CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal

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Cork 2050

For further informaon please contact:

Cork County Council and Cork City Council

Images of Bantry Bay, Galley Head Lighthouse, Mt. Gabriel, Cork City Skylines and Waterfronts provided and printed with the kind permission of Killian Jackson Photography.

CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 3

Contents

Foreword

01 Introducon 6

02 Cork’s Strategic Role 12

03 Vision & Strategic Objecves 16

04 Spaal Strategy 20

05 Place‐Making Strategy 30

06 Towns, Villages, Rural Areas & Islands 40

07 Economic Growth Strategy 48

08 Transport Strategy for Cork 2050 60

09 Connecons ‐ Strategic Infrastructure 74

10 Cost Beneﬁt Narrave 82

11 Cork’s Unique Environment ‐ Sustainability 88

12 Implementaon 94

13 Environmental Assessment 100

Foreword

Cork 2050 is a Joint Iniave by Cork County Council and Cork City Council, prepared on a ‘whole of Cork’ basis following extensive consultaon: an evidence‐based strate‐ gic approach that builds on exisng capacity to deliver on behalf of Cork, the Region and State.

Cork 2050 will create the circumstances to deliver an addional 120,000 new jobs and approximately 60% populaon growth to 850,000, and in this context is a roadmap for sustainable growth across all of Cork. The unique capacity of Metropoli‐ tan Cork, a plan‐led, integrated economy and property market with a strong and vibrant Cork City at its heart, to drive escalated rates of economic and populaon growth to an internaonal scale of over 500,000 persons, is central to the Cork prop‐ osion; however, Cork 2050 recognises the capacity and strategic importance of all the County, including rural communies.

We are sasfied Cork 2050 offers a means of maximising opportunies and of re‐ sponding to the challenges Ireland will face over the coming decades and which are currently being considered under the Ireland 2040 iniave. We are further sasfied Cork 2050 presents a considered, evidence‐based case for naonal level strategic policy support for the designaon of Metropolitan Cork as the complimentary loca‐ on to Dublin as an internaonal driver of growth and the locaon best posioned to drive growth in the Region through collaborave leadership. Uniquely the Cork prop‐ osion has the capacity to deliver effecve regional development that will endure over the longer term, a proposion that merits a long‐term commitment by Govern‐ ment to the alignment of enabling policy iniaves and investment priories.

We are conﬁdent Cork 2050 will deliver on behalf of Cork, the Region and the State and in this context we look forward to the opportunity of working with our communi‐ ty, our collaborators in the Region and Government Agencies.

Sincerely,

Tim Lucey Ann Doherty

Chief Execuve Chief Execuve

Cork County Council Cork City Council CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 5

01 / Introduction

Cork 2050 sets out an ambious strategic vision for the future growth of Cork focussed on realising the shared goals that readily aﬀect the lives of its people, building on the successes of its communies and wider society.

This Strategy provides the framework for the future sustainable development and priorisaon of strategic infrastructural investment in Cork across key sectors including transport, housing, jobs, educaon, health, environment, energy and communicaons.

The Strategy advocates signiﬁcant growth in Cork to complement naonal growth trends. It aligns with the emerging overarching strategy of the Naonal Planning Framework, which look to the Regions to release growth pressures on Dublin while ensuring an enduring posive return for the State.

This document, “Cork 2050: Realising the Full Potenal”, is accompanied by a separate Execuve Summary.

Cork 2050, The Region & The Naonal Planning Framework

Cork 2050 is a Joint Submission by Cork County consensus building and capacity to deliver the Council and Cork City Council to the Naonal Planning required economic and population growth will make Framework (NPF). policy support for escalated growth in Cork a ‘game changer’. Cork is the ‘Right Place at the Right Time’ to The Strategy seeks to maximise the opportunies and drive ‘Effective Regional Development’ for future address the challenges that Ireland will face over the generations. coming decades, as detailed in the NPF Issues and Choices Paper. It provides a strategic roadmap for a future that takes into consideration health and well‐ Ireland 2040—Our Plan being, community and place‐making, economic and The Cork 2050 Strategy coincides with the population growth, environmental stewardship and preparaon of the Naonal Planning Framework, sustainability. demonstrang a strategic vision for Cork that is not only crucial for the sustainable growth of Cork, but The ‘whole of Cork’ approach will maximise the moreover for the success of the whole of Ireland and resource that is Metropolitan Cork, including Cork the Southern Region. City, as well as the County Towns, Villages, Rural Areas and Islands by building on strengths and addressing Many of the principal acons of the Strategy will have issues that limit opportunities. been implemented or signiﬁcantly advanced by 2040. However, the longer horizon of 2050 will ensure Cork Sustainable principles are embedded in all of the is well posioned to maximise gains into the future. actions set out herein with recognition that an adaptable economy is required, and that appropriate The Strategy is being submied to the NPF as a skills and education‐support infrastructure is crucial. cohesive and evidence‐based approach to the future The need to embrace advances in technology development of Cork. Its acons and outcomes align cascades through Cork 2050 ‐ a Strategy that places with the core objecves of “Ireland 2040—Our Plan”, Cork as a ‘first mover’ internationally. and addresses the challenge of uneven distribuon and will make a diﬀerence to Ireland’s development. Cork’s proven track record for strategic planning, CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 7

In line with European trends for similar locaons, Cork will Southern Region experience significant growth over the coming years, building on its comparave advantages, capacity and Regional role. In There is a need for naonal priorisaon of escalated growth in support of the aforemenoned, this submission provides an Cork to capture its potenal to benefit the Region and State. evidence base for the following: Harnessing this potenal and supporng growth in a sustainable manner will ulmately deliver improved regional performance Naonal Policy support for: and cost efficiencies in infrastructural investment. It will complement and relieve growth pressures on Dublin, and  Populaon growth at an escalated level, to avoid ‘business‐ support a stronger naonal economy. as‐usual’, with 850,000 people by 2050, a Metropolitan Area of over 500,000, and a vibrant City at is core. Cork County Council and Cork City Council jointly look forward  Cork’s highly producve, diverse, adaptable and strong to working with our Regional Partners in the implementaon of economy, which retains high levels of inward investment “Ireland 2040 – Our Plan”, the Regional Spaal and Economic and fosters strong growth in indigenous industry. Strategy and Cork 2050. Designaon of Cork as: The Proposion  A complementary locaon to Dublin with strong internaonal connecons. “Ireland 2040 ‐ Our Plan” is being prepared in the context of a  The primary driver of economic and populaon growth in radically different Ireland in the future. To avoid ‘business‐as‐ the Southern Region. usual’, a central message of the Cork 2050 Vision is that: Policy commitment and investment in the required Cork is today, and will be in 2050, the naonal infrastructure to support growth to include, inter alia: asset best placed to deliver for Ireland.  A Rapid Transit Corridor (RTC), running from Ballincollig town to the Docklands and Mahon via the City Centre. The Cork ‘differenal‘ is available capacity at a crical me  A commuter rail network with through running at Kent naonally ‐ to relieve pressure on Dublin and drive growth in Staon between the Mallow and Midleton lines; the Southern Region. Cork is today the best locaon naonally interchange between rail and the RTC and electrificaon of capable of: the rail network serving Mallow, Monard, Midleton and Cobh, and potenally Youghal. Achieving a crical mass of populaon within the Metropolitan area with in excess of 500,000 people by 2050.  A high capacity Core Bus Network serving all of the main corridors within the Cork Metropolitan area, including Cork Creang up to 120,000 jobs over the next 33 years. Airport, and connecng with inter‐city and rural transport services. Supporng high capacity public transport corridors of a scale  Strategic road infrastructure required to drive balanced that underpins high levels of sustainable economic and regional economic growth and local assets, to include the populaon growth (87% of the Metropolitan populaon living Port at Ringaskiddy. within 1km of public transport services).  Enabling works and measures to realise the development of Facilitang growth through significant exisng infrastructure the City Docks and Tivoli. capacity, supplemented by commied upgrades and a  Rapid roll out of broadband across the Region to penetrate programme of investment up to 2050 (including water, power, all urban and rural areas. transport, ICT).  Connued investment in water management and renewable energy. The unique Cork offer is further disnguished by a globally recognised quality of place and highly producve economy Support for delivery of a ‘corridor based approach’ to supported by an adapve learning environment capable of consolidate spaal distribuon of people and employment, an skilling and re‐skilling as a plaorm for growth. exemplar of efficiency in land use.

01 Introducon

Communicaons Infrastructure ‐ An important IP roung Why Cork? staon, Cork has the lowest latency connecon to the US of any European Country and the lowest latency connecon to London Cork has the physical and environmental capacity to from Ireland (7.47ms versus 10‐11ms for Dublin). accommodate significant economic and spaal change and has the potenal to play a leading role in delivering balanced Water Services d‐ Unrivalle water supply with infrastructure to naonal socio‐economic growth for Ireland. grow the Metropolitan Area by an addional 220,000 people in place now through the River Lee Dam at Inniscarra. Supporng the role of Cork through plan‐led growth will result in a more balanced form of development across Ireland, Transport ‐ Cork has defined corridors of transport demand relieving development pressure on the eastern part of the capable of supporng significant levels of populaon, Country. employment and educaonal growth in tandem with public transport networks. It is connected to Dublin via hourly rail Cork has significant comparave advantages in terms of key services and motorway. Important regional connecons exist to assets and capacity, differenang itself in the naonal context, Limerick (N20), Waterford (N25), Kerry (N22) and Tipperary and compeng with similar Metropolitan Areas in Europe and (M8). globally.

Educaon ‐ Third level educaon accommodang c.35,000 Cork 2050 emphasises the need to safeguard and invest in these students with UCC recognised as in the top 2% of research assets that are crical for the future growth of Cork, the instuons in the world and CIT responsible for 250 start‐up Southern Region and Ireland. companies in the last 10 years. Cork’s second level educaon facilies are considered some of the best naonally. Assets & Capacity Quality of Life, Place and Heritage ‐ An excellent quality of life, Crical Mass & Land ‐ Ireland’s second most populous City and affordable living cost and offering choice with relavely low Metropolitan area (c.305,000 people) with development levels of congeson. It is an inclusive place with capacity and a capacity across the enre Metropolitan area. willingness to welcome people to their communies. Cork has the largest non‐Irish populaon in Ireland aer Dublin. Economic ‐ Highly producve economy contribung 19% to Naonal GDP with capacity for inward investment and Energy ‐ Accounng for c.13% of Ireland’s wind energy and indigenous industry growth across the whole of Cork, with a supplying c.24% of naonal energy requirements, Cork is focus on the Metropolitan area (e.g. agri‐tech, bio‐pharma, unconstrained by energy supply. Significant natural resources healthcare, educaon, research, internaonal business services, which include natural gas, oil, hydroelectricity, onshore and tourism, renewable energy). offshore wind, ocean energy, biomass, geothermal and solar energy. The significant renewable energy potenal is a key asset Cork Airport ‐ Ireland’s second largest airport. The total in terms of low carbon transion. employment supported by acvies at Cork Airport is esmated to be 4,550 jobs (or 3,980 FTEs), earning a total of €160 million. Healthcare ‐ Cork University Hospital is the largest university The contribuon to GDP is esmated to be €306 million. teaching hospital in Ireland with the only Level 1 Trauma Centre in the Country. It has a supra‐regional catchment of 1.2 million Port of Cork ‐ Tier 1 Port, handling 19% of all seaborne trade in people. the State and capable of taking Post Panamax Vessels. The relocaon of Port of Cork’s container terminal business to Marime ‐ The second longest shoreline of any County in Ringaskiddy will significantly increase capacity of this Ireland with 5 Blue Flag beaches, the second largest natural internaonal gateway. The Port also has Ireland’s only dedicated harbour in the world and an extensive marine environment. cruise berth at Cobh, with capacity to increase the number of cruise liners over the coming years. Arts & Culture ‐ The community employed in the arts and cultural sphere in Cork is double that of any other locaon City Centre Brownfield ‐ Redevelopment capacity with 180ha of outside of Dublin. The vibrancy of Cork’s arts and cultural life is Docklands with potenalh for hig density mixed use, waterfront seen in the richness and diversity of acvity from cultural development. heritage and food to performance and the visual arts, and stretching from the City to North and West Cork.

CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 9

Cork 2050 Outcomes ‐ Some Highlights

Populaon Growth ‐ Building on the NPF’s recognion of Cork’s scale, the populaon will increase from 542,196 to c.846,423 persons with in excess of 60% of overall populaon living in the Metropolitan area in 2050.

Adaptable Economy ‐ A resilient and diverse economy creang on average over 3,500 jobs per year (120,000 addional jobs) building on comparave advantages and growing indigenous businesses.

Spaal Consolidaon ‐ Increased need for eﬃciency in land use with between 3,500 and 4,500 people per sq.km in centres along corridors across Cork City and parts of the wider Metropolitan area.

Transportaon ‐ Populaon growth, urbanisaon and improved producvity will create strong demand for infrastructure at both the economic and social level. The implementa‐ on of Cork 2050 delivers a standout Beneﬁt Cost Rao (BCR) of 2.4 for transport invest‐ ment.

Vibrant City Centre ‐ A highly accessible City Centre with brownﬁeld sites regenerated through mixed‐use, densiﬁed development (e.g. City Docks and Tivoli), connued invest‐ ment in the public realm, and increased levels of accessibility in a unique waterfront seng.

Towns, Villages, Rural Areas and Islands ‐ Sustainable growth of communies as a key asset, supporng equality of opportunity through digital, social, cultural and economic connecvity.

Educaon ‐ The talent pool of human capital will be driven by second and third level educaon. Third level instutes will have signiﬁcantly more overseas students in an inter‐ naonalised educaon environment.

Healthcare ‐ Cork will have a state‐of‐the‐art and expanded healthcare system and be recognised as a leader in healthcare innovaon.

People ﬁrst ‐ Through an aracve environment and access to services, people will con‐ nue to enjoy a high quality of life with improved health and well‐being. Successful place‐ making and mulcultural readiness will aract investment, talent and visitors. In the future, on average 4,000 people per annum will choose Cork as an inclusive place to live.

A Low Carbon Society ‐ A truly ‘sustainable place’, Cork will be at the forefront of the low

carbon economy. CO2 emissions will be reduced by 500,000 tonnes through the delivery of public transport. The unique marime features and green energy opportunies will see the advancement of the ‘blue economy’. 01 Introducon

Council, their elected members, and key stakeholders at an early Key Challenges stage in the process. This approach will allow the overarching The overarching challenge that Cork faces may be best aims of sustainable growth and place‐making to be achieved. arculated by the EU’s 2013 ESPON Report, “Second Tier Cies The sustainable development principles incorporated into Cork and Territorial Development in Europe: Performance, Policies 2050 are set out below: and Prospects” that idenﬁes one of Cork’s weaknesses as:

Spaal ‐ Maximise the potenal of Cork’s urban and rural areas “Limited powers and resources at the disposal of to be successful, sustainable places that support strong, vibrant local and regional governance actors.” and healthy communies.

It is acknowledged that the report focused on cies, but the key Social ‐ (People / Lifestyle): Facilitate the creaon of a built message applies to the development of all regions in Ireland, environment with the associated requisite services that respond cies, metropolitan areas, towns and rural areas. to the community’s needs and support its health, social and cultural well‐being. The above is relevant in the context of investment in the strategic infrastructure required to engineer its own desnaon. Economic ‐ Support an environment that enables the building of Whilst Cork 2050 sets out an ambious strategic vision, it is a strong, responsive and compeve economy that provides ulmately the ability to implement the Strategy that will deliver opportunity and access for all. growth. Within the above context, Cork faces a number of challenges including: Environment ‐ Ensure the protecon and resilience of Cork’s natural, built, historic and cultural environment. Proacvely  The delivery of public transport infrastructure. adapt to climate change and the transion to a low carbon society.  Managing and building economic growth.

 Delivery of compact growth paerns. Mobility and Infrastructure ‐ Co‐ordinate development  Proacvely addressing emerging skills requirements. requirements to idenfy infrastructural investment priories that support sustainable paerns of growth and of community  Delivering quality houses in the right places. living.  Meeng commercial requirements.  Maintaining a high quality of life and place.  Environmental challenges.  Flood risk management.  Transioning to a low carbon future.

Whilst this Strategy addresses the overarching strategic framework for Cork up to 2050 in a holisc manner, it is noted that further detailed Acon Plans are required in response to certain challenges.

Sustainable Development

The Cork 2050 Strategy encompasses the three pillars of sustainable development:  Economic  Social  Environmental

These pillars were broadened into key principles and arrived at through collaboraon with Cork County Council and Cork City CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 11

02 / Cork’s Strategic Role

Cork is recognised as a key asset for Ireland in the naonal context and also the wider European and global context. It is also a key asset for the wider Southern Region.

The ability of Cork to compete in the internaonal arena has been a major part of the economic success of Ireland in recent mes. It is recognised that Metropolitan Cork has a crical mass of people, ideas, infrastructure and resources that serves to enhance the prospects for employment opportunies, wealth creaon, innovaon and knowledge, all of which are major factors of prosperity and compeveness. Given these characteriscs, Cork is uniquely posioned to play a complementary role to Dublin that further enables Ireland to compete on the internaonal stage.

As part of Ireland’s naonal framework for growth it is essenal to develop and exploit the strongest assets and most producve resources in order to opmise their contribuon to the sustainable growth of Ireland naonally and regionally. Protecng and enhancing the ‘whole of Cork’ with Metropolitan Cork as a driver of growth in Ireland and the Southern Region requires naonal and regional policy recognion, as a priority for strategic infrastructural investment, in order to protect its compeveness and deliver naonal beneﬁt. In this context, Cork is also uniquely posioned to play a collaborave leadership role, driving growth within the Southern Region.

Metropolitan Cork ‐ Internaonal Growth Driver Cork Connected

Over the last twenty years Cork has established an enhanced role of naonal signiﬁcance and a burgeoning role of internaonal importance. In tandem with Dublin and Belfast, Ireland’s ’Internaonal Drivers’ must be planned for in a way that ensures their internaonal role is supported.

Cork 2050 supports the recognion of Metropolitan Cork as an ‘Internaonal Driver’ for Ireland’s economy

A ‘step change’ is required with regard to the recognion of Cork as an internaonal driver of the Irish economy, and the associated naonal support for this role going forward. It will result in a more balanced form of development across Ireland, relieving development pressure on the Eastern part of the Country, whilst working collaboravely with Dublin to opmise growth for the beneﬁt of Ireland as a whole.

