Development plan · Westmeath County Council
Westmeath County Development Plan 2021–2027
The council's development plan written statement: its strategy, policies, objectives and development standards.
Westmeath County Council · 2021–2027 · 634 pages
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- TRANSPORT, INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENERGY 10 Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027 308 In addition, account shall be taken of the Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines 2005 in relation to the consideration of new housing development proposals affecting all Regional Roads as follows: • Avoid unnecessary new accesses, where access could be provided off a nearby local road. • Ensure that necessary new entrances are located in such a manner as to provide effective visibility for both users of the entrance and users of the public roads so that opportunities for conflicting movements are avoided, taking account of all relevant considerations such as traffic levels, typical vehicle speeds, plans for realignment. • Avoid the premature obsolescence of regional roads in particular, through creating excessive levels of individual entrances. For new developments, access onto the road network is a key issue, particularly in rural areas. The intensification of use of an existing access is normally preferable to the creation of a new access onto a rural road. Where new entrances are necessary, the relevant road design standards will be applied with relevant ‘TII Publications’ and DMURS in urban situations within the 50/60 km/h zone – Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets. Such road standards are required to guarantee the safety of the general public in the County and protect the carrying capacity of the road network. Transport and Infrastructure Policy Objectives – Non-National Roads It is a policy objective of Westmeath County Council to: CPO 10.52 Safeguard the carrying capacity and safety of the County’s regional and local road network. CPO 10.53 Continue to engage, at an early stage, with TII in respect of any plans or projects that are located in proximity to national road infrastructure. CPO 10.54 Implement the recommendations of the Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets (DMURS) and relevant ‘TII Publications’ in relation to urban streets and roads within the 50/60 km/h zone. CPO 10.55 Improve the standards and safety of our Regional and Local roads and to protect the investment of public resources in the provision, improvement and maintenance of this public road network. CPO 10.56 Seek the reduction of through-traffic passing through town centres. CPO 10.57 Increase the safety of children at schools by assessing safe routes to schools for school children and by the installation of traffic management measures. Require School Travel Plans to be submitted with applications by schools or colleges in accordance with actions as set out under Smarter Travel, A Sustainable Transport Future 2009 – 2020.
- TRANSPORT, INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENERGY 10 Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027 309 10.5.3 Corridor and Route Selection Process The Council will preserve a corridor to enable design options for road improvements and upgrades to be advanced. In this regard, the following Corridor and Route Selection Process will be undertaken for relevant new infrastructure: Stage 1 – Route Corridor Identification, Evaluation and Selection • Environmental constraints (including those identified in Section 4 of the SEA Environmental Report) and opportunities (such as existing linear infrastructure) will assist in the identification of possible route corridor options; • Potentially feasible corridors within which infrastructure could be accommodated will be identified and these corridors assessed. The selection of the preferred route corridor will avoid constraints and meet opportunities to the optimum extent, as advised by the relevant specialists; and • In addition to the constraints identified above, site-specific field data may be required to identify the most appropriate corridors. Stage 2 – Route Identification, Evaluation and Selection • Potentially feasible routes within the preferred corridor will be identified and assessed. The selection of preferred routes will avoid constraints and meet opportunities to the optimum In this regard the Council shall prioritise road safety and traffic calming measures near or at all schools within County Westmeath. CPO 10.58 Promote road safety measures throughout the County, including traffic calming, road signage and parking. CPO 10.59 Ensure that environmental improvements, traffic calming, and parking provision are provided for, which will respect and enhance the urban form and create a welldesigned public realm in towns and villages. CPO 10.60 Protect strategic regional roads listed in Table 10.2, against development where a maximum speed limit applies, except in exceptional circumstances, in order to protect the carrying capacity and safety of such roads. CPO 10.61 Seek to implement Regional Road Improvement Schemes as indicated in Table 10.3. CPO 10.62 Require all applications for significant development proposals affecting Regional or Local Roads to be accompanied by a Traffic and Transport Assessment (TTA) and Road Safety Audit (RSA), carried out by suitably competent persons, in accordance with the TII’s Traffic and Transport Assessment Guidelines.
