Waterford City and County Development Plan 2022–2028 — Chapter 4

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   Economy, Tourism, Education and Retail Chapter 4 Sustainable Compact Growth Sustainable Tourism Climate Action Accessibility and Connectivity Diverse Economy and Education Rural Economy Part 3: Waterford City and County Policy Objectives

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   WATERFORD CITY & COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2022 – 202896 Chapter 4: Economy, Tourism, Education and Retail Strategic Objectives To assist and ensure that: i. Waterford City is enabled to build its critical mass and fulfil its role as a driver for regional development in the South East Region, and ii. The provision of key investment priorities throughout the city and county is facilitated, whilst ensuring they develop in a sustainable way with a good quality of life and opportunities for all citizens. To provide opportunities which encourage sustainable low carbon and resilient economic growth, innovation, and commercial activity and create opportunities for new economic growth and employment, in both urban and rural areas that are both appropriate for, and attractive to, the needs of different industries, while at the same time identifying, coordinating and improving the provision of infrastructure necessary to allow Waterford City and County to grow and prosper over the long term. To develop, deliver and promote Waterford as a year-round world class tourism destination, with authentic, memorable experiences which attracts local, regional, national and international visitors generating long term and lasting benefits to enhance and support local communities and realise additional economic growth, jobs and prosperity for the people of Waterford. To develop and market Waterford as a ‘UNESCO Learning City’, and to provide the necessary infrastructure, education and employment opportunities, complete with a university of significance, and associated accommodation, amenities and the quality of life to enable Waterford to compete at a national and international level as a modern European city of scale and significance. Key elements to this will be 'talent retention and talent attraction' with the South East Technological University, headquartered in Waterford City, playing an active part in creating the kinds of educational and employment opportunities required to support this Objective. To ensure that Waterford City asserts itself as the primary retail and commercial destination of the South East Region through the meaningful redevelopment of key sites within the City Centre and the strategic development of the North Quays. 4.0 Introduction Our vision is to support a strong, sustainable, resilient and successful economy, underpinned by tourism, enterprise, innovation and skills, and access to quality education for all. This will be facilitated by creating places that can foster enterprise and innovation, and attract investment and talent, and can be achieved by building regional economic drivers for Waterford as listed in the RSES and by supporting opportunities to diversify and strengthen the economy/circular economy, to leverage the potential of places.

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   WATERFORD CITY & COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2022 – 202897 Access for all to a range of quality education facilities is a defining characteristic of attractive, successful and competitive places. There is an acknowledged link between educational attainment and quality of life. Education is positively related to economic growth, with greater levels of attainment giving access to wider sections of the labour market; and education reduces the risk of social exclusion and poverty, and encourages social participation. We will achieve this by supporting the growth and development of all learning institutions and promoting and fostering links with business/ enterprise and technological innovation. The development and enhancement of Lifelong Learning and Healthy City initiatives in Waterford will be essential components of achieving UNESCO Learning City/ Region status. The Development Plan will also support the development of the Learning City/ Region initiative to other urban and rural centres of population through existing networks (e.g., the Library Service), and support the preparation and implementation of a Learning Region Strategy. The Council supports the planned transition of WIT to South East Technological University (SETU), headquartered in Waterford City, this development will act as a key enabler to transform Waterford into the South-East Regional Capital and into a modern European University City. The new university will engage in a wide variety of activities, its contribution to the city and county will be far reaching and will involve the following: a. a scaling up of higher education provision i. to increase the level of educational attainment amongst the regional population, ii. to address the outward migration of talent from the region, and iii. to increase the flow of students and others into the region. b. the deepening of impact on regional society and the economy through increased high-quality research and innovation activity i. increasing the knowledge capital of the region through enhancing the excellence of the research from within the academy, ii. focusing the application of that knowledge to drive the social and economic development of the region in domains of regional specialism and high impact, iii. as well as providing high-end, high-impact, well-paid employment opportunities for graduates, post-graduates, researchers and technical professionals. Employment and economic growth play a vital role in the planning system in delivering sustainable goals for the public good, improving the social and economic prospects of all residents, and the economic health and resilience of our city and county. Waterford must be “open for business” to become a successful, resilient and sustainable place, meeting the many different and changing needs and location requirements of the different sectors and sizes of business. Such an outlook also requires a concentrated, co-ordinated and collaborative cross-sectoral and cross-departmental approach, which seeks to deliver initiatives in a targeted manner and with a strategic focus. A proactive and active land management process, with strategically located land banks (brownfield and greenfield), is key to facilitate economic growth and development. To promote a diverse and resilient economy we will have to build on our existing assets (natural, cultural, and built environment), and put into practice new ideas from our colleges, research organisations, and our skilled workforce. We also need to improve our connections through upgrades to our transport and high-speed digital communications networks and play a more proactive role towards a low carbon economy.