Cork has developed with an increasingly internaonal culture and global outlook. Protecng and enhancing the role of Cork as an internaonal driver of growth requires naonal support, including the priorisaon for strategic infrastructural investment, in order to protect its internaonal compeveness.

Cork Internaonal Airport and the Port of Cork are key infrastructural assets providing for global connecons with signiﬁcant capacity for expansion. The low latency connecon to the US and UK, and to mainland Europe in the future, place Cork at the crossroads of digital connecvity globally. CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 13

The designaon of ‘Regional Drivers’ is vital to Ireland’s success Complementary to Dublin Naonal Role and long‐term growth strategy. The ‘Regional Drivers’ of Ireland Cork’s profile and ability to compete internaonally provides the are characterised by those areas that have the largest basis for a complementary role with Dublin at naonal level. populaons, the best transport connecons, digital connecvity, Consideraons such as crical mass, locaon and proven growth the highest levels of economic acvity and the crical mass of potenal make it essenal to the NPF goal of a more sustainable key services such as educaon and health. balance of growth naonally. The sphere of influence will not only benefit the Region but also It is the go‐to place outside of Dublin in terms of economic areas further afield along the burgeoning Atlanc Economic acvity, with proven producve capacity (GVA per capita at Corridor to Limerick, Galway and further north to Sligo and €45,000 is well above naonal average) and the ability to Mayo. Connecons will be important within the Southern consistently generate job growth (50% all new jobs naonally in Region, parcularly in relaon to realising the full potenal of Q2 & Q3 2016 in South West Region) and innovaon. economic corridors. Making all parts of the Region accessible will improve the capacity for working together, tourism, access The key assets and capacity for growth outlined in this to different levels of services and connecng urban and rural submission are unique strengths that can be naonal level areas. ‘game changers’. Cork 2050 recognises that the same level and type of growth cannot occur everywhere and that priorisaon is required. In Southern Region Growth Driver the context of Cork, and in order to achieve the objecves of effecve regional development, there is a need for The Southern Region benefits hugely from the strategic role that governmental recognion for its role as the: Cork, in parcular Metropolitan Cork, plays as a primary driver of growth. Cork’s future role rests on the fact that it has significant potenal to make an enhanced economic Primary ‘Regional Driver’ of the Southern contribuon as the primary growth pole for the Southern Region Region and potenal to play a collaborave and a complementary centre to Dublin. leadership role within the Region. Cork 2050 builds on the strength of Metropolitan Cork as the primary driver of growth in the Southern Region.

Internaonal Drivers Other Cies

CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 15

The Strategy

Cork County Council and Cork City Council have a strong track record of collaborang to plan strategically and co‐ordinate development. They have jointly commissioned the Cork 2050 Strategy to idenfy cross boundary strategic priories and ensure an integrated approach to sustainable growth.

The aim of the Strategy is to focus on both Cork City and County, but to also recognise and priorise the strategic regional role played by Metropolitan Cork as defined under the Cork Area Strategic Plan (CASP). In addion, the Strategy focuses on the potenal regional benefits of a growing and strongly performing Metropolitan Cork, through its sphere of influence, and also the key strategic role of Cork as a naonal and internaonal driver.

Cork 2050 applies a ‘whole of Cork’ approach providing the shared vision and framework for a growth strategy that is right for the people of Cork and the Southern Region. It will inform and guide public policy at the naonal level while also providing the long term strategic context upon which future statutory City and County Development Plans can emerge.

Engagement Process

An integral element in the preparaon of the Cork 2050 Strategy has been the engagement and consultaon with key stakeholders.

The process of developing the Cork 2050 Strategy involved a series of engagement events and stakeholder collaboraon at diﬀerent phases of the study process. Stakeholders were engaged early in the process in order to maximise the collaborave potenal to ensure that the Strategy was comprehensive, inclusive and eﬀecve.

Study Area

Cork is the largest County in Ireland, represenng 12% of its landmass, and is characterised by the full range of environments and communies from City Centre to rural towns, villages and it's oﬀshore islands. Owing to its strategic regional role the area of ‘Metropolitan Cork’ is recognised as the key driver of growth for the Region and of the Cork 2050 Strategy. In this context, it is noted that Metropolitan Cork is deﬁned as encompassing both Cork City proper, and the selements of Ballincollig, Blarney, Carrigaline, Douglas, Glanmire, Glounthane, Carrigtwohill, Midleton and Cobh.

Report Structure

The following secons communicate this integrated Strategy under principle headings of:  Vision & Strategic Objecves  Spaal Strategy  Place‐Making Strategy  A Model for Sustainable Rural Development  Economic Growth Strategy  Connecons: Strategic Infrastructure  A Low Carbon Society  Cost Beneﬁt Narrave  Implementaon  Environment  Contribuon to Naonal Goals, Policies & Strategies

03 Vision &Strategic Objecves 03 / Vision & Strategic Objectives

Vision for Cork 2050:

‘Cork is today, and will be in 2050, a naonal asset best placed to deliver growth for Ireland by realising its full potenal on behalf of its Communies, the Region and State’

Developing the Cork 2050 Vision

The Cork 2050 Strategy is built on the plaorm of a clear, long term, consensual Vision. The process of Enabling the Vision ‐ Strategic preparing the Cork 2050 Vision provided an Objecves opportunity to think about the long‐term future of Cork and create a meaningful statement of Cork’s The Strategic Objecves of the Cork 2050 Strategy are naonal and regional role in 2050. directly related to the overarching key sustainable development principles set out in Secon 1. Thus, the It was recognised at an early stage in the process that Strategic Objecves set out hereunder are grouped a successful Vision required parcipaon and accordingly. engagement and, as such, the Vision for Cork 2050 is considered a ‘shared vision’. It represents a consensus around what stakeholders want Cork to represent in 2050.

The Vision sits within a Strategy grounded in the principles of proper planning and sustainable development that underpin the future and ensure that the overarching aims of sustainable growth and place‐making are achieved.

VISION Spaal Objecves SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENTS SP1 Support the connued growth of Metropolitan Cork in a sustainable manner PRINCIPLES focussed on Cork City and other established selements that secures its connued role as STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES the driver of populaon growth and economic acvity.

THE STRATEGY SP2 Priorise the physical consolidaon and revitalisaon of Cork City including the delivery of strategic brownﬁeld sites. CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 17

SP3 Support the consolidaon of growth along high capacity

public transport corridors to underpin spaal, social and Environmental Objecves economic growth. EN1 Protect Cork’s natural environment through the principles of responsible stewardship and facilitate SP4 Maintain the diverse mix of selements that contribute growth within the constraints of environmental to the aracveness of Cork as a place to live, work and protecon. visit.

SP5 Enable Cork’s rural communies to thrive through the EN2 Support the transion to a Low Carbon, climate resilient sustainable development of towns, villages, rural areas and environmentally sustainable economy. and islands. EN3 Promote Cork as Ireland’s leader in renewable energy producon and largely reduce the consumpon of fossil Social Objecves fuels by 2050. SO1 Protect Cork’s excellent quality of life offer as a key asset of its society and economy. EN4 Protect and enhance Cork’s green infrastructure as a key asset capable of delivering a wide range of economic, SO2 Support the creaon of sustainable, well‐designed places environmental and quality of life benefits. and high quality homes which offers choice that meets people’s needs. Infrastructure Objecves

SO3 Protect Cork’s cultural and historical assets and enhance IN1 Deliver an integrated, sustainable transport system the contribuon made by Cork’s cultural heritage to its including the incremental delivery of a Rapid Transit economy, cultural identy and quality of life. Corridor, running from Ballincollig town to the Docklands and Mahon via the City Centre. S04 Support the creaon of sustainable communies that promote social inclusion, support health and wellbeing, IN2 Deliver connued investment in the strategic road provide access to services and facilies for all users, and network to ensure the strategically important traﬃc establish a strong sense of community. movements required to support the naonal, regional and local economies is maintained and managed eﬀecvely. Economic Objecves

EC1 Protect and enhance the role of Metropolitan Cork as an IN3 Support the delivery of populaon and employment internaonal driver of Ireland’s economy and the growth in a manner that maximises returns on primary economic driver of Cork and the Southern investment for key infrastructure. Region. IN4 Support the roll out of high quality communicaon EC2 Strengthen the rural economy by ulising technological infrastructure across all areas of Cork. advances and promong acvity in ‘relaonal space’. IN5 Support the integraon of infrastructure with smart EC3 Support the connued growth of research and technology. development eco‐systems, focussing on innovaon and high growth sectors.

EC4 Support the increased internaonalisaon of Cork’s higher educaon system, the connued investment in research and innovaon, and increased integraon with enterprise.

EC5 Develop skilled human capital thatd adapts an responds to emerging economic growth trends, including via upskilling and facilitang access to labour markets. 03 Vision & Strategic Objecves

Environmental ‐ Provides a range of high level acons in relaon Outcomes to climate change adaptaon measures, eﬃcient resource use Spaal ‐ The strategy provides the strategic framework for a (e.g. water use), protecon of Cork and the regions important series of land use management plans and development acvies biodiversity and ecosystems ‐ Delivered through inter alia a across the Metropolitan area, Cork City, towns, villages, rural focus on renewable energy, eﬃciency and innovaon; areas and islands – future more detailed localised and County improvements to resource recovery and green industry wide plans will look to Cork 2050 as a star ng point. development.

Spaal ‐ It establishes an approach to spaal distribuon that The NPF ‐ Cork in 2040 will have local and regional beneﬁts in terms of co‐ordinaon of land use, connecons, infrastructure and service planning – The Strategic Objecves outlined provide the overarching Cork’s approach to scale and facilitang growth can be a guidance up to 2050 and it is envisaged that many will be Regional benchmark underpinned by a clear evidence base. signiﬁcantly advanced by 2040.

Spaal ‐ It provides high level measures that will drive the It is accepted, however, that not everything in a Strategy will be regional ambion for populaon growth, thereby strengthening fully realised ‐ ‘the recursive approach’. A Strategy is an evolving the posion of the upcoming Regional Spaal and Economic document and Cork 2050 will be connually monitored and Strategy – as the driver of the Region the Cork Metropolitan area updated over the coming years and decades. will be the cornerstone of Regional Strategies over the coming decades. Cork 2050 provides the starng point for a future where Cork’s capacity will play a fundamental role in the even distribuon of Social ‐ It establishes a group of acons to create inclusive people and employment growth for the overall beerment of community networks during periods of sustained populaon Ireland by 2040 and beyond. growth – achieved through a focus on compact development, quality of place and life, creang sustainable rural communies, providings choice and making places connected.

Social ‐ It provides the strategic land use framework for the delivery of quality housing in the right locaon, improvements to infrastructure and access to arts, culture, sport and recreaon. Through a focused approach to development, the opportunies for balanced live/work lifestyles can ﬂourish, acvies will be accessible and creavity encouraged.

Economic ‐ It encourages educaonal achievement, expansion of facilies and aracng internaonal students – the further collaboraon between educaonal instutes and industry will be central to delivering growth.

Economic ‐ It provides the basis for a package of acvies to encourage workforce skill development and aracon – the third level instutes can take forward and target exisng and emerging sectors such as next generaon ICT, agri‐tech, bio‐ pharma and renewable energy.

Infrastructure ‐ The Strategy sets out a clear set of acons for an integrated transport system – this will be delivered through public transport serving networks of communies; infrastructure upgrades and improvements to the regions connecons, east west and north south corridors across the Metropolitan area and facilitang energy eﬃciency innovaon and low carbon emission while also encouraging further use of cycle and walking modes. CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 19

04 / Spatial Strategy

This secon outlines the overarching spaal growth strategy that has been developed in order to achieve the Cork 2050 Vision which is ‐ the majority of growth will be focussed along increased density, public transport corridors in Cork City and Metropolitan Cork, including improved connecvity in County towns, villages and rural areas.

Key direcons:  Metropolitan Cork is the driver of populaon growth and economic acvity.  Cork City is a focus for signiﬁcant increases in populaon and employment (delivery of the City Docks and Tivoli).  Growth is focused on a corridor based approach in Metropolitan Cork.  Integraon of transport and land use with an excellent public transport system .  Eﬃcient use of urban space and consolidaon of development.  A sustainable selement hierarchy.  Growth of towns, villages, rural areas and islands.

Cork ‐ Key Strategic Aspects

The spaal distribuon of growth in Cork to 2050 is of quality places to residents within Cork City and underpinned by a number of key strategic spaal Cork County. aspects set out as follows:  Rural Growth: This Strategy recognises the  Metropolitan Cork is the driver of populaon importance of and supports sustainable economic growth and economic acvity: This Strategy growth in the towns, villages, rural areas and recognises that Metropolitan Cork has a strategic islands across Cork. regional role and a significant sphere of influence  Integraon of Transport and Land‐use: This and, as such, is priorised as the driver of Strategy promotes a spaal distribuon that populaon growth and economic acvity. delivers consolidated, compact, quality  Cork City: This Strategy recognises Cork City as a selements and reduces trip distances and the focus for significant increases in both populaon need to travel for residents. and employment, parcularly the City Docklands  A Corridor Approach: This Strategy proposes a and Tivoli. The priorisaon of physical corridor and communies approach in the consolidaon and densificaon will enable a city Metropolitan Area of a scale that supports the centre outwards process of consolidaon and viability of high capacity public transport, reduces vibrancy. the need to use the strategic road network and  Efficient Use of Urban Space: This Strategy creates a place of shorter and fewer trips. supports more efficient use of urban land capacity and aims to increase the average density of Cork in those areas that are capable of delivering higher density development, parcularly along high capacity transport corridors.  A Sustainable Selement Hierarchy: This Strategy supports the development of a selement hierarchy which maximises the opportunies for sustainable development while providing a choice CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 21

To deliver on the principles of sustainable growth and to provide The Scale of Sustainable Growth for efficiency in capital infrastructure investment, strong growth is focussed in Cork City and Metropolitan Cork while growth in The preferred growth scenario for Cork 2050 has been the rest of the County is focussed in established selement and developed having regard to a number of key assumpons that employment locaons. Cork City experiences significant growth include, inter alia: exisng growth trends; future growth and increased densificaon in line with its physical projecons; capacity for sustainable growth; infrastructural consolidaon. Consolidaon also occurs in Metropolitan Cork, requirements associated with increased growth and relave cost albeit focussed in established selements. Growth in more rural efficiencies; environmental consideraons; the need for a step ‐ areas is provided for in order to strengthen rural communies change in spaal distribuon at a naonal level; and the and to support rural economic vitality. potenal for Cork to realise its exisng capacity and growth potenal. A summary of the headline growth figures is provided The NPF Issues Paper refers to in excess of 200,000 people in an below. area consisng of the Cork City administrave area (c. 125,622), the Southern and Northern Environs (c. 45,338), Glanmire town The preferred growth scenario for Cork 2050 is set in the context (c. 20,518), and Ballincollig town )(c. 18,872 which the preferred of a State increase of c. 1 million people by 2040. This growth scenario envisages as having a total populaon of c. 315,000 scenario is considered to be moderate in the context of State people in 2050. growth with an escalated rate of growth focussed on Cork. A number of alternave scenarios were considered, however, the preferred scenario best aligned with the overarching sustainable development principles, vision and strategic objecves of the Strategy.

The preferred scenario assumes an escalated but achievable growth scenario for Cork. It allows for the real populaon of the Greater Dublin Area to increase signiﬁcantly from c. 1.9m to c. 2.5m, however, it’s proporonate share of the State populaon remains relavely stable at c. 40%. Comparavely, the percentage of naonal populaon residing in Cork increases from 11.4% to 13.6% represenng an increase of 304,227 people over the 34 year period to 2050 (c. 8,950 persons per annum). This would see Cork with c.21% of the naonal populaon growth.

County (excluding Metropolitan Area) Metropolitan Area Cork Populaon Distribuon 2016 and 2050

Populaon 2016 2050 Increase

Cork City Administrave Area 125,622 179,469 53,847

Remainder of Metropolitan Area 179,600 347,760 168,160

Total Metropolitan Cork 305,222 527,229 222,007

County (excluding Metropolitan Area) 236,974 319,194 82,220

Overall Cork Total 542,196 846,423 304,227

State 4,757,976 6,210,000 1,452,024 04 Spaal Strategy

Whole of Cork A Unique Asset Selement Strategy

This Strategy sets out the whole of Cork’s compelling Cork 2050 supports the development of a selement strategy proposion as a place that offers a compeve economy and a which maximises the opportunies for sustainable development high quality of life, alongside a broad choice of lifestyles and while providing choice of locaon to residents within Cork City locaons. and County. The headline populaons provide for a clear shi in exisng spaal distribuon paerns throughout Cork with an Working to exisng strengths and ulising technology will be increased focus on direcng future growth towards capacity crucial to delivering growth in the correct manner, with within Cork City and established key selements in Metropolitan connecons along established and new corridors (transport, Cork. economic and informaon), clusters of business and commerce, global interacons and indigenous industry growth all crucial. The selement strategy supports Cork City’s role at the heart of Metropolitan Cork. Preliminary 2016 Census populaon data The County towns, villages, rural areas and islands are a indicates an encouraging trend of people returning to live in the significant resource with parcular growth potenal in areas City with a 5.4% increase (6,392 people) in populaon from the such as Agriculture & Agri‐Tech, Marime & Energy, Technology previous Census in 2011. The recent populaon growth in Cork and Tourism & Food (sectors idenfied as future drivers in City bucks its overall historical trend of stac growth reflecng a “Ireland Connected: Trading and Invesng in a Dynamic World”). commitment to urban growth and a desire to bring a The established selements will play a key role as development measureablee chang of trend and culture in favour of urban nodes accommodang populaon increases. living.