- TRANSPORT, INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENERGY 10 Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027 310 extent, as advised by the relevant specialists, taking into account project level information and potential mitigation measures that are readily achievable; • In addition to the constraints identified above, site specific field data may be required to identify the most appropriate routes; and In addition to environmental considerations, the identification of route corridors and the refinement of route lines is likely to be informed by other considerations. Give consideration to TII Publications, including the Project Management Guidelines and Project Appraisal Guidelines, in addition, regard shall be taken of the ‘Westmeath County Heritage Plan 2018-2023’, Westmeath Biodiversity Action Plan 2014-2020’ and the ‘Westmeath Climate Adaptation Strategy 2019-2024’ or any revision made to these aforementioned publications, in the design of both national and non-national roads. Transport and Infrastructure Policy Objectives – Corridor and Route Selection Process It is a policy objective of Westmeath County Council to: CPO 10.63 Protect the study area, route corridor options and thereafter the preferred route corridor selected for the national road schemes being progressed in accordance with National Development Plan Objectives included in Table 10.1, from development that could prejudice their future delivery.
- TRANSPORT, INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENERGY 10 Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027 311 10.6 Mobility Management Plans Mobility planning by business, educational facilities and institutions that have high numbers of employees is a way of promoting sustainable means of access, reducing traffic congestion in urban areas and making more efficient use of land by reducing the need for car parking. It is Council policy to promote the use of mobility management and travel plans to bring about behaviour change and more sustainable transport use and the achievement of reduced car dependency. Mobility management plans will be required to accompany planning applications for significant new developments or trip intensive developments. Mobility management plans must address: • The need to provide adequate, affordable and sustainable means of access for employees, visitors and others (e.g. students). • The need to promote and support alternative means of transport to the private car, i.e. public transport, cycling, walking. • The need to minimise the impact of traffic and parking generated by the business, educational facility or institution in the surrounding areas. • The need to manage on-site parking (if any is to be provided). Transport and Infrastructure Policy Objectives – Mobility Management Plans It is a policy objective of Westmeath County Council to: CPO 10.64 Require mobility management plans to be submitted with applications for trip intensive developments, including schools, significant employers, business parks and industrial estates.
- TRANSPORT, INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENERGY 10 Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027 312 10.7 Car Parking The management of parking in the County is important to its efficient economic development. Providing for additional parking in towns encourages further use of private cars and makes public transport a less attractive or viable option. Access to the town centre is essential for the successful operation of business. There is a balance to be achieved between facilitating necessary parking in the short term, and the overall objective, of having improved public transport as a viable alternative and as that becomes available of discouraging use of private cars. That can only be achieved in the medium term. In this regard, it is Council policy that a reduced car parking requirement will operate in both Mullingar and Athlone town centres, in order to encourage the establishment and the expansion of small businesses in these towns. Car parking standards will also be reviewed in Town Centres to reflect the proposed modal shift away from the private car to more sustainable forms of transport, such as public transport, cycling and walking. Transport and Infrastructure Policy Objectives – Parking It is a policy objective of Westmeath County Council to: CPO 10.65 Allow for the reduction in car parking standards in suitable locations in order to encourage a modal shift away from the private car to more sustainable forms of transport, such as public transport, cycling and walking. CPO 10.66 Manage on-street and off-street car-parking to accommodate longer term parking in less convenient and under-utilised off street car parks. CPO 10.67 Facilitate and support purpose built off-street car parks including multi-storey carparks, in preference to on-street parking. CPO 10.68 Ensure that applications for surface car parking are accompanied by landscaping proposals. CPO 10.69 Seek and promote the provision of Aged Friendly parking arrangements and further provide for the improvement of parking arrangements for people with disabilities.
