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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- Appendix 3 Strategic Policy Guidance & Legislation Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2017 liii significant increase in the number of people using Greenways as a visitor experience and as a recreational amenity. County Westmeath Strategies and Plans • Climate Change Adaptation Strategy 2019-2024 • Westmeath County Development Plan 2014-2020 • Westmeath County Council Corporate Plan 2015-2019 (and any subsequent versions) • County Westmeath Biodiversity Action Plan 2014-2020 • Westmeath Heritage Plan 2018-2023 • Westmeath Age Friendly Strategy 2018-2022 • Draft Westmeath Recreation and Sport Strategy • Local Economic and Community Plan 2015-2020 • Westmeath County Retail Strategy 2019-2026 • Athlone Joint Retail Strategy 2019-2026 Ministerial Guidelines There are also a number of Guidelines for Planning Authorities issued by Government Departments as per Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended). Planning Authorities are required to have regard to any guidelines issued and accordingly this Draft Plan has considered the following guidelines: - Architectural Heritage Protection – Guidelines for Planning Authorities (DAHG, 2011) - Appropriate Assessment of Plans and Projects in Ireland – Guidance for Planning Authorities (DEHLG, 2009) - Childcare Facility Guidelines for Planning Authorities (DHPLG, 2001) - Core Strategy Guidelines (DEHLG, 2010) - Development Contribution Scheme Guidelines for Planning Authorities (DECLG, 2013) - Design Standards for New Apartments - Guidelines for Planning Authorities (March 2018) - Development Management Guidelines for Planning Authorities (DEHLG, 2007) - Development Plan Guidelines for Planning Authorities (DEHLG, 2007) - Guidelines for Planning Authorities and An Bord Pleanála on carrying out Environmental Impact Assessment (August 2018) - Spatial Planning and National Roads, Guidelines for Planning Authorities (DECLG, 2012) - Landscape and Landscape Assessment-draft (DELG 2000) - The Planning System and Flood Risk Management (DELG, 2009) - Provision of Schools and the Planning System (DEHLG, 2008) - Quarries and Ancillary Activities (DEHLG,2004) - Retail Planning Guidelines, Guidelines for Planning Authorities and Retail Design Manual (DECLG, 2012) - Implementation of SEA Directive (2001/42/EC): Assessment of the Effects of Certain Plans and Programmes on the Environment, Guidelines for Regional Authorities and Planning Authorities (DEHLG, 2004) - Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines (DEHLG,2005) - Sustainable Residential Development in Urban Areas and Urban Design Manual Best Practice Guide (DEHLG, 2009) - Sustainable Urban Housing – Design Standards for New Apartments (DHPLG2015) - Telecommunications Antennae and Support Structures Guidelines (DELG, 1996)
- Appendix 3 Strategic Policy Guidance & Legislation Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2017 liv - Tree Preservation Guidelines (DHPLG) - Urban Development and Building Height Guidelines for Planning Authorities (DEHLG, 2018) - Urban Design Manual, A Best Practice Guide (DEHLG, 2009) - Draft Revised Wind Energy Development Guidelines (DEHLG, 2019) - Smarter Travel, A Sustainable Transport Future, A New Transport Policy for Ireland 2009 – 2020 (Department of Transport).
- County Westmeath Retail Strategy APPENDIX 4
- Appendix 4 Westmeath County Retail Strategy Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2017 lv
- Appendix 4 Westmeath County Retail Strategy Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2017 lvi Statement: This report has been prepared by MacCabe Durney Barnes using due skill, care and diligence and is sufficient as a means of estimating future retail requirements of Westmeath County Council. The data and conclusions reached should not be used for other purposes. Westmeath County Retail Strategy Prepared for Westmeath County Council Adopted April 2019
- Appendix 4 Westmeath County Retail Strategy Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2017 lvii 7 The County Retail Strategy Every retail planning strategy must be clear as to its purpose and what it is intended to achieve. In respect of the Strategy, its foundations and purpose are set within the aim for retail planning and development in the County Development Plan. This aim is: To continue to sustain and improve the retail profile and competitiveness of County Westmeath, through the consolidation and environmental enhancement of town centres and settlements and by improving the quality and choice of retail developments on offer. To achieve the overall aim over the 2016 – 2026 period of the Strategy, a logical step-by-step framework has been adopted which is summarised in Figure 7.1. Figure 7.1 County Retail Strategy Framework OBJECTIVES STRATEGIC POLICY FRAMEWORK SPECIFIC POLICIES & PROPOSALS 7.1 Objectives The objectives underpinning the Strategy have been informed by the requirements of the GRP 2012; reviews of the MRPG 2010, County Development Plan 2014, other adopted Town and Local Area Plans and the 2007 Strategy; the current baseline and retail market trends; and, responding to the retail issues and opportunities that prevail in the County’s main centres and Westmeath as a whole. Founded on this, the retail planning objectives of the Strategy are: Objective 1: To sustain and improve the retail profile and competitiveness of the County and its main centres within the retail economy of the Region and beyond. Objective 2: To confirm a County Retail Hierarchy which assists in achieving the County and Regional Settlement Strategies and their objectives and provides clear guidance on where major new retail floorspace would be acceptable. Objective 3: To provide the retail land use and planning policy framework that harnesses the potential of Mullingar and Athlone’s role within the national and regional economies and to ensure that the County and these two key settlements fully play their role in achieving the objectives and targets of the National Planning Framework and associated RSES’.