The Cork 2050 Strategy comes at a pivotal me to support the further enhancement of Cork City with a focus on sustainable levels of growth. Signiﬁcant populaon growth is targeted with CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 23

an increase from an exisng populaon of 125,622 in 2016 to a As brownfield lands, the Docklands represent a significant populaon of 179,469 in 2050 (c. 43% increase over a 34 year redevelopment opportunity in the City and the resoluon of period). There will be a focus on creang sufficient crical mass infrastructural deficits required to realise the potenal needs to in order to sustain improved public transport networks, while be advanced. The planned relocaon of the Port of Cork from sll providing a choice of locaons for living and working. Tivoli enhances the significant opportunity and the potenal to create a new vibrant mixed‐use quarter. The waterfront locaon Cork City Centre is the historic, cultural, social and proximity to transport infrastructure including bus and rail, and commercial heart of Cork. combined with it's single semi‐state ownership, make Tivoli a strategic site for development. There will be a need for specific naonal policy provision and financial support for relocang The City Centre is recognised as having capacity to strengthen its incompable uses, including Seveso establishments, from the role as a residenal and employment base. The Cork 2050 Docklands. Strategy supports an increase in City Centre living for the period up to 2050 and beyond. A significant component of the strategy to consolidate the City Centre is through tackling under‐ulised Metropolitan Cork’s role as a driver of space and minimising vacancy and derelicon. New populaon growth and economic acvity development will be built at increased, but sustainable densies, through its sphere of influence regionally, with quality design, creang a spaally compact City form. naonally, and indeed internaonally ,will be a There is potenal for an enhanced reputaon as an major contributing factor to Irelands long term ‘Internaonal Student City’ to increase human capital and prosperity. support the economic growth strategy. There will be a need for further purpose‐built and professionally managed student Rural parts of Metropolitan Cork are experiencing significant accommodaon, thereby making educaonal instuons more urban generated pressure for development and there will be a aracve to student’s from Ireland and abroad. connual need to protect and manage greenbelts in a sustainable manner. This will deliver efficiencies of service The redevelopment of the North and South Docklands is one of provision and infrastructure investment while protecng the most significant urban regeneraon schemes in Ireland and sensive areas. Within Metropolitan Cork, the selement is a project of naonal/internaonal significance. The Docklands strategy focusses growth into the City Environs, higher order are strategically located immediately adjacent to the established selements and Monard. City Centre with a significant aracve waterfront seng for new development. The North and South Environs will play a significant role in complemenng and consolidang the development of the City The Docks offer the opportunity to create a as important locaons for residenal growth. The northern vibrant mixed‐use and socially inclusive quarter environs in parcular has significant potenal for future quality that has the potenal for a large residenal residenal development, serving to rebalance the City.

community and signiﬁcant employment. Growth in the remainder of Metropolitan Cork is focussed on 04 Spaal Strategy

the consolidaon of exisng key selements that include It is important to strengthen Cork’s rural and island communies Ballincollig, Midleton, Carrigtwohill, Blarney, Carrigaline, to maintain and improve the quality of life and vibrancy of those Glanmire and Cobh. This approach supports a balanced spaal who live and work there. Future growth is focussed in Cork’s development paern within Metropolitan Cork along key rural town’s and villages (such as Skibbereen, Bantry, Charleville corridors in terms of higher densies at appropriate locaon and Kanturk), as the heart of rural communies, making them mixed land uses, and compactness. It will best ulise exisng beer places where people can live, work, access services and transport infrastructure whilst also developing a crical mass to raise their families in a high quality environment. Enabling a enable a viable, gradual step up in sustainable mode investment crical mass of populaon in established towns and villages will required along these corridors. In Metropolitan Cork, the future ensure that appropriate investment can be made to support the growth of the Monard SDZ as a key selement is recognised . demand for associated services.

Outside of Metropolitan Cork, growth is focussed in established selements. As the largest town outside of Metropolitan Cork Strategic Employment Growth and with good road and rail connecons and services, Mallow Areas has potenal to grow in a sustainable manner. The growth of Youghal, Bandon, Fermoy, Kinsale and Macroom is important in Spaally, the locaon of future employment growth is order to ensure a balanced spaal paern of growth in which dependent upon a number of factors that are expected to crical mass can be reached and potenal realised. Clonakilty is connuously evolve up to 2050. Factors driving the locaon of the largest selement within West Cork and is a prominent employment are mul‐layered and include inter alia human county town with an extensive rural hinterland and its connued capital, scale, access to markets and suppliers, proximity to growth is supported. research and innovaon and the availability of communicaons, CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 25

transport, energy and water networks. Cork is the driver of economic acvity for Cork and the Southern Region. Taking into consideraon the importance of human The designaon of land for employment capital as a resource, the spaal paern of employment up to purposes will not in itself ensure the provision of 2050 is mainly focused on the exisng urban hierarchy of Cork, as employers are increasingly likely to locate where larger pools an appropriate level and mix of employment, of skilled workers exist. with the actual level, mix and locaon Cork City is recognised for its exisng high concentraons of influenced by market forces and industry employment acvity whilst also having significant capacity for specific locaonal requirements. further growth. The development of key strategic employment areas including the City Centre, the Docklands, and other The connual re‐assessment of designated strategic employment brownfield redevelopment opportunies will realise the evident areas in light of future market trends is important so as to economic potenal that exists. The delivery of the Docklands highlight and respond to any increasing disparies that may provides a natural extension of the City Centre and has prevail. In an internaonally compeve marketplace it is a pre‐ considerable scope for the provision of high quality modern requisite that Cork not only take account ofs exi ng trends but office space in an aracve mixed‐use urban environment. An ancipates future trends and can be ahead of the curve and enhanced crical mass of acvity will support the growth of the posioned to take advantage of future opportunies across a City Centre’s retail and service funcons. range of sectors. In the future Cork will connue to be developed along high Notwithstanding the above, there is a correlaon between large capacity public transport corridors. As such, this Strategy urban areas and economic producvity and as such Metropolitan supports the growth of strategic employment growth areas located along the Mallow and Midleton / Cobh Rail lines at Mallow, Blackpool, Tivoli, Lile Island, Carrigtwohill, Midleton and Cobh. Lile Island is idenfied as a key strategic employment area with significant capacity potenal.

Increased employment growth along the proposed Ballincollig‐Docklands‐Mahon Rapid Transit Corridor is envisaged for Mahon, Ballincollig, the City Centre and the Docklands while also serving the signiﬁcant employment generang uses at University College Cork, Cork Instute of Technology and Cork University Hospital.

Ballincollig town is recognised as having signiﬁcant potenal for employment growth in both small and large scale industrial and enterprise development. The development of the nearby Cork Science and Innovaon Park will bring together researchers, entrepreneurs, academics and technology intensive enterprises to drive innovaon.

A number of strategic employment assets exist at Ringaskiddy, Whitegate and Cork Internaonal Airport. They have signiﬁcant comparave advantages and their connued growth is supported. Ringaskiddy and Marino Point are idenﬁed for employment growth through the facilitaon of the planned re‐ development of the Docklands with relocaon of industrial uses 04 Spaal Strategy

and major port facili es. Whitegate has a naonally important role in the energy sector and is a preferred strategic locaon for A Spaal Influence ‐ An Integrated expansion in this area. Cork Internaonal Airport has significant Transport System capacity for growth as a gateway for business and tourism through transatlanc flights routes and its proximity to London This Strategy recognises that to reduce emissions from sectors and connental Europe. such as transport, and realise the transion to a low carbon economy, it is necessary to address the distances between Mallow and Clonakilty are strategic employment growth centres where people live, work and socialise. The transport sector in performing important funcons in the North and West of the Ireland contributes approximately one fih of total carbon County respecvely. They will aract and facilitate a level and emissions, highligh ng the significant importance that the role type of employment that supports not only their communies of an integrated transport system must play in the long term but the wider hinterland. Outside of urban areas, the further strategy for Cork. development of clusters where natural comparave advantages exist will be advanced, for example in the agri‐food, creave, The ability of Cork to aract and support energy, marine and tourism sectors. significant future growth in a sustainable Through an approach which ulises digital connecvity, other manner is in part influenced by the quality of its technological advances, and the promoon of acvity in transport system. ‘relaonal space’ rather than a focus on geographical proximity, agglomeraon, or the rural‐urban dynamic, the rural landscape There exists a clear need for an integrated transport system to can be redefined by a strong local economy with access to global underpin the spaal, social and economic growth of Cork to markets (as well as local) that extend their offering, encourage 2050. It will build upon efficiencies from consolidated populaon innovaon and create resilience and diversity. across the Metropolitan area, while recognising the crical socio‐economic role played by the rest of the County. A key CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 27

principle underpinning the sustainable growth of Cork is that of Cork City ‐ Leadership funcons and funcons that require consolidang growth along high capacity public transport profile and posion, as well as high value businesses that can corridors. There are currently defined corridors of transport support the cost of prime locaons, will connue to locate in the demand that have the potenal to accommodate significant City Centre. There will also likely be growth in incubator spaces addional growth in populaon, employment and educaon. In potenally linked to educaonal instuons within a central order to achieve a beer socio‐economic balance spaally, it is locaon. Sectors could include business & financial services as an aim for the urban structure of Cork to be developed strongly well as technology, health educaon & research and other along these corridors, delivering modal shares consistent with technical sectors as the City Centre intensifies and densifies and naonal policy Smarter Transport objecves. expands into the Docklands as Cork grows.

Locally, Cork has the potenal to be highly sustainable in Service sectors oen seek more vibrant locaons where transport terms with many villages and urban centres within employees can benefit from wider amenies, for example food, walking and cycling distance of local services especially for leisure, and cultural offer. Businesses with high‐networking educaon, retail, leisure and social purposes. requirements tend to seek opportunies to be part of a rich eco‐ system and can encourage cross‐ferlisaon of ideas between A Spaal Influence ‐ A Strategy for sectors, industries and educaon. The City will connue as the Regional centre for higher order retail, entertainment and Place‐Making cultural funcons, as well as being aracve to business. The focus of the Cork 2050 Strategy is to deliver a sustainable scale of growth for Cork whilst retaining it’s exisng place Metropolitan Cork ‐ Lower and middle value uses will likely quality assets and high quality of life. This will ensure that connue to locate beyond prime locaons where the cost, growth is facilitated in a manner that creates places that are profile and access to provisions are more aracve. These will aracve for living and working and allow for beer outcomes, typically consist of manufacturing, storage, industrial and other parcularly in relaon to our health and wellbeing. The Place lower/middle density, lower/middle value funcons. Strategy set out in Secon 5 focuses on retaining and enhancing Cork’s quality of life offer and is delivered via five priority areas: New forms of high‐quality mixed business and technology parks with larger office and R&D units, as well as co‐locaon  Health & Wellbeing opportunies for educaon, research, and innovaon hubs with  Quality of Place shared R&D facilies set within high amenity campus  Social Sustainability environments, are likely to increase to serve growing demand from scienfic, technical and research roles. Employment types  Accessibility will likely include medium density, larger floorplates, that have  Vibrancy & Acvity relavely high networking requirements such as life sciences, technology, energy and agri‐tech sectors. The Place Strategy seeks to build on Cork’s varied place qualies which range from a vibrant City to scenic coastal areas. The County Towns, Villages, Rural Areas and Islands ‐ Through choice and connecvity offered by these communies is a core efficient and effecve transport and communicaons strength of the naonal and internaonal offer. The Strategy infrastructure, sustainable economic growth will benefit the seeks to ulise the capacity offered by this network of places to wider County, supporng the vitality and viability of the accommodate escalated growth in a sustainable way, marrying County’s network of towns and villages. Opportunies to the benefits of variety and choice with balanced growth within a concentrate acvity to support public transport and underpin network of connected places. exisng centres in the County would form the basis of a polycentric approach to growth in Cork. A Spaal Influence ‐ The Economic The County will likely accommodate medium to lower density Sectors acvies that require larger premises, that have lower networking needs, specific locaonal requirements, or that need The spaal implicaons and dynamics of the future economy, ‘secure’ sites. The types of floorspace requirede ar likely to be whilst unclear, are sufficient to idenfy likely trends in the future industrial business parks, standalone development roles of Cork City, Metropolitan Cork, and the wider County opportunies, such as industrial and lower order manufacturing, towns and rural areas. as well as integrated mixed‐use developments and town centre workspace. Through rural communies ulising the digital 04 Spaal Strategy

economy there will be opportunies for innovaon resulng in Greenfield Development – Successful urban extensions are new types of business (e.g. Ludgate). important for orderly development to facilitate growth and expansion opportunities across the Metropolitan Area and Key Acons County and will be advanced (e.g. Monard SDZ).

Increase population densities along public transport corridors at Employment Land Use ‐ The designation of land for employment certain location to achieve averages of between 3,500 ‐ 4,500 purposes will not in itself ensure the provision of an appropriate persons per sq. km within a 1km zone. level and mix of employment, with the actual level, mix and location influenced by market forces and industry specific Provide a supply of land and sites that are responsive to and locational requirements. The Strategy channels high value sectors meet social and economic needs: towards the denser areas (e.g. City Docks and Tivoli), providing choice of location across the Metropolitan Area while ensuring Fast‐track flexible office space to meet short‐term market that indigenous industries and niche sectors can establish in the demand which is designed to adapt to shifts in ways of wider County. doing business over the medium and long term.

Fast‐track the supply of housing in the right locations to Employment Clusters ‐ Increased employment growth along the meet housing need and offer choice. proposed Ballincollig‐City Centre‐Docklands‐Mahon Rapid Transit Corridor is targeted while also serving the signiﬁcant Develop the Docklands (City Docks and Tivoli) as a world‐class, employment generang uses at University College Cork, Cork high density urban quarter supporting successful, mixed use Instute of Technology and Cork University Hospital. More neighbourhoods based on the ‘5 minute city’ concept. Support employment clusters will build on the strength of exisng the continued development of the City Centre as a vibrant centre locaons such as Lile Island, the Airport and Ringaskiddy which for a diverse range of economic, social and cultural functions. is a strategic locaon for the industrial and pharmaceucal sectors along with important Port related acvies. Develop Monard SDZ to create a new neighbourhood at a greenfield location served by public transport. There should be Wider County Clusters – The network of County towns, villages, specific national policy provision and financial support to give rural areas and islands will have reinforced local, county and effect to Government Policy and implement the SDZ. regional links through infrastructure investment. Importantly clusters of towns and villages will work together and support Develop lands in towns and villages designated for growth within rural areas and islands to create sustainable places that make the strategic development nodes. significant contributions to economic growth in areas such as agriculture (and agri‐tech), tourism, fishing (particularly Outcomes Casteltownbere), maritime related activity and renewable energy. Sphere of Influence ‐ Metropolitan Cork’s role as a driver of population growth and economic activity regionally, nationally Transport Integration ‐ To attract and support significant future and indeed, internationally will be reinforced and a major growth in a sustainable manner, enhanced transport facilities will contributing factor to Irelands long term prosperity. be delivered in line with growth so as to maximise the cost benefit. Population Growth ‐ Building on the NPF’s recognion of Cork’s scale, populaon will increase from 542,196 to c. 846,423 with in excess of 60% of overall populaon living in the Metropolitan The NPF ‐ Cork in 2040 area in 2050. Taking a snapshot of 2040, there will be an overall populaon in Cork of approximately 750,000 ,with the number of extra jobs Spatial Consolidation ‐ An increased eﬃciency in land use will between 70,000—80,000. From this, there will be c.40,000 consolidate people and employment along corridors across Cork addional people in the Cork City administrave area and City and parts of the wider Metropolitan area, with sustainable another c. 120,000 in the remainder of the Metropolitan area urban expansions at locaons across the County. (with the total for the Metropolitan just under 500,000 by 2040). The County area outside the Metropolitan area will have a total Brownfield Development – The 180ha at the City Docks and populaon of just under 300,000 (an increase in the region of Tivoli offer the opportunity to create vibrant mixed use and 55,000). socially inclusive quarters that have the potential for a large residential community and employment.

CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 29 Measures to support supply and densiﬁcaon: Enhanced Acve Land Management

In line with the publicaon of “Planning Policy Statement 2015”, the acons set by “Construcon 2020” and “Rebuilding Ireland” are being progressed to enable planning authories to dynamically lead and manage the development process to ensure that zoned land actually comes into use as ancipated.

The market may not deliver the land or development in the right place when it is required. It is considered that enhanced measures may be required in Metropolitan Cork to deliver commercial and residenal development that is of strategic importance for the sustainable development of Cork and the wider region. It would also support Cork in achieving the right densies, form and sequence of development.

An understanding of Cork’s housing market areas, land ownership, land values, land and development supply, demand for land and development, and the viability of development is required to acvely engage with the development process. Measures could include:

 Greater involvement in the direct delivery of units or ﬂoorspace into the market by, or on behalf of, the Cork Local Authories where the supply would be of strategic importance.

 The combined use of zoning and compulsory purchase powers to deliver development land, either into the market or to be taken forward for development, on behalf of the Local Authories.

Addional powers may be required for the Cork Local Authories to raise funds and invest in land and development, for example project seed capital. Related measures could include greater ﬂexibility for the Cork Local Authories to jointly borrow funds for development on foot of future income. These measures in turn could be expanded to incenvise and kick‐start developments of strategic importance.

Together this suite of enhanced powers, in addion to exisng powers, could, if required, provide the Cork Local Authories with greater ability to ensure provision of development in the right place at the right me to support sustained growth.

05 / Place ‐ Making Strategy

Cork 2050 will create a person‐focussed place that oﬀers a strong economy, but not at the expense of Cork’s high quality of life, social cohesion, and well‐being. The Place Strategy is delivered via ﬁve priority areas (1)

Health & Well‐being; (2) Quality of Place; (3) Social Sustainability; (4) Accessibility; and (5) Vibrancy & Acvity.

Place‐Making Principles:  Consolidaon at a scale appropriate to Cork.  Coordinaon and integraon of land use and transport.  Mixed use and vibrant places, with the City Centre as the ‘healthy heart’ of the Region.  High‐quality, person ‐centered building and urban design.  Create condions for the arts to flourish, promote unique cultural assets and encourage creavity.  Community specific and community sensive form of development, and supporng the creaon of successful neighbourhoods.  Focus on creang quality public space and public realm with enhanced recreaonal acvity.  Build resilience, flexibility, energy efficiency and adaptability into Cork’s varied places.

Place Making Cork is unique naonally as a place that is highly To 2050, Cork will not only generate growth but has producve and compeve, but also one that offers a the space and places to accommodate this growth in high quality of life. The focus of this Strategy is to sustainable, high quality, accessible locaons for both deliver a sustainable scale of growth for Cork whilst businesses and residents. It is well posioned to retaining it’s high quality of life. The strategy rests on deliver on its potenal as it offers a choice and variety a holisc vision as a place that realises its full of place types, alongside a vibrant, robust and potenal but not at the expense of its social and cohesive social structure. It can absorb growth whilst cultural development. retaining its unique identy and community resilience. The Place Strategy focuses on retaining and enhancing Cork’s Quality of Life Offer, and is delivered Cork’s places and spaces can retain their via five priority areas: quality and uniqueness, whilst also

 Health & Wellbeing. adapng to an emerging 4th generaon  Quality of Place. economy, increased migraon, and a  Social Sustainability. changing climate.  Accessibility. Cork must create the condions to grow and develop  Vibrancy & Acvity. as a 21st Century place whilst also ensuring that basic

expectaons are met, such as: The success of the strategy for growth is dependent on presenng a compelling economic, social and  Housing that is affordable. quality of life proposion that aracts talent and  Clean water. retains local people. Therefore, retaining the advantage as a place that successfully fuses quality of  Sustainable energy. life with a dynamic economy is crucial. It is a unique  Water management and flooding. selling point that helps differenate Cork from other  Affordable and efficient movement. locaons naonally and internaonally.  Telecommunicaons.

