CARLOW COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2015 – 2021 August 2015 1 2 CARLOW COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2015 - 2021 AN PLEAN FORBARTHA CHONTAE CHEATHARLOCHA 2015 - 2021 The making of the County Development Plan is one of the most important tasks carried out by the elected members representing the people of County Carlow. Economic, social, cultural and environmental aims and objectives for County Carlow are planned and implemented through the County Development Plan. The County Development Plan presents a vision for County Carlow and establishes the strategic priorities for the County and, when adopted, is a contract between the Council and the community to guide development throughout County Carlow. The proper planning and sustainable development of County Carlow is enshrined in the mission statement of Carlow Local Authorities Corporate Plan - “Our mission is to provide a quality local government service for the people of County Carlow, through the protection and enhancement of the environment and improvement of the quality of life. We will achieve this by fostering a partnership between the elected members and staff of Carlow Local Authorities and all sectors of the community. In a spirit of mutual trust, we will work in an open, effective and participative way, to ensure that County Carlow becomes an environmentally sustainable county, which is economically, culturally and socially inclusive and vibrant, where everybody can live and work in a healthy and safe community and where Carlow Local Authorities earn a reputation for the quality and efficiency of our services”. “Ár misean ná chun seirbhís rialtais áitiúil den scoth a sholáthar do phobal Chontae Ceatharlach, tríd an timpealacht a chosaint agus a fheabhsú agus cur le cáilíocht an bheatha. Aimseoimid é seo trí rannpháirtíocht a chothú idir na baill tofa agus foireann Údaráis Áitiúl Ceatharlach agus rannóga uile an chomhphobail. Le spiorad comhmhuinín oibreoimid i slí oscailte, éifeachtach agus rannpháirtíoch chun a chinntiú go mbíonn Contae Ceatharlach ina chontae le timpeallacht inchothaithe, atá comháireamh go heacnamaíoch, cultúrtha, sóisialta agus bríomhar, áit ar féidir le cách maireachtáil agus obair I gcomhluadar sláintiúl agus sábháilte agus ar féidir le Údaráis Áitiúl Ceatharlach cliú a bhaint amach do cháilíocht agus éifeachtacht ár seirbhísi”. The County Development Plan will endeavour to fulfill these aspirations. A./CHIEF EXECUTIVE Dan McInerney 3 Carlow County Development Plan 2015 -2021 Chapter One - Introduction 1.0 Plan Composition 18 1.1 Policy and Legislative Context 18 1.1.1 The National Spatial Strategy (NSS) 19 1.1.2 Ministerial Guidelines and Directives 19 1.1.3 Regional Planning Guidelines for the South East Region 2010 -2022 20 1.1.4 Planning & Development Act 2000, as amended (including Statutory 20 amendments) 1.1.5 The South East River Basin Management Plan 21 1.2 Public Consultation 21 1.3 Role of the Planning Service 23 1.4 Ceatharlach as Gaeilge / Bi-Lingual Carlow 23 1.5 Social Inclusion 23 1.6 Strategic Environmental Assessment 23 1.7 Habitats Directive 24 1.8 Sustainable Development 25 1.9 Summary 25 Chapter Two - Development Strategy 2.0 Vision for County Carlow 2015 – 2021 28 2.1 Strategic Goals 29 2.2 Strategic Development Opportunities 31 2.3 Demographic and Socio Economic Trends in Carlow 34 2.3.1 Population Trends 34 2.3.2 Socio Economic Profile 35 2.3.3 Review of Census Data 36 2.4 Core Strategy 36 2.4.1 Positioning of Carlow Town & the wider Carlow Graiguecullen Urban 37 Area 2.4.2 Regional Settlement Strategy 37 2.4.3 Proposed Settlement Structure 38 2.4.4 Regional Population Targets 40 2.5 Settlement Structure for Carlow 41 2.5.1 Carlow Town and Environs 42 2.5.2 District Towns 42 2.5.3 Smaller Towns and Villages 43 2.5.4 Settlement Policy 43 2.5.5 Existing Local Area Plans 44 4 2.5.6 Compliance with Population Targets 47 2.5.7 Core Strategy Table 47 2.6 Retail Strategy 49 2.7 Rural Settlement Strategy 50 2.7.1 Rural Area Types in County Carlow 50 2.7.1.1 Housing in Rural Settlements 52 2.7.1.2 Community and Housing in the Countryside 52 2.7.1.3 One-off Housing in the Countryside 53 2.7.1.4 Persons who are an intrinsic part of the rural community 53 2.7.1.5 Persons Residing in Bordering Counties 54 2.7.1.6 Persons working full time or part time in rural areas 54 2.7.1.7 Social/Community, Medical and Personal Circumstances 55 2.7.2 Environmental Requirements for Rural Housing in the Countryside 56 2.7.2.1 Restrictions on Development on Regionally Important Acquifers 56 2.7.2.2 Development Control Assessment 57 2.7.3 Design Siting Requirements 57 2.7.4 Occupancy Requirements 58 2.7.5 Speculative Housing Development in the Open Countryside 58 2.7.6 Ribbon Development 59 2.7.7 Backland Development 59 