- Appendix 4 Westmeath County Retail Strategy Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2017 lviii Objective 4: To sustain and enhance the vitality and viability of the Self-Sustaining Growth Towns and Self-Sustaining Towns within the County Retail Hierarchy and facilitate the means by which this can be achieved. Objective 5: To encourage and facilitate the preservation and enhancement of the retail and services role of Towns and Villages and Rural Serviced Settlements around the County. Objective 6: To reinforce the hearts of town and village centres as the priority location for new retail development, with quality of design and integration/linkage being key underpinning principles. Objective 7: To ensure that the retail needs of the County’s residents are met as fully as possible within Westmeath to enable a reduction in the requirement to travel to meet these needs and in the interests of achieving greater social inclusion and accessibility to shopping and services across all sectors of the community. Objective 8: To address leakage of retail expenditure from the County by providing the means to strengthen the range and quality of its retail offer. Objective 9: To align, as far as practicable, new retail development with existing and proposed public transport infrastructure and services and encourage access by foot and bicycle to reduce the dominance of access by private car. Objective 10: To encourage and facilitate the re-use and regeneration of derelict land and buildings for retail and other town centre uses, with due cognisance to the Sequential Approach. Objective 11: To promote and sustain the importance of retailing in the County’s tourism economy. Objective 12: To encourage and facilitate innovation and diversification in the County’s retail profile and offer. Objective13: To prepare and implement a Joint Retail Strategy for the counties of Westmeath, Roscommon and Offaly, in conjunction with Offaly and Roscommon County Councils following the adoption of the County Retail Strategy, as required in the GRP 2012. Objective 14: To prepare and implement with Roscommon County Council a Joint Retail Strategy for the Athlone – Monksland/Bellanamullia area (the Athlone Western Environs) in accordance with the recommendations of the Athlone Boundary Review Committee. Objective 15: To provide the criteria for the assessment of retail development proposals.
- Appendix 4 Westmeath County Retail Strategy Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2017 lix 7.2 Strategic Policy Framework The achievement of the Strategy’s objectives requires due cognisance to be taken of the strategic policy framework that underpins specific policies and proposals. This framework is set by the: i) County Retail Hierarchy; ii) Core Retail Areas; iii) Sequential Approach; iv) Spatial Distribution of New Retail Development; and v) Consideration of Need. 7.2.1 County Retail Hierarchy Policy SRP1: County Retail Hierarchy It is the policy of the Council to guide major retail development in accordance with the framework provided by the County Retail Hierarchy set out in Table 7.1 to enable an efficient, equitable and sustainable distribution of floorspace throughout the County. The County Settlement Hierarchy adopted in both the MRPG 2010 and County Development Plan generally well represents the County Retail Hierarchy which prevails. However, it has been slightly modified to incorporate specific types of retailing which characterise lower tiers of the County Retail Hierarchy, namely Towns and Villages, Neighbourhood Centres and Local Shops. These categories of retailing in the County Retail Hierarchy are referenced but no specific locations identified. Reflecting this, the County Retail Hierarchy is set out in Table 7.1. It is illustrated in Map 1 of Appendix I. Table 7.1: County Retail Hierarchy Position in the Hierarchy Description Settlement/Centre Tier 1 Regional Growth Centre Athlone. Tier 2 Key Town Mullingar Tier 3 Self- Sustaining Growth Towns Castlepollard, Moate, Kinnegad, Kilbeggan Tier 4 Self – Sustaining Towns Rochfortbridge, Killucan/Rathwire. Tier 5 Towns and Villages Clonmellon, Tyrrellspass, Delvin. Tier 6 Rural Serviced Multyfarnham, Ballymore, Ballynacarrigy, Milltownpass, Collinstown, Glasson, Ballinalack, Castletown-Geoghegan. Note 1: * Varies in the suburbs of Mullingar and Athlone
- Appendix 4 Westmeath County Retail Strategy Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2017 lx 7.2.2 Core Retail Areas Policy SRP2: Core Retail Areas It is the policy of the Council to define the Core Retail Areas of Mullingar and Athlone to provide guidance on the Sequential Approach. Definition of the Core Retail Areas relates only to Mullingar and Athlone as it was determined that the other main centres in the County – Castlepollard, Moate, Kinnegad and Kilbeggan – did not exhibit a clustering of central retail activity but rather this was spread along their respective Main Streets or areas adjacent. The defined Core Retail Areas for Mullingar and Athlone, along with the development opportunity sites and retail hubs identified in the Sequential Approach within the 400-metre distance of