 Polluon‐free air. CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 31

The Place Strategy is expressed spaally within a Sustainable A Living City ‐ The City oﬀers a mosaic of quarters, comprising of Place Framework. This Framework seeks to provide for the residenal suburbs, commercial areas, waterfront living, and the appropriate development of the whole of Cork, whilst vibrant social and cultural life of a European City with a unique recognising and priorising the strategic regional role played by landscape seng. Metropolitan Cork, with a vibrant Cork City at its heart. Cork’s Metropolitan Engine ‐ A well‐funconing and energising place providing residenal, employment, health, business, Sustainable Place Framework polical, educaonal, commercial and transport funcons driving the region. The Sustainable Place Framework will structure the paern of development to 2050 so that social and business space is Main Town’s and Villages ‐ Providing vibrancy and choice, Cork’s available in the right locaon at the right me, within the strong network of towns and villages must be supported and context of the Spaal Strategy. This will support sustainable connually renewed as they in turn support and energise their growth within Cork’s polycentric, mixed use spaal model. surrounding rural hinterlands.

The Framework idenfies spaal opportunies Rural Areas and Islands ‐ The variety and choice of environments and natural sengs within the County is second to none to accommodate heightened levels of growth naonally. This is notable in the context of Cork also offering the whilst providing a sustainable and high quality benefits of a vibrant European City and strong Metropolitan choice to residents as to where they live and Area.

work. The Place Framework, within the context of the Spaal Strategy seeks to maximise the potenal and meet the social, economic The whole of Cork has a role to play in supporng growth with and cultural needs of the whole of Cork, whilst channelling the each area fulﬁlling its potenal. The Spaal Strategy seeks to majority of growth to locaons within Cork City and build on Cork’s varied place qualies which range from a vibrant Metropolitan Cork. European City, to County towns and villages, to coastal areas. The Strategy seeks to marry the beneﬁts of variety and choice with balanced growth within a network of connected places.

The Strategy priorises a revitalised and reinvigorated Cork City for higher density living, and higher density, high value jobs. The high capacity transport corridors needed to support this scale of growth will be delivered incrementally in line with growth and intensiﬁcaon of the City.

Targeted growth will occur in Metropolitan Cork which has signiﬁcant capacity in its exisng built form and along corridors linking the City Centre with the remainder of the Metropolitan Area. The towns of Ballincollig, Blarney, Carrigaline, Carrigtwohill, Cobh, Glanmire, Midleton, Passage West and Monard present opportunies as well as a rich historical, sporng, recreaonal and cultural oﬀer, as well as tourist desnaons of regional and naonal importance.

Main towns and villages must be supported to grow sustainably in a way that maximises their individual potenal and releases their capacity within a balanced spaal structure.

The rich tapestry of rural areas and islands must be supported in a way that meets each communies varying needs, including the Gaeltacht populaon, within a strong overall spaal framework. Cork’s approach to development in rural areas can guide development over the long term, and serve as an exemplar for Ireland by responding to each places’ uniqueness and valuable contribuon to vibrancy, identy and place quality. 05 Place ‐ Making Strategy

The Right Development in the Right Cork: A Living City

Place Cork City is the ‘Healthy Heart’ of the wider Cork area. It is by far the largest commercial area outside of Dublin and has an Ireland and Cork have become more urbanised, and globally this important naonal and internaonal role in the provision of trend appears set to connue. The Spaal Strategy seeks to services and facilies. Residents and visitors favour historic cies accommodate the trend of increasingly urban‐led growth, by with a unique identy and public realm, which oﬀers people a channelling appropriate levels of development to locaons that good quality of life. have the capacity, primarily Cork City, Metropolitan Cork and to a lesser extent urban locations outside the Metropolitan Area. Over me the City Centre will become an Place Making Principles ‘experienal environment’.

 Densificaon and intensificaon appropriate to Cork It is not clear how retailing and commercial acvity will evolve to 2050, but more retail will be carried out remotely. A shopfront is  Coordinaon and integraon of land use and transport not the essenal retail infrastructure for every business that it once was. However, people will always desire to mingle and  Mixed use and vibrant places socialise, and businesses will alwayse benfi t from close physical  High‐quality, person‐centred building and urban proximity and profile of presence. design

 Community specific and community sensive form of Cork will build over the long term on the ‘healthy heart’ development approach and over me, expand on emerging concepts such as  Focus on creang quality public space and public the ‘mindful city’ that target the growing appreciaon of the realm impact of our physical environment on our health and wellbeing.  Build resilience, flexibility and adaptability into Cork’s varied places The City should connue to focus on its physical and spaal development. Developing, refining, enhancing and communicang the varied idenes of the City Quarters, led by Exisng densies in Cork are relavely low by internaonal a dedicated ‘champion’ should be taken on with a view to standards, as with Ireland generally. The development of Cork maximising the potenal of these areas street by street. City, Metropolitan Cork and the County towns and larger urban centres along growth corridors can be consolidated to levels that are appropriate for Cork. Improving Health & Wellbeing

This strategy would, over the 30+ years, see densies increase in Cork must maintain its current quality of life offer, whilst Cork City, primarily through brownfield regeneraon, and across meeng evolving expectaons. Meeng these expectaons is an sustainable locaons in the wider Metropolitan area. This is a intrinsic part of the economic as well as social offer that Cork reasonable approach required to support high capacity public will present into the future. Surveys show that there is a high transport, that is in line with comparator cies such as Aarhus, level of sasfacon amongst residents of Cork. that have succeeded in marrying growth and quality of life. Lifestyle ‐ Expectaons are changing with the built environment influencing how easily we can have the lifestyle we choose. Delivery is dependent on achieving the right development in the Poorly designed, low density development can inhibit walking right locaons, supported by sustainable transport. It is also and cycling and induce car use. Therefore, considering health dependent on being of a high quality and following a design‐led and wellbeing as a core principle in the design of our spaces will approach that delivers world‐class built environments that provide a valuable legacy to Cork and Ireland to 2040 and support mixed and vibrant communies in Cork. beyond.

Cork has the potenal to deliver consolidaon In this context, Cork 2050 takes a person‐focussed perspecve by developing a model for urban densificaon that needs to be reflected in policies and approaches to the unique to Cork. design of our built environment. Other consideraons that taffec health and wellbeing include transport, water services, character CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 33

and visual amenity, sustainable energy and habitat exisng provision is protected and addional facilies rolled out management. Policies are themselves changing, from smarter alongside development, and as with educaon and health water management in the context of climate change, to smarter infrastructure, to embed this into the design of communies and travel and increasing emphasis on sustainable, healthy modes. places in a way that reﬂects the cultural importance to Cork.

A shi of emphasis in planning policy and Social Infrastructure: Health ‐ There is a strong cluster of health sectoral polices is needed to align with the infrastructure in Cork, for example Mercy Hospital and Cork University Hospital, the largest University teaching hospital and latest thinking in health and wellbeing. the only Level 1 trauma centre in Ireland.

The basis for this shi is already in place, from the consideraon Cork provides crical healthcare services for the Southern of health in planning legislaon, to that of wellbeing in the Cork Region, as well as medical teaching and specialist emergency City and Cork County Development Plans. care naonally. Cork University Hospital primarily treats paents from the Cork and Kerry area, as well as terary referrals for This shi in policy must be based on an evidence‐based most of the Southern Region, serving a populaon of over approach as to how place‐based policies can support Health & 1,175,000. Wellbeing for future generaons. Research and data on the relaonship of health & wellbeing to naonal, regional and local Healthcare provision is undergoing structural change through spaal policy is required, set within the direcon provided by reconfiguraon of assets and services. Despite the long term ‘Healthy Ireland: A Framework for Improved Health & shi toward providing care in or close to the home, significant Wellbeing’. Cork is well advanced in aligning spaal and sectoral expansion of services will be required to facilitate the growth of policy in this regard, reflected in its designaon by the World Cork. These structural changes will have spaal, economic and Health Organisaon as a Healthy City as part of the WHO environmental implicaons requiring strong policy alignment Healthy Cies Programme. and investment.

An Ageing populaon ‐ Health and wellbeing are parcularly Metropolitan Cork’s strategic air and road relevant in the context of an ageing populaon. The design of buildings and the public realm will be required to adapt to connecvity make it the prime locaon for accommodate the needs of an ageing populaon over me, for expansion of healthcare in the naonal context, example in relaon to mobility and the provision of health primarily as a complement to Dublin for naonal services in the home. Cork 2050 acknowledges the increasingly acve aged populaon and the importance of ensuring Cork is based services. an adapve place and ‘life‐long proofed’ that facilitates all stages of life. Health and wellbeing will become a more Identy & Culture ‐ Cork’s unique, and varied place quality and important consideraon in design as more people live longer identy will be retained. Cork is one of the largest mul‐cultural and their needs and expectaons change. Our spaces, facilies locaons outside of Dublin and an aracve place for diverse and supply of accommodaon for older people will also change, cultures. It needs to make space for cultures both in terms of which in turn will require the efficient use of the exisng physical tspace bu also social space, for example through building stock. cultural events and programmes. As one of the more diverse places naonally, Cork has the potenal to play a significant role There are also significant implicaons for the provision of in the development of naonal integraon policy. services for an ageing populaon, parcularly in less accessible locaons. Service provision is increasingly becoming mobile Quality of Place where possible. Over me there is significant potenal for the delivery of services remotely. This will be enabled by advances in A vibrant, high quality and aracve environment, as part of a technology and digital connecvity. compelling overall quality of life proposion, can enhance Cork’s compeve advantage when coupled with a dynamic economic Social Infrastructure: Sport ‐ Cork is known for its strong sporng environment. Cork has a disnct advantage in this regard from tradions, with a wealth of clubs operang throughout the City the variety of places it offers, from Cork City, to unique towns and County dedicated to differing sporng tradions. The level and villages, to rural areas and islands. Cork 2050 acknowledges of growth set out in this strategy makes it imperave that the importance of place quality to residents and visitors, but 05 Place ‐ Making Strategy

also to businesses in aracng and retaining talent and Housing mix will reflect demand and demographic change. It is increasing efficiency and producvity. Capital and talent are expected that over me this will mean a larger proporon of mobile and aracve, safe, vibrant places encourage smaller dwellings. However, an appropriate mix that supports investment. choice and sustainable vibrant communies is essenal in promong sustainable and socially inclusive places. Quality of place must be protected and Environment ‐ There is a growing consensus in relaon to the enhanced hand‐in‐hand with development. value of Green Infrastructure, as well as leisure, recreaonal cultural assets as defining elements of the aracveness and Spaces for People ‐ Whilst the economy, technology and the compeveness of our cies, towns and rural areas. A core part environment will change many aspects of the way we live, a of successful place making will be retaining and expanding number of core human needs remain constant, for leisure, social Cork’s assets, nong their unique form and topography, and interacon, public realm, and health. providing the recreaonal infrastructure that a growing Cork will require to meet needs and expectaon and retain Cork’s quality Cork will remain at the forefront naonally and internaonally in of life and quality of place, such as Tramore Valley Park, the new offering 21st Century quality of life and place aributes such as Marina Park adjacent toc Paír Uí Chaoimh, Lee Fields to advanced digital connecvity and healthy places that facilitate Ballincollig Park, and the Cork Harbour Greenway. wellbeing.

Design ‐ The design of buildings and the broader built environment must provide for places that embody and enable a quality of life that is flexible to accommodate differing and evolving lifestyles to 2050. Cork 2050 acknowledges that whilst dynamic, quality places offer a permanency to be enjoyed lifelong .

Sustainability must also be at the root of design, and carefully resolved with the varied visual aesthec and character of Cork’s built and natural environment. Energy generaon and efficiency, Cork’s wealth of natural assets will be protected as Cork grows. water and waste management, bio‐diversity and habitat, safety A fuller understanding of the wider economic and social value of and security, and increasingly, the growing of food must be natural assets and recreaonal spaces, including the marine and considered in the approach to building and space design in Cork. riverine environments, is required. Natural assets can be seen as Housing: Sustainability, Affordability and Quality ‐ Over the Green Infrastructure, providing ecosystem services, as well as course of the Cork 2050 Strategy between 125,000 and 150,000 being socially and economically valuable in their own right. dwellings could be required to accommodate growth. This is Our changing climate will impact places differently, with water dependent on a range of factors, for example household size management parcularly challenging. Adaptaon, parcularly in and composion, stock obsolescence, and vacancy levels. social and economic growth areas, will be of crical importance Current low supply must, and is, being addressed. to Cork in the future. Housing supply is required in line with populaon change as well Place Making: Technology Integraon ‐ Digital connecvity is as market demand. Housing affordability is of strategic increasingly required and expected, much the same as water or importance to maintaining Cork’s quality of life offer and its cost electricity. Equality of connecvity across Cork should be compeveness. priorised, parcularly as hyper‐connecvity becomes a feature of technological development. A mix of housing types and sizes at a variety of sustainable locaons will be consistently Technology will have an increasingly important required up to 2050 and beyond for Cork. role to play in how we manage, use and interact with places.

CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 35

The right technology can be used to enhance the user City has a strong cluster of over 50 terary educaonal facilies experience from navigaon, to informaon, to augmented and was awarded the UNESCO ‘Learning City’ designaon in reality. It can be used to beer understand users, visitors and 2015. Consciously developing as a City of learning, educaon target markets, as well as placing and communicang the Cork and research will be a defining factor and strategic growth Brand. driver for Cork. Third level facilies should connue to be embedded into the physical fabric and woven into the social A Socially Sustainable Place and cultural fabric of Cork. The capacity of the City Centre and Docklands to accommodate addional growth in this regard is Economic growth cannot be delivered at the cost of equity and notable, for example the locaon of the Tyndall Naonal opportunity for all people. There are clear spaal expressions of Instute and the expansion of UCC at North Mall Campus. deprivaon in Cork and there is an important response to be coordinated with other sectors such as health and social care. Social Infrastructure: Educaon ‐ There are currently 344 primary schools in Cork with capacity for over 61,000 pupils and Diversity ‐ Connuing to be a socially sustainable, fair, and 87 post‐primary schools with capacity for almost 45,000 pupils. equitable place is at the core of the 2050 Strategy and essenal Populaon growth will generate significant demand for primary in achieving Cork’s growth potenal. Social sustainability, and secondary school places. Whilst the long term need for cohesiveness, stability and safety will be important currency school places depends on a range of factors from ferlity to into the future. As the populaon increases, Cork will connue household size, up to 79,000 school places could be required in to support increasing diversity and equality of opportunity Cork up to 2050. Co‐locang the provision of school places with through maintaining affordability and ensuring equality of residenal development is a core part of the Place Strategy. access. It is esmated that 65% of children starng primary school in This is parcularly important in the context of growth driven by 2017 will be employed in sectors not yet emerged. It is clear increased migraon. Cork will remain a flexible place that from the potenal growth in pupils outlined above that these enables local people to travel and return, and which also children must be connually provided with the skills needed to welcomes people in. Cork has significant and successful future‐proof the workforce. In line with naonal educaon and experience of migraon, with the largest internaonal skills strategies, success in key economic sectors will require populaon outside of Dublin. This equips Cork with a social and connual reinvestment in the educaon system and skills base instuonal mul‐cultural readiness for inward migraon over in Cork. the coming decades. Cork’s scale is a significant strength in this regard, being sufficiently large to accommodate inward Adapng or supplemenng educaon in Cork to migraon, but small enough to inhibit alienaon. ensure that evolving needs are met should be a

The Cork Healthy Cies iniave states that social exclusion can priority in future proofing exisng employment occur on a number of grounds including social status, language sectors and targeng potenal growth sectors. and culture. Naonally, Cork has one of the largest populaons of residents born abroad. Strong, migraon‐led growth has Cork’s key educaon assets include University College Cork implicaons for integraon. This is an important factor to be (UCC) and Cork Instute of Technology (CIT) that combined managed to avoid the amplifying aspects of spaal deprivaon. have over 35,000 students enrolled. Whilst the UCC campus has Intervenons in relaon to skills, educaon, language, capacity for addional floorspace, this is outstripped by its affordable accommodaon, access to employment, and physical floorsapce needs. For both CIT and UCC, the Cork Science and and digital connecvity are crical to success. Innovaon Park could provide for c. 11,000 students and employees over a 25 year period. Alongside addional third Skills City/Research Region ‐ A key challenge for strongly level space in the City Centre, the Cork Docklands and performing regions is ensuring all residents are equipped to Ringaskiddy campus will make an important contribuon to the parcipate in the emerging local, naonal and internaonal third level educaon needs in Cork. However, a supply of economy. This is parcularly relevant in an ageing populaon. flexible space to cater for needs as they evolve will be required. Enabling the skilling and re‐skilling of Cork’s residents over me is an important factor in tackling worklessness and deprivaon. The Cork Brand ‐ Developing and communicang Cork’s unique identy and ‘brand’ is essenal to generang the growth that Cork has been a seat of learning for over a thousand years. Cork Cork proposes. The “Cork Brand Book” and emerging branding 05 Place ‐ Making Strategy

efforts are crical to communicang naonally and for local people as well as enhancing the heritage, cultural and internaonally, the place, economic, environmental and social urban tourism potenal of Cork. life available in Cork, and crucially, delivering the compelling economic and quality of life proposion on offer. Cork City and A Framework for Collaboraon, an agreement between the Arts Cork County Councils, working in partnership with public and Council and County & City Management Associaon, focuses on private sector stakeholders, have jointly commissioned creang arts experiences in public space. Expanding on development of a place markeng strategy to market and measures such as this and supporng Cork’s vibrant arts and promote Cork as a locaon for investment across key target cultural life contributes to the rich and diverse nature of Cork markets. City, the wider Metropolitan Area, and County towns, villages, rural areas and islands. Vibrancy & Acvity Enabling access to, and engagement with, the Cork will be known for its varied and vibrant communies, arts enhances the vibrancy of a place and its offering a high quality of life, equality of opportunity, and the opportunity to pursue diverse interests and ambions. Cork wellbeing. 2050 seeks to ensure that space and opportunity is provided for the social and cultural infrastructure that Cork requires. Accessibility

