, and we will vary the Development Plan as necessary following completion of the Joint Retail Strategy.
- WATERFORD CITY & COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2022 – 202886 3.7 Waterford Cultural Quarter Waterford Cultural Quarter is located along the spine of O’Connell Street and its peripheral streets and spaces (as displayed across) linking Great George’s Street to Waterford Distillery and is the focus of culture-led regeneration in the city. The linear streetscape of fine buildings which was once the business and enterprise hub of Waterford now offers an opportunity to repurpose the area to support liveability, knowledge, experimentation, creativity and innovation. To support the delivery of the Cultural Quarter and a vibrant, diverse and resilient city centre Waterford City and County Council produced the first strategic plan for the area in 2017 which recognised the important role culture plays in developing identity for city neighbourhoods and in delivering social and economic outcomes. We have now prepared a strategic plan for the period 2021-2025 which focuses on buildings and uses, the public realm and placemaking and collaboration. We are committed to supporting the vibrancy and diversity of the area and developing its potential for a new generation and an enriched city centre neighbourhood/community.
- WATERFORD CITY & COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2022 – 202887 Waterford City Cultural Quarter Policy Objective W City 19 In support of RSES MASP Policy Objectives 6, 19 and 20 which seek to enhance the regeneration, vibrancy, tourism and strategic employment opportunities for Waterford City through delivery of the Waterford Cultural Quarter, we will implement the actions set out in the Waterford Cultural Quarter Strategic Plan 2021-2025 and seek further opportunities and sources of funding to support the collaborative efforts of key stakeholders and community groups in building the creative and innovative potential of the Cultural Quarter and its associated communities. 4 A CULTURAL QUARTER FOR WATERFORD
- WATERFORD CITY & COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2022 – 202888 3.8 Citywide Amenity & Recreation The planned unprecedented growth of the Waterford Metropolitan Area will see increased demand for access to sporting and recreational amenities, parks and open spaces. Development of easily accessible new regional parks and recreation areas across the city and it metropolitan area are essential to provide an attractive place with a high quality of life while providing space for nature and biodiversity, health and wellbeing and enhancing our resilience to climate change. Strategic planning for significant amenity and biodiversity spaces has not heretofore occurred in the City. We do however have significant natural capital already across the City in areas like the River Suir and River Barrow, Waterford Estuary/Harbour, St. John’s River and other water channels, Kings Channel area, the municipal golf course, Waterford Nature Park and Kilbarry Nature Park, Peoples Park, Ballybricken Green, Kilbarry pNHA, Coady’s pond and other biodiversity sites/wetlands, Waterford Greenway, trees stands, significant mature treelines and woodlands and the potential for enhanced pollinator planting within our public green spaces and across our carriageway verges (See Appendix 11 for further details).
Source Waterford City and County Council: Waterford City and County Development Plan 2022–2028 — Chapter 3 (2022–2028) · 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.