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   WATERFORD CITY & COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2022 – 202898 In respect of the key broad functions and core elements which the Development Plan can support in relation to economic development, these include: • Setting out a planning framework for economic development that is in line with the plan hierarchy, settlement hierarchy and Development Plan Core Strategy and supports communities across Waterford. • Ensuring an adequate supply of zoned and serviced land for economic and employment-generating uses and growth at appropriate locations. • Developing a strategy for retail and tourism/ leisure. • Promoting and facilitating an improvement in the quality of life in all parts of the City and County. • Supporting the provision of education facilities and the knowledge economy in order to assist in fostering a culture of innovation, lifelong learning and life skills. • Facilitating and supporting entrepreneurial activity and clustering opportunities. • Supporting sustainable employment growth around Waterford’s natural resources. • Supporting key sectors for growth, including those at strategic transport/ access locations. • Provide a consistent approach to economic development that in turn generates certainty and clarity for applicants, developers and investors involved in the development process; and, • Provision of a framework of development management standards to promote best practice implementation of development in order to ensure and contribute towards a sustainable and highquality environment. Our approach to assisting in delivering balanced economic growth and development is underpinned by four priorities: • Investing in our people and our infrastructure in a sustainable way. • Fostering a culture of innovation, research and development. • Promoting inclusive growth and creating opportunity through local and regional cohesion; and, • Promoting integrated connectivity to boost our collaborations, trade and investment, health and wellbeing. 4.1 Context In terms of locations of employment, the CSO’s POWSCAR data offers a valuable insight. Figure 4.1 below provides a visual indication on the major areas of employment. The map details the number of local jobs within the Waterford Electoral Divisions (EDs). In total, there are 44,901 persons resident in Waterford who are at work. Of these, 38,423 jobs are located within Waterford, with 71% (27,345 being located in Waterford City (based on location of job via POWCAR, 2016).

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   WATERFORD CITY & COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2022 – 202899 Figure 4.1 Location of Jobs in Waterford This shows the significance of the MASP area, Waterford City and indeed Dungarvan as the main employment centres in Waterford. Darker shaded areas are those where there is a higher proportion of persons employed, relative to residents. Workplace zones in, or adjacent to, larger settlements show higher concentrations of employees. However, there are several rural workplace zones that also record high proportions of workers. Waterford’s economy has traditionally depended on strong agricultural and manufacturing sectors, with retail also comprising a major contributor to the City’s economy. The 2016 census demonstrated that the economic baseline has expanded, and the Waterford economy is well supported in: • manufacturing (16.3%). • commerce and trade (20.9%); and, • professional services (25.3%). Employment opportunities thus cover a broad-spectrum including Biotechnology, ICT and engineering, manufacturing and processing, professional services, tourism and hospitality, and local services. Economic sectors are likely to continue to be restructured. This is likely to include further broadening and addition of higher value-added activities in the pharmaceutical, life science, engineering, international business services sectors, as well as tourism. Agriculture in Waterford also supports thousands of jobs in the rural economy, both directly in food and drink processing and also in the wider agri-industry.

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   WATERFORD CITY & COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2022 – 2028100 4.2 Location Generally, new employment generating enterprises will be encouraged to base themselves in the city or existing towns, villages and settlement nodes, in support of the Development Plan Core and Settlement strategies, and in proximity to existing infrastructure, services and concentrations of employment. As such, policies relating to economic development and shaping our businesses, echo the key economic principles of the Southern Region’s RSES1. 4.3 Strategic Employment Development/ Growth Areas Projects and strategic employment areas identified through the NSOs and RSOs (included in Table 4.1), are regarded as key growth enablers for the City and County. They are also central to achieving sustainable economic and employment development, resilience, and growth. This will enhance and support our quality of life, together with the integrated provision of enabling infrastructure and utilities generally, including that of green/ blue infrastructure and improved public infrastructure and services. 1 (i) Smart Specialisation (ii) Clustering (iii) Capacity Building (iv) Knowledge Diffusion, and (v) Placemaking for Enterprise Development.