Retailing & Commercial Acvity ‐ Cork City Centre is, and will Cork 2050 seeks to reduce the need to move by locang connue as the primary higher order retailing centre in the housing, employment, educaon and services and facilies close Southern Region. The wider Metropolitan area will connue to to each other. The planning and delivery of land use and play an important local and sub‐regional role in terms of retail, infrastructure will be coordinated to facilitate the connued with County towns, and other towns and villages across the shi to sustainable modes of transport. The approach priorises County providing essenal goods and services within their walking and cycling, followed by high capacity public transport respecve catchments. along growth corridors. This allows for corridors to be intensified and consolidated over me. Long term retail floorspace requirements to 2050 are not clear as they are dependent on a range of factors from household Cork offers relavely low commung mes to work and expenditure, to floorspace turnover and consumer behaviour. educaon compared to Dublin and other Metropolitan Areas The sector is also connuing to undergo significant structural internaonally. This is a valuable aribute in terms of quality of change, driven as always by change in technology and life and cost compeveness. The 2050 Strategy seeks to preferences. capitalise on this and ensure that commung mes do not erode the quality of life that Cork offers as the populaon and Over me it is expected that the experienal aspects of Cork’s economy grow. City Centre and town centres will become increasingly important. Cork has an opportunity to be a frontrunner in The Spaal, Place and Transport Strategies are integrated so as understanding these emerging changes and the impacts and to significantly increase the share of journeys that can be made opportunies in its public spaces. Foresight and proacve by public transport delivered through a phased introducon of management of the retail offering will ensure that Cork remains transport improvements. Achieving this in a cost‐effecve way at the forefront of the retail landscape in Ireland. will help to maintain Cork’s compeve advantage naonally and internaonally. Cork Arts, Culture & Tourism ‐ Supporng public art, and making space for the arts and cultural acvity as part of the fabric of our Key Acons spaces and places has a valuable if underulised potenal to invigorate and enliven the public realm and develop the The following sets out the key acons to deliver the Place experienal environment. Cork 2050 supports the placing of Strategy for Cork City and Metropolitan Cork: Cork’s vibrant arts and cultural life at the heart of Cork’s social  Focus on sustainable, design‐led intensificaon and life and public realm. The Strategy supports capitalising on densificaon along high capacity transport corridors Cork’s heritage, character, cultural offer (e.g. fesvals and traversing the City and the broader Metropolitan Area. events), and the marime heritage of Cork City, Cork Harbour  Develop a City of successful neighbourhoods based on best and the wider Metropolitan Area, which has significant benefit CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 37

pracce interna onally, such as the ‘5‐minute City’, to promote quality of life, health and wellbeing. This will Outcomes include the retrofing of exisng neighbourhoods to People first ‐ Through an aracve environment and access to ensure an equitable quality of life across the City and services, people will connue to enjoy a high quality of life with Metropolitan Area. improved health and well‐being. Successful placemaking will  Support a vibrant and diverse City Centre as the ‘Healthy aract investment, talent and visitors. In the future, on average Heart’ of the Southern Region. 4,000 people per annum will choose Cork as an inclusive place to live.  Delivery of Docklands on a phased basis as a key game‐ changer within the City, to create new sustainable, efficient Vibrant City Centre ‐ A highly accessible City Centre with places with strong idenfies and place qualies. brownfield sites regenerated through mixed‐use densified  Delivery of Tivoli and other brownfield redevelopment development (e.g. City Docks and Tivoli), connued investment opportunies to ensure flexibility to accommodate the right in the public realm and increased levels of accessibility in a development in the right place at the right me as required unique waterfront seng. in the future.  Provide housing at greenfield locaons across Metropolitan Quality ofe lif ‐ Cork’s places and spaces can retain their quality Cork including Monard SDZ. and uniqueness, whilst also adapng to an emerging 4th generaon economy, increased migraon, and a changing  Significantly increasing the populaon in third level climate. educaon within Cork City and wider Metropolitan Cork.  Provide suitable housing in the right locaons at the right Sustainable Place Framework – The Framework idenfies me, that is affordable and appropriate to the needs of all spaal opportunies to accommodate heightened levels of residents, be they prospecve home owners or renters. growth whilst providing a sustainable and high quality choice to Promote efficiency of the housing stock, including residents as to where they live and work, including at greenfield downsizing and decreasing vacancy levels in the City (to c. 5‐ locaons. 7%).  Third level educaon and research & innovaon A Living City ‐ The City will offer a mosaic of quarters, as well as environment to be embedded in the physical and social residenal suburbs, waterfront living, and the vibrant social and fabric of Cork. cultural life of a European City ,with a unique landscape seng. Over me, the City Centre will become an experienal  Expansion of healthcare infrastructure within the environment ‐ enhancing the experience. Metropolitan Area to serve escalated populaon in Cork and the Southern Region. Health and Wellbeing ‐ A shi of emphasis in planning policy  Experienal Environment: shi in focus from funconal and sectoral polices will constantly sense check planning and commercial environment to an exceponally high quality development proposals against maintaining quality of place and experienal environment, focussing on leisure, experience life as they work hand in hand. and culture, including development and enhancement of City Quarters, the Waterfront and Cork Harbour. Technologically Advanced ‐ Technology will be increasingly ulised to manage, use and interact with places.  Exploing under‐ulised and brownfield land, vacant units, and above‐shop space; exploing all opportunies for use of Arts ‐ Access to, and engagement with the arts is promoted to above‐first floor uses which can achieve intensificaon in a enhance the vibrancy of a place and its wellbeing. way that is sensive to exisng built form and character.

 Improving accessibility and ease of movement into and Reacon and Amenity – There will be a focus on creang quality within the City and wider Metropolitan Area, including public space and public realm across the enre County with through park and ride facilies at key nodes and extensive signiﬁcant investment required in the Metropolitan Area (e.g. public transport services throughout Metropolitan Cork and Tramore Valley Park, Marina Park, Lee Fields to Ballincollig County. Regional Park and the Cork Harbour Greenway).  Being Ireland’s no. 1 tourist desnaon.

The NPF ‐ Cork in 2040

In 2040, Cork will be known for its equitable living, work‐ ing and playing environment, oﬀering a high quality of life and the opportunity to pursue diverse interest and ambions.

Commung mes, housing costs and livings costs will be kept in‐check to deliver a high quality, healthy and aracve environment. There will be choice, improved health and wellbeing, me for leisure, family and com‐ munity.

The people of a place are crucial to success and while oen referred to as ‘human capital’ in economic terms, there is a need to appreciate the characteriscs of this resource in the ﬁrst instance. Cork people are known for their outgoing nature, ambion, sporng accomplish‐ ments, pride in place and knowledge and this Strategy seeks to capitalise on these aributes. On a global level Cork’s quality of place will connue to be a unique sell‐ ing point.

Keeping people in the area and facilitang populaon growth will create the condions for overall sustainable growth in 2040 and beyond.

CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 39

06 / Towns, Villages, Rural Areas & Islands

The 2050 Strategy develops Cork’s compelling proposion as a place that oﬀers both a compeve economy and a high quality of life, alongside a broad choice of lifestyles and locaons. This choice and quality is dependent on enhancing the towns, villages, rural areas and islands that Cork oﬀers.

It puts forward an integrated approach which seeks to maximise the opportunies from the strengths of each individual area, and endeavours to create a cohesive, integrated, mutually reinforcing whole of County approach—the 'Cork Proposion'. These areas collaborate with and deliver for the whole of Cork and eindeed th Southern Region and Ireland as a whole, and result in:  Enhancement though variable access to services for all rural communies and improvement of transport infrastructure to ensure social and economic connecvity across the whole of Cork.  Improvement in the demographic structure of areas which are declining or have an ageing populaon, and strengthen cultural vibrancy.  Provision of a life‐style alternave to those who do not wish to live in larger urban centres.  Creaon of economic opportunity in towns, villages, rural areas and islands through the stabilisaon of the primary producon industries, agriculture, tourism, and the creaon of added‐value enterprises associated with these industries, including small & medium enterprises.  Reducon in environmental outputs from within towns, villages, rural areas and islands through walking, cycling and using public transport and strengthening the natural environment (e.g. enhancement of the environmental quality through the acve pursuit of derelicon, promoon and support of the re‐use of obsolete buildings and sites for residenal purposes).

Developing a ‘whole of Cork’ approach

As part of the ‘whole of Cork’ approach this secon of the future will be how we connect some places and Cork 2050 considers towns, villages, rural areas and influence global markets, and respond posively to islands in more detail to set a strategic direcon that interacons with larger urbanised areas. There is a maximises potenal while protecng the unique need to appreciate the changing environment within qualies of place and life. which people will live, work, do business and interact socially. A ‘Toolkit’ is provided which cand be adapte and supplemented on a case by case basis under the Relaonal Proximity following structure: Crucial to the Strategy is the consideraon of  Posion ‘relaonal proximity’. Historically, the further away  Enable from large urban centres the less their influence. This  Acon has had a negave effect on the prosperity of some more remote areas. Whilst physical proximity to large For this study, the exercise is high level but more urban areas will remain a central influence in Cork’s localised studies tailored to each place will be development, ‘relaonal proximity’ will become required. At all levels, place profiling is central to the increasingly important to some acvies, provided process as it provides the starng point for areas to that certain (infrastructural and human capital) set ambions and goals for the future. As part of this precondions are met. strategy the focus is on the economy, place and populaon and does not go down to individual area It is the direct relaonships between level. Tools and methods are outlined that can be local communies and local businesses used as part of further planning, economic and social studies. with other locaons globally that is becoming increasingly important. A central overriding consideraon both today and in CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 41

In supporng the sustainable development of towns, villages, rural areas and islands, the Cork 2050 Strategy embraces many Posioning ‐ Economy, Place & of the principles of relaonal proximity, including ulising Populaon technological advances and promong acvity in ‘relaonal space’ rather than focussing solely on geographical proximity or Cork hosts the most producve economy naonally and the agglomeraon. largest economy outside of Dublin, and the extensive rural areas, islands, towns and villages of Cork make a fundamental This approach enables communies to generate contribuon to this. The producve capacity of these areas is stronger, sustainable local economies with fuller evident in the strength of the more established sectors of agriculture and food, as well as emerging strengths in research, access to regional, naonal and global markets. science and technology outside of Metropolitan Cork. This extends their offering, encourages innovaon and creates resilience. The success of these sectors is based on the significant underlying assets and human capital within the towns, villages, The approach also supports sustainable communies in rural areas and islands throughout North, South and West Cork. expanding their opons for integrang directly with the naonal These sectors offer potenal for connued growth into the and global economy, as the urban/rural dichotomy is not future, parcularly in the export‐orientated sectors targeted by sufficient to realise the potenal of local economies. However, the 2050 Strategy, and in this way to drive local small and the approach does not seek to by‐pass urban centres but medium enterprises, sustainable economic diversificaon and instead maintains and builds on exisng links to create a indigenous growth. stronger place, communies and regional economy. Agriculture & Food

Rural Metropolitan Area Internaonal Cork has the most people employed in agriculture in the Country. A number of indigenous enterprises operang in internaonal markets have developed outside of Metropolitan Cork from this base. These include Dairygold (a global agri‐food Internaonal co‐operave from North Cork, an example of how Cork can help develop the Munster Agri‐Cluster being promoted via the South West Acon Plan for Jobs structures) and Midleton Disllery (a A Vision for Cork’s Towns, Villages, disllery from East Cork housing globally renowned drinks brands). Ballymaloe House in East Cork is another enterprise Rural Areas & Islands with a naonal and internaonal profile and straddles both the food and tourism sectors. Together these enterprises Supporting the long term development of these areas requires a complement West Cork’s growing reputaon for arsan food ‘Vision’ that balances the needs of local communities with a and offer significant potenal to link throughout the Region. sustainable and diversified 21st Century economy. Cork has the research and innovaon capacity, parcularly in The Health & Wellbeing of communies must dairy research, to build upon its agricultural strengthsd an take be maintained; there is a connual need to advantage of increasing demand for food products globally. Teagasc Moorepark Animal & Grassland Research & Innovaon embrace change by enabling and facilitang the Centre (linked to UCC and Tyndall) in Fermoy connues to play a communies in Cork’s towns, villages, rural pivotal role in the development of the Irish dairy industry as the areas and islands. focal point of milk producon research, and is linked to UCC’s Food Industry Training Unit. The value of this can be seen in the presence of Danone and Kerry Foods in Cork who together Cork 2050 seeks to protect the variety of places in Cork and produce c.8% of the world’s infant formula. provide for their varying economic potenal. This reflects the direcon provided by the Commission for the Economic

Development of Rural Areas, the Charter for Rural Ireland and ral “Realising Our Rural Potenal: Acon Plan for Ru Development”. 06 Towns, Villages, Rural Areas & Islands

Agri‐Tech Tipperary and Waterford. This highlights the unique role Cork plays in the funconing of Ireland and the Southern Region’s Cork is also well posioned to take advantage of opportunies in tourism industry. the agri‐tech, agri‐engineering and agri‐science sectors, which is esmated to be worth €250m in exports to the Irish economy. In the context of climate change; growing demand for food globally; increased agricultural efficiency,a autom on and ‘smart’ farms; and changing farm sizes, these sectors offer significant growth potenal which Cork is well equipped to deliver. Cork is well‐placed to be a naonal centre of excellence in agri‐tech, building on exisng strengths in agricultural technology, research and educaon.

Technology

Ludgate Hub in West Cork is Ireland’s first rural digital hub, and a naonal exemplar of how more rural areas can take advantage of naonal broadband rollout. Ludgate has a naonal and internaonal profile and with high speed digital connecvity, space for local enterprise, and a collaborave and creave rural work environment, it is a hotspot for technology start‐ups and The Port of Cork has Irelands only dedicated cruise berth at entrepreneurs. Cobh with capacity to increase the numbers of cruise liners over the coming years. It is a crucial part of the overall tourism offer Ludgate is an example of infrastructure that could be and will connue to play a key role over the coming decades. commonplace in Cork, and indeed naonally, and enable communies to engage with the digital economy and provide Cork is well posioned to take advantage of a growing middle opportunies for innovaon and new types of business to class globally and the associated increase in tourism expected. evolve. To maximise the potenal of digital connecvity in Cork’s This growth has the potenal to bring increased demand as new towns, villages, rural areas, and islands, supports for the uptake opportunies to be a first‐mover in enhancing visitor experience of, and engagement in technology are required. This could in Cork, for example in relaon to digital currencies, data potenally be through a digital strategy, to include digital security and biometrics. profiling of areas to support their engagement with digital technology to maximise economic and employment benefits. Marine & Fisheries

Tourism The Government projects that by 2020 Ireland’s marine economy could grow from €3.4 billion to €6.4 billion turnover. Tourism remains an essenal complement to the economy of Cork has the longest coastline in the Southern Region, numerous Cork’s towns, villages, rural areas and islands. Naonally and ports and related infrastructure, as well as an extensive marine regionally significant aracons outside of Metropolitan Cork environment. Cork’s assets and infrastructure have significant include Kinsale (including Charles Fort and harbour cruises); potenal to support the development of ocean and off‐shore Midleton Disllery; the Blackwater Valley; Doneraile House & energy and facilitate new jobs in the wave and dal industry (for Park, and West Cork (including Mizen Head, Bantry and example at the Castletownbere / Bere Island port facilies). Skibbereen). Alongside a rich programme of food, film and music fesvals these tourism assets contribute to Cork’s c.1.4 million Castletownbere also remains home to one of Ireland’s most visitors annually. important fishing fleets and Ireland’s largest whitefish fleet. Although smaller than Agri‐food, aquaculture also offers long The towns, villages, and rural areas of East and North Cork form term potenal in Cork, with a thriving shellfish industry in West part of Ireland’s Ancient East, whilst those of West Cork form Cork. part of the Wild Atlanc Way. This makes Cork Ireland’s southern entry point to both of the naon’s flagship tourism These assets, embedded knowledge and infrastructure, offer concepts, guiding and feeding visitors along the Wild Atlanc significant potenal for local communies to benefit from Way into Kerry and Limerick, and into Ireland’s Ancient East via engaging with marime related industries. Cork can lead the CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 43

way in expanding Ireland’s blue economy, and also potenally residenal neighbourhoods with homes appropriate for a range play an important role naonally in developing Ireland's of income levels and family types will allow people to live near emerging marine spaal planning regime. their place of work. Vibrant commercial areas within towns will be important for local entertainment, retail services and a focus Energy & Forestry for community acvies.

Being the County with the largest land area in the Country, Cork Open space, parks and recreaon are important to everyone's offers significant potenal in land‐based energy generaon, physical and mental health. Places for people to gather can raise parcularly forestry, bio‐fuels and wind. property values and aract new residents. Communies, in collaboraon with the Local Authority, should seek to improve Cork has the largest installed and commied wind energy the exisng public realm and create new open spaces. The generaon capacity naonally, with farms concentrated in the Strategy proposes improved infrastructure for walking and Derrynasaggart Mountains, the Boggeragh Mountains, and south cycling which can bring great benefits for locals and visitors and of Dunmanway. Cork has significant addional wind resources improve health and wellbeing. and potenal to expand its wind energy generaon capabilies in ways that benefit local communies. Over the period up to 2050 it will be important to maintain features that make places special (e.g. natural landscapes, Cork has the highest forest cover levels in Ireland, almost 50% gathering places, streetscapes, public art and historic structure) more than the next highest (Donegal). This key asset supports a as they contribute to a sense of identy and aract visitors. strong private and public forestry products industry. The Irish forestry industry makes a significant and growing contribuon to the Irish economy, esmated to be €2.3billion, and includes Enabling value from recreaonal use and corresponding visitor numbers. The below outlines some key consideraons that will assist in enabling sustainable growth and communies. Energy sources such as these offer significant potenal to diversify communies’ economic base and tackle energy poverty. Ownership of and involvement in sustainable energy generaon Sustainable Community Development is a key opportunity to support the resilience and self‐sufficiency These towns, villages, rural areas and islands, and their of local communies. associated economic sectors, are an essenal socio‐economic asset and crical part of the unique selling point of Cork. Populaon Alongside their rich cultural heritage, identy, cost‐ compeveness, and quality of life, this provides for an The Strategy sets out populaon growth for the towns, villages, aracve and compelling proposion, which can be ulised in a rural areas and islands which is provided in greater detail in the sustainable way. Spaal Strategy secon of this study. These areas will experience growth at sustainable levels with distribuon focused around a The 2050 Strategy seeks to ensure that these areas fulfil their hierarchy of selements. Established growth nodes are the focus potenal and maximise their capacity to drive sustainable for concentraons of populaon with c. 82,220 addional people growth for the ’whole of Cork’, the Southern Region and the living in the towns, villages, rural areas and islands by 2050. The State. Crucially, maximising economic potenal will support the populaon increase is in line with recent growth and required to development of dynamic, vibrant and sustainable communies ensure that these areas are sustained, vibrant and aracve to across Cork and the wider region. young and old alike.