- TRANSPORT, INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENERGY 10 Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027 313 10.8 Bicycle Parking Facilities Cycling is becoming increasingly recognised for the contribution it provides as a sustainable and healthy form of transport for work, education and leisure trips within and around the County. Provision of secure cycle parking facilities is essential for supporting the promotion and development of cycling as a more sustainable mode of transport. A lack of appropriate cycle parking facilities is often cited as a barrier to cycling and cycle ownership and could be a constraint on the future growth of cycling. In that regard, high quality secure cycle parking at origins and destinations is considered to be a key element of any strategy aimed at encouraging cycling. High quality cycle parking should be regarded as an integral part of any new development. Transport and Infrastructure Policy Objectives – Bicycle Parking Facilities It is a policy objective of Westmeath County Council to: CPO 10.70 Ensure the provision of appropriate bicycle parking facilities in convenient, secure locations and sited in as close as possible to the principal destination in all new developments, as part of any new applications in urban areas to assist with supporting modal shift away from private cars to more sustainable modes of transport i.e. cycling, walking, public transport. CPO 10.71 Undertake a review of public cycle parking provision in Athlone and Mullingar in order to inform any future Urban Area Plan for Athlone and Local Area Plan for Mullingar and support the undertaking of a review in all other towns and villages.
- TRANSPORT, INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENERGY 10 Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027 314 10.9 Water Infrastructure and Irish Water The sustainable growth of the County is dependent on the provision of services and infrastructure. A plan led approach, in accordance with the County’s Core Strategy and Settlement Strategy is required for the delivery of such services in order to ensure there is adequate capacity to support the future development of the County. Potential challenges to the future provision of services include the effects of climate change such as flooding or periods of drought which would have impacts on drinking water, water quality, foul drainage and wastewater. The Council aims to deliver high standards of protection for water and air, promote sustainable waste management through education and regulation and to prevent and mitigate the anticipated impacts of Climate Change by reducing our dependency on finite resources and committing to a low carbon future. The Council will work closely with Irish Water to inform and influence the timely provision of infrastructure within the County in line with the Core Strategy. The Council remains the designated Water Authority for the assessment and approval of on-site waste water treatment systems and is responsible for surface water drainage, flooding, monitoring of water pollution and is an agent of Irish Water for the maintenance of operational facilities throughout the County. There have been significant changes in responsibilities for water supply and waste water treatment. Irish Water was formed in July 2013 as a semi-state company under the Water Services Act 2013. As of January 2014, Irish Water replaced local authorities as a single provider of water and wastewater services. It is responsible for the operation of public water and waste water services including management of national water assets, maintenance of the system, investment and planning, and managing capital projects.
- TRANSPORT, INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENERGY 10 Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027 315 10.10 Water Supply and Distribution The protection of our surface and groundwater resources is one of the most fundamental challenges facing Westmeath in the future, as it is directly related to our health, well-being and ultimately our quality of life. Water catchment areas in Westmeath are designated around the River Shannon, Lough Owel and Lough Lene, in recognition of the important role these lakes and rivers play in the supply of potable water for much of the County. There is a need to safeguard these vital resources. The challenge is to ensure that existing water services infrastructure and capacity is adequately managed, which includes the ongoing implementation of a Water Conservation Programme. In 2018, under the Service Level Agreement with Irish Water, Westmeath County Council produced an average of 33,393m³ (7.3 million gallons) per day of drinking water from three water supply sources (Lough Owel, Lough Lene and the River Shannon) to serve a population of approximately 75,400 in the major towns and villages in the County as well as a wide rural area, through an extensive network of public water mains and public group water supply scheme extensions to the public mains. The Council will continue to engage with Irish Water to ensure that the future demands of the County are provided for and will continue to promote water conservation in conjunction with Irish Water. 