Eastern & Midland Regional Assembly Regional Spatial & Economic Strategy 2019-2031 Tionól Reigiúnach Oirthir agus Lár-Tíre Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly 2 Regional Spatial & Economic Strategy Contents CHAPTER 4: i Director’s Foreward ......................................................4 People and Place 42 ii Members of the Eastern and 4.1 Introduction and context .......................................... 42 Midland Regional Assembly .......................................4 4.2 Settlement Strategy ...................................................44 iii Cathaoirleach’s Message ...........................................5 4.3 Defining a Settlement Typology .............................. 47 4.4 Dublin City and Suburbs ............................................52 CHAPTER 1: 4.5 Regional Growth Centres ...........................................53 4.6 Key Towns ..................................................................... 71 Introduction 6 4.7 Self-Sustaining Growth Towns and Self-Sustaining Towns ............................................... 93 1.1 Vision ...............................................................................6 4.8 Rural Places: Towns, Villages and the 1.2 Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly ................6 Countryside ................................................................. 94 1.3 What is a Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (RSES)? ...........................................................8 1.4 Spatial and Economic Policy Background...............10 CHAPTER 5: 1.5 The RSES Process ........................................................ 13 1.6 Regional Profile ............................................................14 Dublin Metropolitan Area Strategic Plan (MASP) 98 CHAPTER 2: 5.1 Introduction and Context ......................................... 98 5.2 Vision .......................................................................... 100 5.3 Guiding Principles for the growth of the Dublin Strategic Vision 20 Metropolitan Area .................................................... 101 2.1 Our Shared Goals .......................................................20 5.4 Metropolitan Area Strategy ....................................102 2.2 Vision and Key Principles ..........................................23 5.5 Enabling Infrastructure ........................................... 106 2.3 Regional Strategic Outcomes .................................. 24 5.6 Integrated Land use and Transportation ..............107 5.7 Housing Delivery ........................................................112 5.8 Employment Generation .......................................... 114 CHAPTER 3: 5.9 Green Infrastructure and Amenities ......................116 Growth Strategy 26 CHAPTER 6: 3.1 Developing a Growth Strategy for the Region .......27 3.2 Growth Enablers for the Region ...............................33 Economy and Employment 120 6.1 Introduction ................................................................120 6.2 Profile ...........................................................................122 6.3 Economic Strategy ....................................................124 6.4 The Region’s Economic Engines and their Sectoral Opportunities ...................................132 6.5 Specific sectors: Retail, Tourism, Marine, Low Carbon Economy and Agriculture .................136 6.6 Drivers for Resilient, Sustainable and Inclusive Economic Growth .....................................142 6.7 Capacity Building: Bidding capacity, Shared evidence base, future proof, and anticipating economic structural changes .................................148 Contents 3 CHAPTER 7: CHAPTER 10: Environment and Climate 150 Infrastructure 218 7.1 Introduction ................................................................150 10.1 Introduction ................................................................218 7.2 Integrated Land and Marine Planning ..................152 10.2 Sustainable Management of Water ......................219 7.3 A Clean and Healthy Environment ........................155 10.3 Energy .........................................................................224 7.4 Flood Risk Management ..........................................156 10.4 Waste Management ................................................ 227 7.5 Biodiversity and Natural Heritage ........................ 160 7.6 Ecosystem Services...................................................163 7.7 Green Infrastructure .................................................164 CHAPTER 11: 7.8 Landscape ...................................................................169 7.9 Climate Change .........................................................172 All Island Cohesion 228 11.1 Introduction ...............................................................228 CHAPTER 8: 11.2 Collaboration with Northern Ireland in Support of an All Island Approach .......................229 Connectivity 182 8.1 Introduction ................................................................182 CHAPTER 12: 8.2 Transport Strategy ....................................................183 8.3 Framework for the Integration of Transport Implementation and Monitoring 234 planning with Spatial Planning Policies ................185 12.1 Introduction ...............................................................234 8.4 Transport Investment Priorities ............................ 160 12.2 Legislative Background ........................................... 235 8.5 International Connectivity .......................................194 12.3 Implementation ........................................................ 237 8.6 Communications Network and Digital 12.4 Monitoring and Reporting .......................................241 Infrastructure .............................................................197 CHAPTER 9: List of Tables ......................................................................242 List of Figures .................................................................... 243 Quality of Life 198 9.1 Introduction ................................................................198 Appendices EMRA RSES 9.2 Diverse and Inclusive Region ..................................199 9.3 Housing and Regeneration ......................................201 Appendix A Asset-Based Criteria 9.4 Healthy Placemaking ...............................................205 Appendix B SPA and County Population Tables 9.5 Social and Economic Opportunity ........................208 Appendix C Economic Chapter Appendices 9.6 Access to Childcare, Education Appendix D Environmental Legislation and Health Services ...................................................211 and Policy Background 9.7 Access to Arts, Culture, Language Appendix E Functional Urban Area Methodology and Heritage ...............................................................214 Appendix F List of Designated Sites in EMRA Appendix G Glossary Appendix H List of Flood Relief Schemes to be advanced in initial phase to detailed design and construction Appendix I List of Regional Policy Objectives 4 Regional Spatial & Economic Strategy Director’s Foreword A Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (RSES) is a strategic plan and investment framework to shape future growth and to better manage regional planning and economic development throughout the Region. It identifies regional assets, opportunities and pressures and provides appropriate policy responses in the form of Regional Policy Objectives. This RSES brings together for the first time spatial Throughout the strategy there are 3 planning, economic cross cutting key principles; policy and provides the environment for • Healthy Placemaking - To promote people’s quality investment, and in doing of life through the creation of healthy and attractive so it marks a significant places to live, work, visit, invest and study in. policy milestone for • Climate Action - The need to enhance climate Regional Government in resilience and to accelerate a transition to a low Ireland. Members from carbon society recognising the role of natural the 12 local authorities capital and ecosystem services in achieving this. that constitute the Region, came together • Economic Opportunity - To create the right as an Assembly to make, conditions and opportunities for the Region to for the first time, an realise sustainable economic growth and quality overarching strategy jobs that ensure a good living standard for all. that benefits the entire Region. In making this Strategy the Assembly is playing a key role in informing new approaches towards assisting in the delivery of regional development. The Assembly recognises the opportunities in the changing Established in 2015, the Assembly spent its initial setup period dynamic in Ireland and the Strategy seeks to optimise developing a comprehensive understanding of the needs of investment in the region and maximise the potential of its stakeholders, particularly across the areas such as place national and European funding. This will be done through making, housing, economic opportunity, our environment partnership with stakeholders and in collaboration with other and heritage and the regions infrastructure challenges. An agencies to deliver on the shared vision of the Strategy and to evidence based approach, to establish the issues and identify continue building a sustainable, healthy and resilient region. solutions, was undertaken by the Assemblies executive team and underpins the Strategy. A vision for the Region Jim Conway, was developed