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   WATERFORD CITY & COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2022 – 2028101 4.4 Networks, Clustering, Innovation/Enterprise Hubs and Social Enterprise In addition to the active land management of economic sectors, the council aims to support and facilitate clustering/ innovation hub initiatives within and across sectors. Strengthening and developing clustering or innovation hub potentials (e.g. engineering, food, circular economy, creative industries, ecommerce, crafts, and tourism) will further attract and embed foreign owned companies and stimulate the growth and startup of more innovative Irish owned enterprises. Within the urban context, Waterford has existing clusters/ innovation hubs, including life sciences, communications technology, and manufacturing, centred around and supported by a number of highquality research centres. These include TQS in Lismore, the Telecommunications, Software and Systems Group (TSSG), the Pharmaceutical and Molecular Biotechnology Research Centre (PMBRC), Crystal Valley Tech and the South Eastern Applied Materials Research Centre (SEAM), as well as the ArcLab Research and Innovation Centre which is a focus for tech start-ups, and RIKON, a centre of Innovation in Business Technology Management, all with links to SETU. A number of these also support the wider city region. The Council will support the construction, and enhancement, of an extensive city and county-wide innovation network that will link all enterprise centres and related facilities through the SETU ArcLabs Innovation centre into one powerful ecosystem with significant resources, access to high quality research, business support, and other infrastructure. In addition to the above, clustering initiatives in the rural context, with communities working together, have resulted in the identification of a number of distinctive strategic areas within geographic clusters forming rural economic development zones2 within their respective areas as per Table 4.1. Such initiatives assist in providing a network and connected nodes of support for start-up business, learning, and co-operative initiatives throughout the city and county, and the Council will continue to assist in facilitating and supporting the provision of facilities which will support and strengthening these. 2 Functional economic areas where the ‘boundaries’ reflect patterns of economic activity (e.g. Travel-to-work) rather than administrative areas

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   WATERFORD CITY & COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2022 – 2028102 It is recognised that important symbiotic relationships exist between settlements/areas which advance enterprise and innovation at both a sub-regional and local level. Settlements and areas can share similar economic strengths and specialism’s, which combined, provide strategic opportunities to drive the regional economy, contributing to and interacting with the larger centres of growth such as key towns and metropolitan areas. These networks present opportunities for collaborative projects and shared benefits from strategic infrastructure investments, particularly from improved inter-regional connectivity (transport networks and digital communications) perspective. Regional Policy Objectives RPO 28 – Collaboration/partnership, RPO 29 – Rural Settlement networks and RPO 30 – Inter-Urban Networks as Regional Drivers of Collaboration and Growth recognise the important role of the development plan in fostering and supporting collaborative partnerships. The RSES also identifies the following potential networks which are supported through the policy objectives of the Development Plan: • Limerick – Waterford Transport and Economic Network: This potential network along a strategic eastwest axis across the region links the cities and MASP areas of Limerick and Waterford and the Atlantic Economic Corridor and Eastern Corridor along with the Key Town of Clonmel and the towns of Carrickon-Suir, Cahir and Tipperary. Early initiatives along this axis include the River Suir Blueway. • Waterford-Kilkenny-Carlow-Dublin M9/Rail Network: A potential inter-regional network and opportunity for economic collaboration connecting the Waterford Metropolitan Area and Key Towns of Carlow and Kilkenny City on a strategic road and rail corridor linking the region to the Dublin Metropolitan Area and Eastern and Midland Region. • Cork, Limerick-Shannon and Waterford Metropolitan Area Network. • Cork to Waterford Transport and Economic Network including the River Blackwater Blueway and intercounty Greenway network. • Eastern Corridor (Dublin Belfast Economic Corridor extending to Rosslare Europort including Gorey- Enniscorthy- Wexford & strong connectivity to New Ross, Waterford/Belview Port)). Waterford City and County Council supports partnership and collaboration and the delivery of sub – regional, inter-urban and local networks which enhance the sustainability and resilience of communities in Waterford and across the broader region, while also supporting improved intra-regional connectivity between networked settlements by means of public transport, rail, inter-urban walking and cycling routes, greenways and e-mobility initiatives. Opportunities for networks and clusters are identified in Table 4.1 while transport connectivity is considered further in Chapter 5. Social Enterprise is considered to be critical to the continuing improvement in welfare and living standards of people living in rural and urban communities in Waterford and will continue to be supported by the Council. It acts on enterprise, employment, second chance education, climate action, security, mental and physical health, transport, childcare and elderly care, performing arts, sport and recreation, social and economic inclusion, community services, infrastructure, facilities and all types of people and infrastructural programs.