10.11 Water Supply Projects 10.11.1 National Water Resources Plan (NWRP): Irish Water has identified key projects for the County which are included in Project Ireland 2040 to support planned development and maintain and improve existing services. In this context, Irish Water is currently progressing the first National Water Resources Plan (NWRP) which will set out the strategy of how we will move towards an environmentally sustainable, secure and reliable drinking water supply over the next 25 years. This plan involves assessing the external factors that will affect our water supplies, including changing environmental legislation, government policy on growth, spatial planning, water usage patterns and climate change. The Plan will provide a framework for developing new water supply assets to improve the reliability, sustainability and resilience of the water supply over future investment cycles; and the Council will seek to align its water supply policies with the NWRP framework. 10.11.2 South Westmeath Regional Water Supply Scheme The South Westmeath Regional Water Supply scheme will address water quality and capacity issues with the existing water supply for South Westmeath including Athlone and its town environs, Moate and extending east towards Rochfortbridge and Mullingar. The project is due for commencement by 2020 and is due to be completed by 2022. This project forms part of the NWRP and in particular, it is intended that the shortfall of water supply and capacity within the existing Athlone Water Treatment Plant will be addressed through short term improvements and operational upgrades / maintenance,
- TRANSPORT, INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENERGY 10 Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027 316 to provide and address water quality and capacity issues for the supply of Athlone town and environs. Medium to long term solutions for the Athlone, Mullingar and north Westmeath supplies will be further evaluated and developed through Irish Water’s NWRP. 10.11.3 Leakage Reduction Water conservation efforts will continue to be concentrated on the Lough Owel (Portloman) as a result of the depleted resources in Lough Owel, following the drought in 2018, and on the Athlone Water Supply network as a result of the high rates of leakage being experienced in Athlone. Irish Water “Find and Fix” Contractors and dedicated County Council crews will continue to be deployed to work on detecting watermains with high leakage rates and abandoning duplicated cast iron mains with high losses throughout the County. The area in greatest need of attention is Athlone where unaccounted for water (UFW) is currently running at 52% and both Council and Irish Water teams are currently actively involved in tackling problematic areas here in order to reduce this level of leakage. Irish Water continues also to monitor domestic water meters and where there is higher than normal usage of water, Irish Water offers a free “Find and Fix” service to homeowners to help them identify and repair leaks. 10.11.4 Water Networks Programme Irish Water continue to invest in the replacement of problematic sections of watermain throughout the County under their Water Networks Programme funding stream where a significant history of frequent bursts arises on particular watermains and watermain replacement projects are identified as a result. 10.11.5 Rural Water Programme The Rural Water Programme was established by the Government to improve the quality and efficiency of Ireland’s group water schemes. Through this programme, the construction of new group water and group sewerage schemes, the upgrade of group water schemes and taking-in-charge of existing group water schemes are undertaken, together with grants towards provision of new or upgrade of existing private water supply wells, and upgrades of existing water services infrastructure under the Small Schemes Programme. Water Supply Policy Objectives It is a policy objective of Westmeath County Council to: CPO 10.72 Support Irish Water in the implementation of their capital investment programme to ensure the timely delivery of water and waste-water infrastructure for the County. CPO 10.73 Collaborate with Irish Water in relation to the preparation of their Investment Plans in order to align the supply of water services with the County Settlement Hierarchy.
- TRANSPORT, INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENERGY 10 Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027 317 CPO 10.74 Ensure the efficient and sustainable use and development of water resources and water services infrastructure, in order to manage and conserve water resources in a manner that supports a healthy society, economic development requirements and a cleaner environment. CPO 10.75 Assist Irish Water in their commitment to water conservation and support efforts to tackle leakage through find and fix (active leakage control) and water mains rehabilitation. CPO 10.76 Support Irish Water in the implementation of Capital Projects to strengthen the Regional Water Supply Scheme, subject to environmental assessment. CPO 10.77 Support the implementation of the Water Supply Project for the Eastern and Midland Region, subject to environmental assessment. CPO 10.78 Support the implementation of the Rural Water Programme. CPO 10.79 Minimise wastage of water supply and promote water conservation measures by requiring, where appropriate, water conservation measures and the installation of water meters in all new developments. CPO 10.80 Ensure that delivery and phasing of water services are subject to the required appraisal, planning and environmental assessment processes and avoid adverse impacts on the integrity of the Natura 2000 network. CPO 10.81 Protect, safeguard and strictly control development within the water catchment areas of Lough Owel and Lough Lene, and other major sources of public water supply that would give rise to pollution of these water sources. CPO 10.82 Ensure that new development proposals connect into the existing public water mains, where available.
Source Westmeath County Council: Westmeath County Development Plan 2021–2027 (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.