the Core Retail Areas in each of the towns, are illustrated in Maps 2 and 3 in Appendix I. The Core Retail Areas of the two principle settlements comprise the following: Athlone: Custume Place, Church Street, Dublin Gate Street, the Athlone Town Centre and John Broderick Street. Mullingar: Dominic Street, Oliver Plunkett Street, Mount Street, Castle Street and Pearse Street The Core Retail Areas have been modified from those defined in the MLAP 2014 and the ATDP 2014 and are generally smaller. The reduction in size reflects the issue that the larger the Core Retail Area is, then so too is the extent of the parameters for what would be defined as edge-ofcentre sites, with consequential implications for impact on the vitality and viability of the heart of both Athlone and Mullingar. In the absence of defining Core Retail Areas for the other main centres in the County, the Sequential Approach is founded on the recognised central point of each of these centres. The application of this approach is illustrated in Maps 4 to 7 in Appendix I for Castlepollard, Moate, Kinnegad and Kilbeggan, which identify the development opportunity sites within 300 metres of each of the centres. The reason why only the 300 metres distance and not that of 300 – 400 metres has been applied to these towns is addressed below under the Sequential Approach. 7.2.3 Sequential Approach Policy SRP3: Sequential Approach It is the policy of the Council to provide guidance on the application of Sequential Approach in the County’s main centres. The importance of the Sequential Approach in respect of sustaining and protecting the vitality and viability of centres is a fundamental principle in the Strategy. It is, thus, reinforced in the strategic policy framework for guiding new retail development. Proposals for retail developments in the County’s centres at whatever level in the County Retail Hierarchy must take full cognisance of this as follows:
- Appendix 4 Westmeath County Retail Strategy Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2017 lxi i) In the first instance, the priority should be locating retail development in town centres or village centres; ii) If town centre locations are not readily available within a reasonable and realistic timescale then edge-of-centre sites should be looked to. In successive GRP, these are defined as sites which are within 300 – 400 metres of the Core Retail Area, and less in smaller centres; and iii) Only after all the options for town centre (or village centre) and edge-of-centre sites are exhausted should out-of-centre locations and sites be considered. The suite of GRP qualify that the precise distance to apply to prescribing what is an edge-of centre site cannot be defined precisely as different centres vary in their size. Reflecting this, the approach adopted in the Strategy has been to distinguish between what is apposite for the two principle settlements and the other main towns within the County as follows: Mullingar and Athlone: a distance of 400 metres has been adopted in the identification of development opportunity sites Other Main Towns: reflecting their smaller scale and size only the 300-metre distance has been applied and this has been derived from the identification of a central point in each of the towns. 7.2.4 Spatial Distribution of New Retail Development The Strategy, in accordance with the GRP 2012, provides the strategic policy framework for the spatial distribution of new retail development. The emphasis is on strategic guidance on the location and scale of major retail development. The Strategy does not seek to inhibit small scale retail development in centres around the County, particularly smaller centres, but the scale should be appropriate to local needs. It should be taken to be implicit in the aims of the Strategy that such developments should be encouraged and facilitated to enhance the sustainability, vitality and viability of smaller centres in the County Retail Hierarchy. The hierarchy sets the framework for the spatial distribution of the nature and quantum of convenience and comparison floorspace. The following provides guidance on how the Strategy defines the distribution of strategic and non-strategic retail floorspace that is appropriate in Westmeath within the County Retail Hierarchy: i) Tier 1 – Regional Centre: major convenience and comparison, including bulky goods floorspace; ii) Tier 2 – Key Town: major convenience and comparison, including bulky goods floorspace; iii) Tier 3 –Self-Sustaining Growth Towns: large convenience and middle order comparison, specifically tourism related/niche comparison, and small-scale bulky goods floorspace; iv) Tier 4 – Self-Sustaining Towns: large convenience and middle order comparison, specifically tourism related/niche comparison, and small-scale bulky goods floorspace; v) Tier 5 –Towns and Villages: local level convenience and comparison, but not excluding tourism related/niche comparison in the former; and vi) Tier 6 – Rural (serviced): predominantly additional local level convenience, but not excluding tourism related/niche comparison in the former.
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