A core aim of Cork 2050 is to ensure that the populaon is What is a Sustainable Community? Flexible focused and clustered to create a sense of community, a real Typologies strength of the towns, villages, rural areas and islands. An Enterprise Model for the sustainable development of Cork’s communies must first provide an understanding of the variety Place of towns, villages, islands and rural areas outside of Metropolitan Cork and how they funcon in contemporary Ireland. It must There is a need to focus on maintaining and improving quality of acknowledge the full range of differences between these areas, life and the environment, with the goal of helping communies including differences in the choices available to and expectaons compete for new economic growth and beer serve residents, of communies, today and into the future. Understanding and businesses, and visitors. Good quality, appropriately located 06 Towns, Villages, Rural Areas & Islands

acknowledging these differences, in parcular between rural and Such a model can enable a greater proporon of communies’ urban areas, is a first step in enabling the whole of Cork and needs to be met via community enterprise, whereby services are Ireland to develop to its full potenal. made viable by supporng greater local engagement in provision. The key factors upon which to develop this approach and the A Framework for ‘Place Profiling’ policies for the sustainable development of Cork’s town, village, rural and island communities include: Understanding these differences, and how issues and  Sustainability opportunies differ across Cork’s towns, villages, rural areas and islands can be achieved through ‘Place Profiling’. Some of the  Accessibility indicators which could be used to idenfy the range of  Facilitating & Enabling community typologies in Cork and naonally are set out below:  Climate Change Mitigation

 Demographic Structure  Deprivaon Index High level enabling  Vibrancy of Community This Strategy sets out acons which apply across all parts of the  Services availability County. These acons are high level enabling measures which can  Proximity then be supplemented at a local level through the use of the tools outlined above (e.g. place profiling).  Enterprise & Industry  Environment Key Acons  Housing In order for these outcomes to be achieved the following will be  Security required: Understanding the differences is the first step in developing  The rapid roll‐out of high‐quality affordable broadband. This is appropriate, targeted and adapve policy responses and supports a priority for the delivery of social as well as economic benefit which can enable communies to take advantage of relevant in these areas (impacts on outcomes 1,4 and 5 overleaf). opportunies and fulfil their potenal.  The provision of legal, administrave and financial support to local communies to provide services for themselves which Overleaf are examples of four places in Cork which perform well would not be provided by the State or the commercial sector for different reasons. Their successes are driven by their (impacts on outcomes 1 and 4 overleaf). individual characteristics, working to their strengths, taking advantage of opportunities and dealing with weaknesses.  The use of modern technology and the adopon of Through the ‘Place Profiling’ approach other towns, villages, rural appropriate legal and administrave mechanisms to maximise areas and islands can develop actions which will enable a focused the use of public and private transport in these areas and to plan to be put in place that communities and public bodies can minimise the single‐person use of private transport (impacts implement. A cohesive plan is a prerequisite to obtaining funding, on outcomes 1, 4 and 5 overleaf). the delivery of services, and gaining support.  The acve development of policies, strategies and programmes which will promote the two‐way flow of benefit An ‘Enterprise’ Model for Community between major urban centres and rural hinterlands (impacts Development on outcomes 1 and 4 overleaf).  The development of flexible approaches to the provision of There is a need to recognise urban ‐ rural relaonships whilst water & waste‐water services in towns, villages, rural areas recognising that communies can develop in a manner that and islands so that they become open to sustainable embeds greater self‐sufficiency through direct engagement in the residenal development (Impacts on outcomes 1,2,3,4 & 5 regional, naonal and internaonal economy. overleaf).  An ‘Enterprise Model’ for sustainable community The adopon of policies regarding residenal development in these areas which will allow specific responses to the specific development enables communies to engage demographic trends in each area (impacts on outcome 2 more effecvely with regional, naonal and overleaf). internaonal economies.  The establishment of local enterprise zones which will CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 45

Successful Places: High Level Proﬁling

Skibbereen ‐ The town provides an example of a place that has taken an opportunity in the form of the Ludgate project which is described as a beacon of innovaon for rural Ireland. In addion, Skibbereen can inspire the country as an extraordinary example of a place at the forefront of digital development. With connecons to West Cork the iniave has been spearheaded by a group of forward thinking entrepreneurs, digital ambassadors and local business owners. It is a digitally and physically connected place (N71).

Clonakilty ‐ Although always considered to be one of Ireland’s most picturesque towns, Clonakilty suﬀered from car dominance in the town centre. A structural weakness of how the place funconed, it was addressed through a collaborave approach between the Local Authority, traders and the local community. Reducing car dominance has resulted in a more aracve and healthier environment thereby improving well ‐ being, recognised through by the 2017 Great Town Award.

Castletownbere —The port of Castletownbere is the largest white fish port in Ireland with European fishing boats using the new deep water berth in the inner harbour. With a local fleet of sixty fishing boats it keeps the local fish factories supplied with many different types of. fi sh The €40 million deep water quay built in 2011 facilies cargo ships, navy ships and cruise liners. This naonal level asset is a strength that can leverage growth in new industries that build upon the asset.

Youghal ‐ It is a bustling and beauful town that is considered one of the most popular tourist desnaons in Ireland. A historic walled seaport town it is an Irish Heritage Port due to its many historic buildings, monuments and ancient town walls. It has a 5km blue flag beach and many other acvies available to visitors e.g. fishing in the River Blackwater, golf and sailing. These key assets are important to aracng visitors and underpinning a strong tourism offer.

facilitate appropriately‐scaled enterprises within these areas regional development to ‘eﬀecve regional development’ is and the adopon of posive policies regarding the provision welcomed. This approach arculates that it is not about making of small‐scale local enterprise (impacts on outcomes 4 and 5 up for an imbalance but rather encouraging development that below) can make a diﬀerence.  The enhancement of the environmental quality of smaller selements through the acve pursuit of derelicon and the Cork 2050’s approach enhances the social, economic and acve promoon and support of the re‐use of obsolete environmental status of towns, villages, rural areas and islands buildings and sites for residenal purposes (impacts on and results in: outcomes 3 and 5 below). 1. Enhancement though variable access to services for all rural  The acve development of global markets for appropriate communies. SMEs and not staying dependent on the local market alone 2. Improvement in the demographic structure of those areas (Impacts on outcome 4 below). which are declining or have an ageing populaon, and strengthening cultural vibrancy. Outcomes 3. Provision of a residenal life‐style alternave to those who do not wish to live in larger selements. Cork’s towns, villages, rural areas and islands should be seen as 4. Creaon of economic opportunity in towns, villages, rural areas with potenal and a posive future which can be built on areas and islands through the stabilisaon of the primary more than their role as service areas for urban selements. producon industries, tourism, and the creaon of added‐ value enterprises associated with these industries, including The NPF Issues Paper’s move away from he term ‘balanced small & medium enterprises, through: 06 Towns, Villages, Rural Areas & Islands

 its servicing of urban populaons both proximate and remote through the sustainable use of its natural and The NPF ‐ Cork in 2040 cultural assets. By 2040 Cork will be an exemplar for rural regeneraon and

 the creaon of local centres of enterprise and increased prosperity in towns, villages, rural areas and islands. employment with a global as well as a local reach. It will be a place known for:

 the encouragement of small‐scale indigenous enterprise.  Being Ireland’s no. 1 tourist desnaon.  capitalising on the creavity and entrepreneurship of the rural populaon.  Having connecons with internaonal markets 5. Reducon in environmental outputs from within towns, driven by the roll out of broadband. villages, rural areas and islands, and strengthening the natural environment.  Having a diverse economy driven by primary pro‐ The Enterprise Model for Community ducon and embracing innovaons.

Development provides a structured approach to  It will have drivers within the strategic areas such realising the naonal level goal of effecve as Castletownbere from a fishing and port perspec‐ regional development. It provides for an ve, Skibbereen being a leading light naonally in the technology area and places such as Clonakility approach which will draw out each areas and Mallow driving economic growth. response to creang a bona fides sustainable place that contributes locally, regionally and  Providing the appropriate levels of services through towns and villages networking to deliver naonally and importantly makes a difference. essenal support at the level required.

Cork 2050 puts forward an integrated approach which seeks to  A sense of community, a real strength of the maximise the opportunies from the strengths of each towns, villages, rural areas and islands. individual area and endeavours to create a cohesive, integrated mutually reinforcing whole of County approach—the 'Cork  Having a demographic proﬁle with a low depend‐ Proposion'. These areas collaborate with and deliver for the ency rao. whole of Cork and indeed the Southern Region and Ireland as a whole.

CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 47

CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 07 / Economic Growth Strategy

Key Messages: The Cork 2050 Economic Strategy posions Cork to build on its economic strengths so as to remain highly producve and compeve in the short term, and equip it to adapt to and drive emerging structural changes in the global economy over the longer term. The focus is on creang the condions for a compeve, producve, resilient and adaptable economy to drive growth within the Southern Region and act as a complement to the naonal economy and that of Dublin.

Target Growth Sectors: Pharma, Bio‐Pharma, Life Sciences & Healthcare; Energy & Marime; Agriculture & Food & Agri/Tech; Financial & Business Services & Fintech; Leisure & Tourism; Technology & Research; and Educaon. These target sectors will drive growth in a broad‐based, balanced regional economy.

5 pillars of Intervenon: 1.People – Skills / Research / Educaon. 2. Economic Condis on – Floorspace / Quality of Life / Housing. 3. Connecvity – ICT / Global Connecvity. 4. Business Development – Innovaon / Entrepreneurialism. 5. Organisaonal – Governance / Promoon & Markeng

Scale of Opportunity: 120,000 addional jobs by2050

Introducon

Naonally Cork is by far the largest economy outside of Dublin and is a leader internaonally in key sectors. Cork’s Economic Contribuon Ireland and the Southern Region beneﬁt hugely from Productivity — GVA (real) per capita in the South the strategic economic contribuon that Cork, in West (driven primarily by Cork) and Dublin is above parcular Metropolitan Cork, makes as the primary €45,000, compared to sub‐€30,000 in all other economic driver naonally outside of Dublin. regions. Naonally Cork and Dublin are growing quickly and appear to be on disnct growth For Ireland Cork is the realisc candidate to play an trajectories (see below illustraon). Crucially, this high enhanced economic role naonally as a complement level of producvity has been persistent over the last to Dublin, and a leading collaborave role with the 20 years, driven by Cork’s export sectors. Southern Region. Achieving this requires building on Cork’s strengths, parcularly its producvity and Based on GDP data Cork is the most producve capacity to deliver growth. It also requires a step‐ metropolitan area in the Country. Furthermore, in change in the funconality and value of the Cork 2012 Ireland was one of only three EU countries economy, by recalibrang exisng strengths to develop the sectors that have the potenal to deliver sustained, higher value output for Ireland in the context of disrupon arising from emerging changes globally, primarily technological and environmental.

Cork 2050 sets a strategic direcon for the future Cork economy to support and complement the emerging NPF and Southern Regional Spaal & Economic Strategy framework. It oﬀers an integrated, cross‐sectoral strategy which creates the condions for a compeve, resilient, and adaptable economy for Cork, the Southern Region and Ireland. CSO: Regional GVA CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 49

where the naonal capital did not record the highest level of There are almost 3 mes the number of people GDP per person employed. employed in Cork as in Limerick, and almost 5 Business Growth ‐ Cork’s producvity is reflected in its strong mes the number employed in Waterford. business environment, being home to 11% of Irish businesses (over 26,000), double that of any other Irish metropolitan area Regional Interactions ‐ The scale of Cork’s economic influence in outside of Dublin. In respect of the rao of businesses to the Southern Region is seen in the economic acvity between residents (1:4.5), Cork outperforms all other metropolitan areas. cies and smaller selements. Metropolitan Cork interacts with This acvity is not only large foreign mulnaonals but selements (see below illustraon) as far away as Limerick, predominantly micro, small & medium enterprises. Waterford and Ennis, however, there is minimal such interacon between Limerick and Waterford for example. Cork is the SMEs ‐ Cork has over one‐third (35%) of all SME’s in the economic cornerstone of the Southern Region, driving acvity Southern Region (or twice the number of Limerick and and collaborang with selements of all sizes. Waterford combined). Outside of Dublin, Cork had the largest number of new business formaons naonally (12%), three Sectoral Strengths ‐ The broad range of sectors and industries in mes that of the next locaon (Galway, at 4%) which indicates a Cork enhances robustness and resilience naonally and burgeoning indigenous business ecosystem. regionally. The breadth of Cork’s strength in this regard is seen in the scale of employment across each sector; within the Employment ‐ Cork’s vibrant business environment is reflected Southern Region Cork hosts the most jobs in each sector (with in the level of employment characterisc of its recovery. The the excepon of mining) and hosts over one‐third of all jobs in Cork and Kerry area has the lowest unemployment rate of Irish each sector (with the excepon of agriculture and mining at 26% regions (6.4%), well below Dublin (7.5%) and the naonal and 13% of all jobs respecvely). average (8%). This indicates that Cork, as the primary economic driver of the Southern Region, is not just undergoing a balance This balance of sectoral acvity provides resilience which helps sheet recovery but creang real jobs and businesses. support the specialisaon that Cork offers. Locaon Quoent analysis shows that in the regional and naonal context Cork has

07 Economic Growth Strategy

real strengths parcularly in pharmaceucals; computers & The NIMBUS centre, Tyndall Naonal Instute, Teagasc related acvies; defence acvies; ulies; medical Moorepark and Cork University Hospital (as the largest instruments & supplies; plascs; chemical products; and office university teaching hospital in Ireland) develop products for the administrave and business related acvies, consistent with electronics, energy, agricultural science, communicaons, the specialisaons idenfied in South West Acon Plan for Jobs. health, and agri‐food markets. Cork Science & Innovaon Park (CSAIP) and the Docklands will provide capacity for thousands of Business Clusters ‐ The broader qualitave aspects of Cork’s employees, researchers and students over the coming decades, sectoral specialisms, in parcular its economic clusters, are key and provide strategic growth capacity for Cork’s R&D ecosystem. to understanding the strength of its economy. Clusters are geographic concentraons of interconnected companies, Cork Harbour has significant potenal for the specialised suppliers, service providers and associated servicing and research/development of marine instuons in a par cular field. They are the spaal expression of economic relaonship between businesses, and give rise to based technologies and the wider Blue greater efficiency, compeon and producvity. Cork’s main Economy. cluster strengths are in pharmaceucals & healthcare, computers & technology (including a strong emerging cyber Focused on Cork Harbour, Cork offers naonally and security cluster) and business & interna onal financial services. internaonally significant marine‐related specialisms and These have grown from the large number of globally prominent research & development enes. These include: the Irish Marine businesses based in Cork which also make it stand out naonally Energy Cluster (IMERC); the Centre for Marine & Renewable and internaonally. In the last decade the companies at the core Energy (MaREI); Tyndall’s Internaonal Energy Research Centre of these clusters have seen significant growth, parcularly in (IERC); the Naonal Marime College of Ireland (NMCI); the Lir higher value sectors and have the potenal to be the primary Naonal Ocean Test Facility; and Energy Cork. This ecosystem growth drivers of Cork’s economy over the long term. offers world class marine technology research and tesng infrastructure focussed on enabling commercial development of Firms located within successful clusters tend to these technologies, including marine‐based energy generaon. achieve increased producvity as a result of heightened compeon. Cork Tomorrow: Key Trends

A Research & Development Ecosystem ‐ Cork has a world‐class Cork’s economic growth is indicave of a business environment R&D ecosystem in specific areas which helps to future‐proof the that is responsive to global demand. Global trade is crical to economy. The instuons involved have a track‐record of Ireland’s connued success, from indigenous SMEs to large working with industry to transform ideas and research into mulnaonals; Cork must remain responsive to changing marketable products. These instuons focus on high growth internaonal environments. sectors aligned with Cork’s industrial strengths across related areas such as ICT and computers, nano‐technology and medical There is significant uncertainty inherent to long term forecasng instruments, and renewable energy generaon. The adapve or projecons. The 2050 Strategy focuses on responding to potenal of this symbioc relaonship between research and strategic trends driving change naonally and globally over the industry is key to building Cork’s future economy. shorter (c.2025) and the longer term (c.2040, 2050 and beyond). These trends include ongoing economic uncertainty among There are over 1,200 PhD students in third and fourth level Ireland and Cork’s main trading partners, as well as rapidly instuons in Cork, the highest per capita naonally. UCC has a evolving structural changes in the global economy driven range of research instutes across numerous spheres, with primarily by technological, social and climate change. specialisms in microbiome, environmental research, and social science, as well as strengths in business & law, physical sciences Whilst the short to medium term outlook is generally & engineering and ocean sciences. UCC also has the highest conservative and Cork and Ireland are facing significant research income per academic naonally. CIT’s research focus is uncertainty, there are also significant opportunies which Cork in bio‐analysis & bio‐control, embedded systems, and photonics, is well posioned to exploit. as well as strengths in areas from health to art & design to compung. This breadth and depth of research capacity is The challenge for Cork, as with other economies crical to driving growth, development and innovaon in the in Ireland and globally over the coming decades‐ target sectors idenfied in this Strategy. CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 51

is to be equipped to adapt to changes but also Sharing Economy, Digital Currencies, Wearable and Implantable Technologies, Advanced Materials, and Nano‐ to be a driving force in generang change. technology. These advances are bringing deep societal and economic shis. Businesses increasingly have the ability to Outlook: Short Term Trends (2025) ‐ Foreign Direct Investment automate complicated tasks and reduce producon costs. As has remained robust, driven primarily by global demand, in technological advances have always done, some jobs will parcular from Ireland’s and Cork’s principal trading partners. become obsolete while enrely new industries will be The ESRI’s medium‐term growth projecons for the major created. economies that are Cork’s key export markets show World GDP remaining over 3.3% p.a. to 2025; US GDP remaining over 1.9%;  There are also broader changes occurring, from the shi to UK GDP over 2.0%; and Euro Area GDP remaining over 1.1%.For renewable energy and the associated implicaons for the US, this is a significantly lower growth rate than experienced buildings, transport and industry, to ageing populaons and over the last 35 years. Indebtedness, high unemployment and an the treatment and management of disease. There will be ageing labour force reduce forecasts in the Eurozone. For the significant changes to resource ownership, global demand for UK, uncertainty over Brexit impacts on growth forecasts. Despite resources, as well as the democrasaon of manufacturing these factors the ESRI gives medium‐term growth projecons for and energy generaon. In developed countries there will be the Irish economy of c.3% per annum to 2025. This bodes well an increasing value on ideas, design, and informaon. for the Southern Region on account of Cork’s traded sectors and export‐orientated economy. As internet penetraon increases even the most Brexit ‐ Although uncertainty persists the impact on Ireland will remote places will have the ability to enter likely be parcularly significant, and will be seen in trade, global markets. migraon, the movement of finance, and FDI. The UK remains one of Ireland and Cork’s most important trading partners, and These changes have the potenal to fundamentally alter how Brexit will likely constrict trade between Ireland and the UK by we live and work, and disrupt established economies. What this c.20%, however the impact would vary from sector to sector. future looks like is not yet clear, but it will bring challenges and also opportunies. Cork must connue to posion its economy Of parcular relevance to Cork and the Southern Region is the and equip its labour force to lead this change and to create impact on the pharmaceucal industry, which represent a large rather than react to opportunies as they arise. share of overall Irish exports to the UK. The ESRI have stated that other sectors such as agriculture, food & beverages and Whilst it is crical for Cork to be a leader in these changes, it basic metals are individually more dependent on exports to the must also have in place the foundaons for economic stability: UK and so the impacts could be more severe. social, polical, economic and environmental stability, cost‐ eff ecveness, and resilience are important currency moving into Outlook: Longer Term Trends (2040/2050) ‐ Despite uncertainty an uncertain future. Cork 2050 is a framework for stability. there are clear underlying trends or global ‘megatrends’ generang structural changes in the global economy. Cork must respond, and is well‐posioned to adapt to risks and take The Opportunity: Cork’s Future advantage of emerging opportunies. Just as Cork’s economy was reinvented in response to the restructuring of Economy manufacturing in the 1980’s, it will have to consciously adapt again and reinvent its economy over the coming decades. It is The starng point for success is to play to current strengths, for this ability to adapt in a targeted way, building on its exisng example technology, life sciences and business services. Cork strengths, that forms the basis of Cork’s long‐term economic must connue to build on and invest in its strategic assets and development strategy. key sectoral strengths that are capable of responding to demands arising from long‐term, world‐wide challengesd an These changes are emerging from a range of sources, but opportunies parcularly in health, energy, technology, finance, parcularly from rapid advances in technology, climate change food, leisure. adaptaon, globalisaon, social changes, and the energy sector: The way forward for Cork is to not only equip  Emerging technological advances include inter alia Arficial itself to adapt to the emerging future, but to Intelligence, the Internet of Things, 3D prinng & equip itself to create that future. manufacturing, Big Data, Cobocs, Smart City Regions, the 07 Economic Growth Strategy