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   WATERFORD CITY & COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2022 – 2028103 Table 4.1 Strategic Employment Locations Employment Opportunities Strategic Development Areas Increased densities and brownfield regeneration in existing built-up areas • City Centre (including Viking Triangle, • Waterford Cultural Quarter centred on O’Connell Street • Former Waterford Crystal Site, Cork Road • ‘Gas Works’ site (Johnstown Industrial Estate) • Millers Marsh • Bolton Street Car Park • Brooks Site • Waterford City East/Dunmore Road Employment and retail hubs in accessible locations to complement city/ town centre • North Quays SDZ • City Centre – Michael Street • Bilberry – former Waterford Stanley Site • Dungarvan (former Glanbia site) • Tramore –Riverstown and Pickardstown Commercial and research synergies in proximity to hubs such as a University/ Hospital/ Airport/ Port • SETU/ Research & Innovation Centre • Knowledge Campus • University Hospital, Waterford • Waterford Airport • Port of Waterford (Belview). Strategic regional and rural enterprise sites for campus-style/ space intensive uses to strengthen local employment base • IDA Business and Technology Park, Butlerstown, • Waterford Industrial Estate, Cork Road, • Existing Enterprise Centres: Dungarvan, Portlaw, Tallow, Lismore, Cappoquin, Dunmore East, Kilmacthomas, Dunhill • Additional/ New Enterprise Centres/ Co-working hubs: Dungarvan, Tallow, Lismore, Cappoquin, An Rinn (Gaeltacht na nDéise), Villierstown and Portlaw. Sub-Regional, Inter-Urban, Urban and Rural Networks and clustering synergies to leverage ‘connectedness’ and collective and collaborative efforts • Limerick – Waterford Transport and Economic Network • Waterford-Kilkenny-Carlow-Dublin M9/Rail Network • Cork, Limerick-Shannon and Waterford Metropolitan Area Network • Cork to Waterford Transport and Economic Network. • Eastern Corridor (Dublin Belfast Economic Corridor extending to Rosslare Europort, New Ross and Waterford/Belview Port)). • SETU Carriganore Campus/ SETU Research and Innovation Centre; IDA Business & Technology Park • Blackwater Valley and Blueway • Copper Coast • Comeragh Uplands • Waterford Estuary • Waterford Greenway • Gaeltacht na nDéise.

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    WATERFORD CITY & COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2022 – 2028104 Economic Policy Objectives ECON 01 We will support and facilitate regeneration, consolidation and growth at strategic employment and nodal locations along strategic public transport corridors, and maximise commercial and employment development opportunities so as to foster more sustainable economic growth, diversity and resilience in accordance with the Core and Settlement Strategies by: • Providing appropriate and adaptable zoning and use provisions throughout the city and county; • Maximising the efficiency of zoned lands by advocating for and facilitating the provision, upgrade or refurbishment of necessary and timely supporting infrastructure, sustainable transport opportunities, and utilities. • Work closely with the Southern Regional Assembly, neighbouring Local Authorities, TUSE, the Chamber’s, the IDA and other agencies to build and maintain a shared evidence base and monitoring framework to guide and enable the sustainable growth of our economy and communities. • Collaborating with government departments and agencies to build our shared bidding expertise and capacity so as to identify infrastructure deficits and opportunities, prepare strong business cases and identify funding sources, to bid, and successfully attract competitive funding which will deliver on the goals of the NPF and RSES and other national strategies that support regional and local authority statutory plans, associated strategies and local economic and community plans; • Supporting the development of small-scale ancillary services in large industrial and business parks where they do not detract from the vitality and viability of the city or town centres in the subject settlement. • Favourably considering the redevelopment of brownfield sites and disused agricultural or commercial buildings in urban and rural areas for industrial, enterprise or cultural developments, subject to normal planning considerations. • Ensuring that significant employment development is located at strategic locations as identified in Waterford MASP, in Table 4.0 and that other new employment generating enterprises base themselves in the city or existing towns, villages and settlement nodes, in proximity to existing infrastructure, services and concentrations of employment. • Supporting and facilitating a business environment that is attractive, accessible and healthy, and places Waterford City at the forefront of destinations for inward investment in the state and supports its role in the city region as the regional driver of growth. ECON 02 Strategic Employment Locations To support significant employment growth and development at strategic employment locations as identified within the Waterford MASP, Waterford Airport, The Port of Waterford, Dungarvan Key Town, Tramore and Kilmeaden, having regard to service availability, accessibility by sustainable transport modes, place-making for business, and the built and environmental context. We will also promote and facilitate employment in all our settlements where investment can be focused on: • Creating additional and multi-purpose employment opportunities to secure the long-term sustainable social, and environmental development of rural areas. • Encouraging economic diversification. • Supporting research, innovation and enterprise development, including through the support for/ provision of, incubation facilities. • Support the development of a network of digital hubs in order to attract new and start-up business; and • Facilitate the growth of rural enterprises and sustain a local rural hinterland.

Source Waterford City and County Council: Waterford City and County Development Plan 2022–2028 — Chapter 4 (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.