2.7.8 Infill Housing 59 2.7.9 Abandoned and Semi-Derelict Dwellings 59 2.7.10 Replacement of Existing Dwellings 59 2.7.11 Roadside Boundaries and Hedges 60 2.7.12 Rural House Design Guidance 60 2.7.13 Ongoing Monitoring and Review 60 2.7.14 Holiday Homes and Tourism Accommodation 60 2.7.15 Sterilisation Agreements 61 2.8 Implementation of Settlement Strategy 61 Chapter Three - Economic Development 3.0 Introduction 64 3.1 Economic Development Strategy 66 3.2 Policy Context 69 3.2.1 National Spatial Strategy 69 3.2.2 Regional Planning Guidelines 70 3.2.3 Government Publications 70 3.2.4 South East Economic Development Strategy (SEEDS) 2013 71 3.2.5 Action Plan for Jobs 71 3.2.6 Local Authorities Supporting Enterprise 72 3.2.7 Horizon 2020 – IDA Ireland Strategy (2010) 72 5 3.2.8 Harvest 2020 – A Vision for Irish Agri-Food & Fisheries (DAFF 2010) 72 3.2.9 Innovation Ireland: Report of Innovation Taskforce (2010) 73 3.2.10 Developing Ireland’s Green Economy (2009) 73 3.2.11 Building Ireland’s Smart Economy - A Framework for Sustainable Economic Renewal 2008 73 3.3 Research and Education 73 3.3.1 Third and Fourth Level Institutions 73 3.4 Strategic Locations for Enterprise and Employment 76 3.4.1 Strengths of Location within County Carlow 76 3.4.2 Employment Opportunities in the County Carlow 77 3.4.3 Promotion of Employment Opportunities in Carlow 78 3.5 Carlow Rural Development 79 3.5.1 Manufacturing 79 3.5.2 Pharmacutical Industry 80 3.5.3 Agri-Business 80 3.5.4 Rural Policy 81 3.5.5 Tourism 82 3.5.6 Renewable Energies, Energy Crops and Sustainable Construction 82 3.5.7 Aggregate Resources and Extractive Industry 84 3.5.7.1 Clogrennane Lime 84 3.5.8 Agriculture & Food 85 3.5.9 Fisheries and Aquaculture 85 3.5.10 Financial Services 86 3.5.11 Public Sector 86 3.5.12 Forestry 87 3.5.13 Arts and Crafts 87 3.5.14 E-working and Home Based Economic Activity 88 3.6 Urban Development / Urban Renewal 89 3.6.1 Brownfield Sites in Rural and Urban areas 89 3.6.2 Derelict Sites Act 89 3.7 Conclusion 89 3.7.1 Economic Objectives for Carlow Town, Tullow and Bagenalstown/ Muinebheag 91 Chapter 4 - Housing 4.0 Introduction 94 4.1 Housing Strategy 94 4.2 Planning Permission 96 4.3 Means of Achieving Social Housing Needs 96 4.4 Residential Development 97 4.5 Derelict Sites Act, 1990 98 4.6 Part V Housing Strategy 99 4.6.1 Requirements of Housing Strategy 99 4.6.2 Future Part V Housing Development 100 6 4.6.3 Part V Provision 100 4.6.4 Application for ‘Part V’ Exemption Certificate 101 4.7 Special Needs Accomodation 102 4.7.1 People with Disabilities 102 4.7.2 The Elderly 102 4.8 Traveller Accomodation Needs 103 4.9 Social Inclusion 104 4.9.1 Balanced Communities 105 4.9.2 Homeless Persons 105 4.10 Unfinished Housing Estates 105 Chapter Five - Transportation and Movement 5.0 Introduction 108 5.1 Policy and Legislative Context 108 5.2 Roads 110 5.2.1 Motorway Network 111 5.2.2 National Road Network 111 5.2.3 Regional Road Network 114 5.2.4 Local Roads 114 5.2.5 General Road Policy 114 5.2.6 Urban Roads and Streets 116 5.2.7 Bridges 116 5.2.8 Objectives during the Lifetime of Plan 116 5.3 Sustainable Transport and Accessibility 117 5.3.1 Aim 117 5.3.2 Integrating Landuse and Transportation 117 5.4 Provision for the Mobility Impaired and Disabled 128 5.5 Carlow Logistics Park 128 5.6 Emergency Services 128 Chapter Six - Energy and Communications 6.0 Energy - Introduction 132 6.1 The National Grid 137 6.2 Gas Network 138 6.3 Renewable Energy 140 6.3.1 Wind Energy 140 6.3.2 Hydro Energy 140 6.4 Bioenergy 141 6.4.1 Combined Heat and Power 143 6.5 Geothermal Energy 144 6.5.1 Solar Power 144 6.5.2 Sustainability and Energy Efficiency in Buildings 144 6.5.3 Ground Source Heating Systems 146 6.5.4 Micro Renewable Energy 147 7 6.6 Energy Recovery from Waste 147 6.7 Energy Efficiency 147 6.7.1 Energy Efficiency in Transport 148 6.8 Carlow Kilkenny Energy Agency 150 6.9 Climate Change 150 6.10 Sustainable Energy Zones 151 6.11 Communications - Introduction 151 6.11.1 Broadband 152 6.11.2 Metropolitan Area Networks 153 6.11.3 Telecommunications 153 Chapter Seven - Social Inclusion and Community Facilities 7.0 Introduction 158 7.1 Social Inclusion 158 7.1.1 Youth 159 7.1.2 Parents and Carers 161 7.1.3 Elderly 161 7.1.4 People with Disabilities 162 7.1.5 Ethnic Minority Groups 163 7.1.6 Travelling Communities 163 7.2 Community Facilities 164 7.2.1 Delivering Community Facilities 164 7.2.2 Social Capital and Voluntary Organisations – Proposed new structure for Citizen Engagement – Public Participation Network 166 7.2.3 Healthcare 167 7.2.4 Nursing Homes 168 7.2.5 Childcare 168 7.2.6 Library Services 169 7.2.7 Education 170 7.2.8 Arts and Cultural Facilities 171 7.2.9 Allotments 172 7.2.10 Places of Worship 173 Chapter Eight - Tourism, Recreation and Amenity 8.0 Tourism - Introduction