The current sectors that Cork is strong in, such as Financial & Business Services & FinTech: Increased connecvity; pharmaceucals & healthcare will fundamentally change in the changing markets and trade paerns; globalisaon; increased decades to come in ways that are not yet understood. For economic and financial interdependence; changing regulatory example, the pharmaceucals industry is already moving from environment; advances in technology; financial instability; manufacturing high volume generic medicines, to a small digital currencies; changing financial instruments; derived volume of medicines personalisedh to eac paent. In the energy demand from growth in other sectors; and changes within EU sector the shi from centralised, fossil‐fuel based systems to and Eurozone. decentralised, sustainable energy systems is well under way. In the future our energy system may be fully integrated Leisure & Tourism: Increased travel globally; growing middle internaonally, decentralised, and renewable. The oil reserves in class; increasing local and global populaon; changing demands Cork will sll be required for ongoing fuel needs and security of and expectaons; increasing demand for ‘experiences’; supply. Cork’s food sector has moved rapidly into agri‐tech ‐ in increased business travel; more acve lifestyles; and increased the future food producon may be highly automated and closer connecvity and accessibility. to food manufacturing. Technology & Research: Rapid technological change; improved A New Economic Focus for Cork ‐ Cork 2050 is a 30+ year research and scienfic capabilies; increasing technology strategy focussed on seng the strategic direcon for the Cork reliance; greater scienfic and technological power; climate economy. Connuing to focus on high growth, high value change; increasing compeon; increasingly limited resources; export‐orientated sectors that offer the opportunity to generate and innovaon. both jobs and GVA growth is crical. Educaon: Growth in middle class globally; changing demands Cork’s strengths, and those of Ireland, are in sectors that of an advanced economy; global compeon; regional depend on knowledge, research, ideas and crea vity interlinked specialisaon; increasing importance of research and with highly skilled workers, technology and advanced innovaon; and social and cultural development. manufacturing. To be successful the targeted sectors must reflect the trajectory of major global trends and harness their Through investment and support, and building on the potenal in a locally, regionally and naonally relevant way. opportunies emerging from these trends, the idenfied sectors can form the cornerstone of Cork’s economy over the short, Set out below are the seven sectors that will form the long‐term medium and long‐term. focus of Cork’s economy to 2050, and the global, macro trends which these sectors will grow and develop into: Cork must be a first‐mover in responding to and capitalising on these trends. Pharma, Bio‐Pharma, Healthcare & Life Sciences: Advances in medicine and medical care; scienfic breakthroughs; A Broad‐based Economy ‐ Growth in these target sectors will technological change; ageing populaon, living longer; bring wider benefits across the economy, partly through supply increasingly health conscious populaon; global populaon chains and a growing populaon. Built around it’s seven target growth; treatment of global diseases; and emergence of new sectors, the overall economy will connue to be broad‐based illnesses. with domescally‐focused and other internaonally‐focused sectors connuing to form an integral part. More domesc‐ Energy & Marime: Shi towards renewable energy; climate focused markets such as construcon, retail, health, and change; peak oil; technological advances in energy generaon; educaon are crical in providing a broad, balanced, funconing carbon creding; increased trade & marine‐based movement; and inclusive economy. This also has implicaons for educaon exploitaon of Cork’s natural and sustainable energy resources; and training provision in Cork. Using this approach Cork is well‐ social atudes and demand; and increased demands made on positioned to create a balanced, fair and adaptable economy ocean resources. that is resilient and sustainable over the long term. Agriculture & Food and Agri‐Tech: Increased demand for food globally; producon efficiencies; advances in food science A Strategy for Change capabilies; advances in agricultural technology; greater health and food quality awareness; food security; local and global In the short term Cork’s economy (including the target sectors) populaon growth; and climate change. requires a range of measures to be implemented to exploit capacity and fulfil potenal, as well as to keep Cork at the CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 53

forefront of its specialisms globally. However, over the medium “South West Acon Plan for Jobs, 2015‐2017”, will improve the to long term, to achieve the economic vision that underpins responsiveness of the naonal and regional labour market and Cork’s national role, a step‐change is required in the funconality strengthen the skill supply pool for Cork, parcularly in target and value of the economy. sectors such as science, technology, engineering and mathemacs (STEM). An Integrated Cross‐Sectoral Strategy ‐ To secure long‐term growth Cork must create the condions for its future economy to There are a range of opportunies to keep Cork at the forefront grow and develop. This requires a cross‐sectoral, integrated of skills and training naonally. In the short term it requires a strategy that combines mutually reinforcing intervenons in the clear understanding of what is, and what skills will be required by economy, place development, infrastructure and leadership industry, parcularly in target sectors. This will involve connual spheres, thereby bringing together a range of factors needed to scoping of emerging needs and requirements, improved connue to build a compeve, resilient and adaptable cooperaon and coordinaon between skills providers and economy. industry, as well as improvements and addions within training, educaon and learning. The Cork 2050 objecves are rooted in the nature of Cork, linking future direcon and intervenons within exisng assets, Research Focus ‐ Producing future‐proofed skillsets requires strengths, instuonal and business base. The approach to long‐ educaon and research facilies set within a wider ecosystem of term planning and implementaon must take the next step and specialist, innovave instuons working together. It also seek to integrate all instuonal efforts, including taking requires closer cooperaon between Cork’s third and fourth advantage of the emerging regional economic and spaal level instuons and industry and enterprise, including in the planning structures. In return Cork can deliver the share of jobs commercialisaon of R&D. growth and populaon envisaged naonally. To succeed in the emerging global economy Cork To achieve this the approach to intervenon is organised under must have the capacity to be first in developing the five pillars set out below. These are the key planes along which intervenons will be targeted and are cross‐cung the technologies, processes and ideas that spaally and sectorally. The correct intervenons across these generate change globally within its target areas will directly influence the acons and outcomes outlined in sectors. the implementaon secon of this document.

Cork is known for its collaborave environment, referred to as  People Cork’s ‘two degrees of separaon’. This is highly aracve as it  Economic Conditions provides unparalleled access to leaders in their field and can  Connectivity engender a deepening culture of collaboraon.  Business Development It is research enes, in parcular UCC and CIT, alongside  Organisational industry with a presence in Cork, that are best placed to understand current and emerging skills requirements, and how People these can be delivered in pracce. This dynamic can be facilitated and coordinated on behalf of the whole of Cork by Skills ‐ So assets, in parcular human capital and skills, will instuonal leadership. increasingly drive growth alongside the facilies and instuons Education ‐ Delivering skills and the ability to adapt and innovate needed to put innovaon and ideas into effect. starts within primary and secondary level educaon. The primary and secondary educaon system can help to develop a culture of Cork’s aim is to aract and develop people who innovaon that is aligned with economic and social needs. have the best skills naonally and internaonally Working with central government, the educaon offer can chart in its target sectors. a future for an adapve educaon system, to ensure younger generaons are equipped and educated for a changing world. Cork should seek to build on the opportunies presented by the Regional Skills Forum. Expanding sector specific partnerships A Changing Labour Market ‐ It will be important to equip local between industry and skills providers In the context of the people and newcomers with the skills needed to engage with 07 Economic Growth Strategy

and have a stake in Cork’s economy. With the right cross‐ sectoral support from a range of agencies, human capital Connecvity resource can be maximised and its potenal to improve labour Successful economies have the physical and digital market parcipaon harnessed. infrastructure to facilitate trade and business and move goods, services and people quickly, efficiently and in environmentally Age Range ‐ This is parcularly relevant as the age profile of sustainable ways. Cork offers the inter‐regional links— Cork, of Ireland, and much of the developed world changes. parcularly to Limerick and Waterford—as well as the naonal Cork has an opportunity to lead by reskilling, retraining and and global connecons to sustain exisng markets and develop remaining equipped to engage fully in the economy. This is new ones. parcularly relevant in the context of rapid technological changes. ICT ‐ Businesses and consumers expect digital connecvity which is rapidly evolving (for example the emergence of hyper Economic Condions connecvity) as are consumer expectaons.

At the heart of the Cork 2050 Strategy is the creation of the right Enabling the whole of Cork to connect digitally, conditions for economic growth and development. These to access regional and global markets quickly, conditions are multifaceted and include: reliably and efficiently and to posion Cork  Demand for commercial floorspace is expected to connue into the future, and whilst there is a significant quantum of ahead of the curve will be increasingly space permied and in the pipeline, Cork needs immediate important to Cork’s compelling business offer. delivery of completed floorspace onto the market, parcularly in Metropolitan Cork. Equality of access in turn ensures that Cork has the capacity to  A sustainable supply of affordable housing (a central ulise all of its spaal choice and human capital. One example of consideraon for companies of scale). how Cork is leading the way naonally is the Hibernia Express Connecon and the Cork Internet Exchange. This infrastructure  A high quality of life ‐ protecng this compelling offer is a means Cork has one of the fastest and most secure connecons crical factor in Cork’s future success. to mainland Europe and the US in the world. This gives  A quality environment offering a choice of aracve and companies in Cork that are engaged in established industries, pleasant places, equipped with a variety of recreaonal, such as finance, and burgeoning specialist industry clusters that entertainment, cultural and sporng facilies is a requisite require exceponal speed, reliability and security, such as cyber complement to a compeve economy in Cork. Cork security, a disnct advantage naonally and internaonally. This Harbour, coastline and waterfront are important assets cung‐edge infrastructure gives business the plaorm to grow, which enhance Cork’s environment and support it’s and in turn posions Cork as a leader in the field. economic offer, with the Harbour being of parcular economic value as a liveable, workable Harbour. Movement and Global Connecvity ‐ Tradional infrastructure  A ‘Flexible Spaces’ offer with high digital connecvity that will such as Cork’s inter‐urban road and rail services, as well as the allow Cork to be recepve to the needs of the future Airport and Port, underpin Cork’s growth potenal. Of parcular economy. relevance to the development of Cork are strategic road and rail improvements connecng Cork Airport, the Port of Cork, and South Docklands Masterplan strategically important business clusters within Metropolitan Cork, both regionally and naonally. There is a need for improved regional connecvity, parcularly with Limerick, Waterford and Kerry.

Considering the capital cost of providing these key economic assets, the significant benefit naonally is the opportunity to develop essenal infrastructure prior to or alongside growth. This presents a significant cost‐benefit profile and public exchequer return as well as enabling the capacity of such infrastructure to be maximised. CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 55

Business Development culture and support indigenous growth. People and relaonships are key to entrepreneurial success; Creang new business and re‐gearing exisng enterprises will be Cork 2050 seeks to propagate Cork’s culture of collaboraon and required. ensure Cork is known as an entrepreneurial environment that encourages, connects and enables entrepreneurs through Innovaon ‐ Exposure to global challenges and opportunies business networks primed to meet their needs. This cultural shi and responding to local issues are ferle grounds for triggering is needed in schools as much as high growth potenal tech start‐ innovave approaches and ideas in Cork. Maximising the ups and social entrepreneurs. exposure and opportunies for Cork’s innovators to respond to these issues within a culture of collaboraon and support is Entrepreneur and business support networks are needed to crical to expanding the innovaon capacity. support commercialisaon of spin‐oﬀs and start‐ups emerging from research and third level, where business experience and The future Cork Science & Innovaon Park skills are needed, for example IMERC’s Entrepreneur Ship, as well as for entrepreneurs coming to Cork from abroad.

Commercialisaon ‐ Central to this is having the research instuons, strong industries, and the technical understanding and supports to translate ideas into eﬀecve products and processes. The jump from concept to product to commercialisaon is crical in capturing added value and achieving a return on the research costs. Frameworks will be connually required for the provision of business training and support network to start‐ups and developing companies.

Compeveness ‐ Cork is highly compeve, but global compeon is intense. An essenal component of retaining compeveness is cost, both in terms of direct costs to ‘Cork Innovates’ is a collaborave engagement that seeks to businesses, such as floorspace, but also in terms of indirect costs increase awareness of innovave acvies and enterprise such as congeson. Keeping costs down and supporng ease of creaon in Cork. It acts as a liaison point that presents Cork’s doing business are important factors in maintaining Cork’s story and shares projects, opportunies and other appeal and comparave advantage. developments associated with innovaon and entrepreneurship in the SME sector to local, naonal and internaonal audiences. Cork is today and will remain, through co‐ordinated planning and investment, more cost compeve than Dublin and other Cork needs to expand efforts to help find, de‐ globally compeng locaons taking account of direct and risk and drive the science and technology indirect costs. innovaons’ that will help grow the economy. Edinburgh—A benchmarking exercise was carried out at Entrepreneurialism ‐ Over 12% of new Irish start‐ups are in Cork, the start of the Cork 2050 process with Edinburgh one of the second naonally only to Dublin and 3 mes the level in Galway. locaons selected. Subsequently the NPF Issues Paper iden‐ Building on the work of stakeholders such as the Cork Local fied Edinburgh for comparave purposes with Cork. Based Enterprise Offices, Cork 2050 seeks to capitalise on this and on a vibrant economy, Edinburgh is one of the fastest grow‐ ing Regions in the UK. It is the second largest City Region in ignite Cork’s entrepreneurial spirit and engender an Scotland and is considered a bustling hub of history, tourism, entrepreneurial environment and start‐up culture in Cork. business and educaon. Edinburgh’s plan to realise accelerated growth involves a By supporng human capital through educaon, mentoring, three pronged strategy that comprises of (a) building on networking support, and removing barriers at crucial phases of exisng strengths in the areas of knowledge, culture and the business cycle, Cork 2050 seeks to support a new generaon technology (b) taking greater control of decision making of entrepreneurial individuals and micro, small & medium power and (c) invesng in infrastructure supported by both enterprises, parcularly in the Cork 2050 target sectors. Cork the UK and Scosh governments. can augment its business environment to foster a start‐up 07 Economic Growth Strategy

Organisaonal Year Employment

Governance ‐ Local and regional leadership has a valuable role 2016 220,132 to play in scoping the potenal impacts and implicaons for Cork from global trends, parcularly in relaon to rapid 2022 234,864 technological change and environmental change. Connually 2028 254,121 improving Cork’s understanding of the risks and opportunies is essen al to equipping Cork to respond. This will equip local and 2034 271,155 regional leadership to deliver ‘instuonal recognion’ of these 2040 289,922 emerging risks and opportunies. 2046 312,579

Co‐ordinaon ‐ Cork has a strong track record in relaon to 2050 341,659 strategic planning, and has for many years focused on the relaonal aspects of its development. Sectoral stakeholders work closely to maximise Cork’s potenal. These efforts need to Sectoral analysis sees stronger growth in professional, scienfic be expanded, parcularly in relaon to the scoping of strategic and technical acvies, ICT, finance & business services, issues and targeng of capabilies. This has the potenal to accommodaon & food, educaon, and manufacturing, and to a significantly enhance the funconality and potenal of Cork. lesser extent agriculture. These are the main export orientated sectors targeted by the Strategy and aligned with long‐term Promoon & Markeng ‐ Cork should connue to convey a internaonal growth drivers. unified message as set out in the Cork Brand Management Project being developed with local partners. The Cork Brand is Educaon, health & social care, and water & electricity also based on its established brand pillars relang to economy, show strong growth, primarily from secondary, domesc quality ,of life educaon and visitors . derived demand (educaon will benefit from internaonal aracveness). Conveying the message in the correct way to the target audience that Cork offers the right Targets ‐ Medium and long term employment levels are mix for success is essenal to generate business provided for the purpose of outlining trends and the success or not across all sectors of the economy will be dependent on and connect Cork with naonal and Cork’s ability to inter alia adapt in line with global shis, provide internaonal markets and talent pools. the requisite human capital and maintain a high quality of place.

It is parcularly important for accessing new markets, including Long‐term forecasts and projecons of sectoral growth are Europe and Asia, which takes on new and immediate relevance influenced by a very wide range of factors from fluctuang in the context of Brexit and changes in the US. Having the demand, to social and polical instability, to technological and identy and effecve message and apparatus for delivery is environmental change. To 2040 and beyond to 2050, the focus crical for Cork on the world stage. should be on idenfying and aligning with the underlying trends, and monitoring and adapng to change. This approach should consider the components of demographic change as well The Scale of the Opportunity as the drivers of economic growth.

Potenal Overall Employment Growth ‐ The economic On the demographic side of the equaon, long term trends development scenario indicates employment growth of up to indicate that as people live healthier lives for longer that the approximately 120,000 addional jobs by 2050. This should be rerement age will rise. It is also expected that the nature of considered as an escalated growth scenario where work will connue to evolve, with more people working part‐ implementaon of the Cork 2050 Economic Strategy receives me whilst studying for greater proporons of their lives. appropriate naonal and regional level policy support and Changes in the availability, value and the level of automaon in investment in the context of robust growth naonally and work processes also has implicaons for the introducon of a globally. This is the scale of growth that Cork should target to living wage. support a sustained contribuon to naonal growth and perform at the internaonal level consistently. On the economic front, analysis of recent trends in sectoral CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 57

growth gives an indica on of future growth over the short term. sector. However longer term forecasts should be seen as an indicator and not a detailed year‐by‐year forecast. This is parcularly Economic Condions – Floorspace / Quality of Life / Housing relevant in the context of fundamental structural changes in advanced Western economies, and the likelihood of deep rooted  Support the fast‐tracking of commercial floorspace in change in the nature of each sector. How these influences will Metropolitan Cork. play out to 2050 is not known, however there are evident trends  Support the fast‐tracking of housing delivery in Metropolitan and drivers of change. Cork.  Assist in delivery of strategically important sites and As an example, it is expected that increasingly sophiscated developments. automaon of complex tasks will reduce the need for administra ve roles. However businesses will also consider the  Assist in developing supports for communies outside of costs of such improvements alongside the availability of labour Metropolitan Cork. and the flexibility labour provides to the overall business.  Assist in developing the naonal marine spaal planning Similarly in the retail sector whilst online shopping and potenal regime. automaon of product delivery would be expected to reduce the  Promote investment in energy generaon, parcularly need for sales roles, customers’ desire for a retail ‘experience’ around Cork Harbour. and assistance by staff could counteract this trend. These are simple examples of the emerging trends in each sector.  Explore the potenal impact on City and Town centres from changes in retailing. Longer term forecasts are useful for indicang likely future growth in sectors over me for the purposes of informing high Connecvity – ICT / Global Connecvity level spaal and economic policy. Underpinned by an effecve and integrated strategy for escalated growth, this enables a  Ensuring provision of infrastructure investment to support picture to be painted of the likely scale of future employment key industry clusters. growth as above.  Encourage expansion of Tier 1 digital connecvity to mainland Europe. These targets take account of factors that include current  Supporng reorganisaon of Port of Cork facilies and an economic trends, localised sectoral strengths, quality of life, increase in the numbers of cruise liners as a crucial part of placec and conne vity. The Strategy focuses on creang the the tourism offer. condions that will allow Cork to adapt to change. Set out below are acons aimed at delivering the condions for growth,  Supporng access to Cork Internaonal Airport and its future grouped under the five pillars of intervenon. expansion, as required.

Acons ‐ 5 pillars of Intervenon: Business Development – Innovaon / Entrepreneurialism  Support the enterprise development of new technologies. All opportunies should be pursued and it is recognised that they may not all be realised. In order to provide a plaorm for  Encourage provision of facilies for business to arts growth, development and adaptaon the Strategy sets out inial enterprises. acons to be explored as set out below.  Promote delivery of Cork Science & Innovaon Park.  Targeted support for ﬁn‐tech enterprises. People – Skills / Research / Educaon  Support growth of emerging cyber security cluster.  Assist in idenfying and delivering necessary skills across Cork.  Support provision of skills in Cork to support the Southern Organisaonal – Governance / Promoon & Markeng Region economy.  Enhance instuonal and industry recognion of implicaons  Targeted supports for re‐skilling & re‐training. arising from global mega‐trends.  Idenfy, map and promote the supply of and demand for  Scope and monitor risks to and opportunies from social, skills across Cork. polical, economic and technological disrupon to Cork economy.  Connued support for innovaon and research in the health 07 Economic Growth Strategy

The NPF ‐ Cork in 2040

Cork will have a resilient and diverse economy that creates on average over 3,500 jobs per year building on comparave advantages and growing indigenous businesses.

 Just under 300,000 jobs in total in the whole of Cork.

 Sectoral analysis sees stronger growth in profes‐ sional, scienﬁc and technical acvies, ICT, ﬁnance & business services, accommodaon & food, educa‐ on, and manufacturing.

 The renewable energy sector will be a major con‐ tributor to economic growth centred around Corks Strategic Energy Zone.

 More automated agriculture producon will result in higher producvity. It will be enabled by the agri‐ tech industry, a signiﬁcant employer in its own right.

 Growth is more consistent and less cyclical despite global economy disrupon, a reﬂecon of the resili‐ ent and broad based economy.

 Cork is a hub for high value service jobs in areas such as ﬁn‐tech. CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 59

08CORK /2050 Transport | Realising the Full PotenStrategyal for Cork 2050 60

Cork 2050 Transport Strategy Objecve

The objecve of the Cork 2050 Transport Strategy is the delivery of a sustainable transport network and supporng policies that underpin the spaal, social and economic expansion of Cork to 2050 that facilitates the transion to a low carbon and climate resilient economy. The Transport Strategy achieves the following:  Consolidates growth within Metropolitan Cork along key corridors in terms of delivering higher densies, mixed land uses and compactness. This will make best use of exisng transport infrastructure whilst developing a crical mass of populaon to support a step up in sustainable mode investment along these corridors over me.  Supports the crical socio‐economic role played by Cork City and County.  Facilitates the priorisaon of investment in public transport, walking and cycling networks and recognises the importance of the strategic road network in supporng the growth of the naonal and regional economies.  Promotes people's health, happiness, and well‐being through place‐making strategies which employ a mul‐faceted approach to the planning, design and management of public spaces.

Context

A well performing transport system is essenal to the policies and transport intervenons to generate more funconing of society and the economy. Failure to sustainable travel paerns, could accommodate deliver an efficient transport network that supports significant addional growth in populaon, sustainable travel acts as a barrier to economic employment and educaon along these corridors growth, reduces quality of life and has a negave delivering sustainable mode shares consistent with impact on the environment. smarter travel targets thereby contribung towards reducing the environmental impact of transport. Cork has significant advantages in terms of exisng Crucially, Cork has areas available for consolidated strategic transport infrastructure for freight and growth, such as Docklands, Tivoli, City Environs and passenger traffic. It is the only Metropolitan Area Ballincollig Town, which can be developed over me outside of Dublin with both air and sea ports, offering in a sustainable manner that can make best use of strong internaonal connecons which make it an exisng infrastructure through, for example, the ideal locaon for foreign direct investment and export allocaon of road space for sustainable modes such led businesses. Cork benefits from current strong as walking, cycling and public transport. transport connecons to Dublin by way of motorway infrastructure, hourly rail services and frequent Evidence suggests that further investment in Cork’s express bus services. Locally, Cork has the potenal transport infrastructure is needed and the viability of to be sustainable in transport terms with many sustainable transport schemes is interdependent on villages and urban centres supporng short local trips well located consolidated growth that will add crical within walking and cycling distance, especially for mass to enable sustainable travel to grow to levels educaon, retail, leisure and social purposes. required to have substanve beneficial impact on Ireland’s climate change obligaons. Cork currently has defined corridors of transport demand which if supported with the right sustainable CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 61

Exisng Transport Characteriscs of  M28 Route Opon and EIS preparaon.  Numerous Greenway studies. Cork The NTA has provided in the region of €5‐7m per year for An evaluaon of Census 2011 data on the effecveness of the sustainable mode investment including several walk, cycle and exisng transport network and services was undertaken and can bus priority measures since 2011. There have seen significant be summarised as follows: improvements in cycling infrastructure in the city centre with  Only 7% of journeys to work in Cork City are undertaken by the introducon of with‐flow and contra‐flow cycling facilies. public transport, whereas in the Metropolitan area, the There is approximately 100km of cycling infrastructure in the equivalent figure is 3% and in the County area only 1%. Cork Metropolitan area. The Coke Zero bike scheme has also been a very posive addion to cycling infrastructure in the City,  Approximately 90% of trips to work in the Metropolitan area with over 20,000 trips undertaken per month using the scheme. are by car. There are in excess of 9,200 members and since the introducon  15% of the populaon travel to work by walking or cycling in of the scheme there have been 550,000 trips taken (to the end Cork City. of 2016). The facilies that have been implemented with limited  There is a dispersed paern for journeys to work generally funding to date are of a very good standard and will form the within the Metropolitan area. The private car tends to be basis for further improvements to thee sustainabl modes used for radial trips into/ out of the City as well as for trips network into the future. on orbital routes between employment centres, such as the N40. There has also been significant investment in bus priority measures termed the ‘Cork Green Routes’, which has provided  The highest concentraon of public transport trips tends to protecon for buses from general increases in traffic congeson be from suburbs of Cork City and Metropolitan Area towns on key radial corridors to Cork City Centre e.g. Ballincollig Town to Cork City Centre. to the City Centre. The above investments in walking, cycling  73% of all travel to work and school trips in the study area and bus infrastructure have resulted in increases in the share of are less than 30 minutes, with an addional 18% of trips in sustainable mode trips in the Cork Metropolitan Area. For the 30 to 45‐minute journey me range. Journeys in the 30 example, there has been a posive increase in bus patronage to 45‐minute journey me bracket are of importance as they with over 12 million trips undertaken on Cork City services last represent one of the key target demand groups for targeng year; a 25% increase in bus patronage in the last 3 years; and and encouraging a shi to public transport. with growth levels higher than other regional cies.  There is a reliance on strategic roads such as the N28 (connecng with Ringaskiddy), N27 (connecng with Cork Key Issues Affecng Sustainable Airport), N40, M8, N25 and N20. Maintaining the capacity of the roads with opmal levels of service is of crical Transport Use in Cork importance for growing the economy of Cork. There are barriers to overcome to realise a sustainable future transport network that can support future growth in a balanced Recent Transport Improvements in and equitable manner. These barriers include the current poor Cork percepon of public transport and a relavely high proporon of trips by private car. Some exisng development paerns are Much work has been done to improve the operaon of mul‐centred resulng in dispersed travel movements that are transport in Cork since the Census in 2011, including; difficult to serve effecvely by sustainable modes of travel. Nonetheless, the success of iniaves such as the Cork City bike  Cork City Centre Movement Strategy ‐ 2012. scheme, cycle priority schemes, real me passenger informaon  Douglas LUTS ‐ 2012. for buses, Leap integrated smartcard ckeng and the  Transport Corridor Studies – 2014‐2017. reintroducon of commuter rail services to Midleton demonstrates the ability of Cork to respond posively to  Cork City Walking Strategy ‐ 2013. sustainable transport schemes and iniaves.  Cork Cycle Network Plan ‐ 2016.

 N40 Demand management study (underway, TII).  Dunkele Interchange EIS. 08 Transport Strategy for Cork 2050

Infrastructure and network related issues years with the introducon of maximum parking standards.

 The current rail service offers very limited coverage of the Cork Metropolitan Area, in terms of stop locaons along its Recommended Cork Transport corridor. Strategy to Support Growth to  The road infrastructure, and extensive one‐way systems on several bus routes, increases bus travel distances and travel 2050 mes. Having considered the baseline characteriscs of travel within  The travel distribuon paerns indicate a dispersed travel Cork as well as the main barriers to public transport and paern in Cork, which is difficult to serve by public sustainable modes parcipaon, the following strategic transport. priories for future transportaon in Cork have been developed:  Service/ Management related issues Priority 1: Ensure investment in transport makes best use of exisng infrastructure.  Many trips to work and educaon in the Cork Metropolitan  Priority 2: Reduce urban congeson through: Area are under 30 minutes. Thus, bus and rail frequencies  Improved and expanded public transport capacity; and journey mes are not sufficiently high to represent an  Improved and expanded walking and cycling aracve alternave to car use for most journeys. infrastructure; and  The outer suburban bus services are more complicated and  The use of ITS to improve efficiency and sustainability of bespoke than their city counterparts. Less regular users of the transport network. public transport find it difficult to understand how available services can accommodate their travel needs, which acts as  Priority 3: Ensure effecve integraon between transport a barrier to their use. and land‐use through delivering consolidated development that provides higher density, a balanced mixed of land uses, Land use/ development related issues compact selements to reduce trip distances and of a magnitude that supports the viability of high capacity public The following land use related issues are not supporve of transport and that reduces the need to use the strategic public transport use and provision: road network.  53% of the Metropolitan area populaon resides in rural  Priority 4: To deliver consolidated development in a manner areas or small villages outside of the largest eight towns. that can avail of exisng transport infrastructure, nearby amenies and facilies in the short term to deliver a crical  There are relavely low densies of development in the mass of growth in populaon and employment which can main towns within the Metropolitan area and the car support the transion and sequencing of investment to oriented nature of development in these areas. higher capacity public transport infrastructure and services.  High levels of car parking provision throughout the Cork  Priority 5: To place greater emphasis on network area. permeability within Place‐Making Strategies leading to the  High quality road network outside Cork City, which has creaon of healthier places connected by aracve routes resulted in unsustainable/ dispersed selement paerns to support walking and cycling, parcularly for the short away from Cork City and the encouragement of private car distance trips undertaken in the City and within key towns in use. the Metropolitan and County area to schools, services and  Car oriented development, which discourages public places of employment. transport use. In some parts of the Metropolitan Area, there  Priority 6: The provision of high frequency public transport is a considerable amount of development built around cul‐ services with improved priority to increase compeveness de‐sacs, both residenal and business estates. Cul‐de‐sacs with the car and provide for mode shi away from the are difficult for public transport services to access and has a private car. negave impact on public transport use.  Priority 7: Maximise the value of the road network through  Given the very high car mode share for journeys to work targeted investments that: within the Metropolitan Area, it is evident that there are  Improve connecons to Cork Airport and Port of Cork. very high levels of private non‐residenal (PNR) car parking. However, some progress has been made in the last few  That enhance the efficiency of the exisng road CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 63

network parcularly through increased use of ITS Land use Policies Supporve of reducing Travel applicaons. Distances  Support naonal and regional spaal planning priories. Land use policies will minimise the requirement to travel longer  Provide access to large scale employment areas. distances, parcularly during peak mes. This will include ensuring areas are developed in tandem with the delivery of  Address crical safety issues. schools and other amenies to maximise the use of more  Priority 8: The provision of an eﬀecvely managed strategic sustainable modes of transport such as walking and cycling. road network to enhance connecvity thereby supporng naonal, regional and local economies; and Demand Management Strategies  Priority 9: To embrace new technologies which enhance connecvity for people and the economy whilst reducing Strategic demand management to play a crucial role in the need to travel and which make a signiﬁcant contribuon delivering sustainable transport for Cork to 2050. This will towards a low carbon society. involve delivering the following key policies:

The Transport Strategy for Cork 2050 seeks to deliver on the  Demand management of the strategic road network to above priories. The Strategy comprises a mix of strategic protect its operaonal efficiency, to prolong its lifespan and transport iniaves, policies and infrastructure which will to ensure that it retains sufficient capacity to fulfil its maximise the benefit from transport investment and will enable strategic funcons, including freight movement. Cork to compete internaonally for investment and to support Corresponding improvements to public transport services significant sustainable growth in populaon and employment and routes must be provided in tandem with any demand over the next 30+ years. The recommendaons for public management measures in order to provide modal choice. transport and road based travel in Cork are shown in Maps 1  Road Management Strategies to examine the most and 2 over, and Maps 3 and 4 on the following page. appropriate allocaon and use of road space.  Travel Demand Management Promoonal Measures, Policies and Iniaves encompassing Workplace Travel Planning, School Travel Planning and Personalised Travel Planning. Acve Modes  Seng maximum parking standards for all new developments, with the level of parking provision applied Develop sustainable communies throughout Cork City and linked to public transport capacity and accessibility. County, with an emphasis on sustainable transport modes  (walking, cycling and public transport) to reduce car Expansion of on‐street parking controls, and charging dependency. This will be achieved through adopng consistent structures, that seek to reduce commuter parking and which approaches to local area planning which priorises development contribute to greater parking turnover for non‐commung opportunies that support sustainable travel. purposes and to manage the car mode share in a manner that is consistent with the Department of Transport, Consolidaon of Growth along Key Transport Tourism and Sports (DTTAS) smarter travel targets.  Corridors to Promote Sustainable Transport Parking charges at out‐of‐town retail centres, to reduce congeson at these locaons and to encourage sustainable Consolidaon of growth along high capacity public transport mode use. corridors to include the Mallow and Midleton / Cobh Rail lines and the proposed Ballincollig‐City Centre‐Docklands‐Mahon Public Transport Rapid Transit Corridor (RTC). These corridors will support significant levels of growth in populaon, employment and Rapid Transit Corridor educaon at a mix, density, concentraon and compactness which will significantly influence sustainable transport As menoned, to support consolidaon of growth, a Rapid movement along these corridors and which will economically Transit Corridor (RTC), running from Ballincollig town to jusfy investment in major public transport infrastructure. Docklands and Mahon via the City Centre with key interchange provided at Kent Staon (to provide onward rail connecvity) will be developed, as recommended by the “Cork Area Transit Study – 2009”. 08 Transport Strategy for Cork 2050

Map 1: Cork Public Transport Strategy 2050

Map 2: Strategic Road Network 2050 of Naonal Importance CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 65

Map 3: Supporng Policies

Map 4: Potenal Park & Ride Facilies 08 Transport Strategy for Cork 2050

The RTC will be delivered incrementally both in terms of its  Through running at Kent Staon between the Mallow and phasing and its passenger carrying capacity. The passenger Midleton lines; capacity increase will be linked to higher levels of growth which  Interchange between the rail lines and the RTC line at Kent will be targeted for the corridor. To support the requirements Staon; and for passenger capacity increases the RTC will transion from a bus based corridor to a Light Rail Transit (LRT) System over me.  Electrificaon of the rail network serving Mallow, Midleton and Cobh, delivering high frequency commuter rail services To facilitate this transion, public transport priority measures with addional staons located at Blackpool, Tivoli, will need to be introduced in the short‐term along the full length Stoneview, Water‐rock and Monard along these rail of the corridor to provide end to end running for the public corridors. transport vehicles operang along it and which do not preclude  Electrificaon can significantly reduce operang and the transion to LRT at a later date. maintenance costs, whilst providing a more reliable Naonal Rail Network operaon, and in cases can reduce journey mes on routes with high stopping requirements; The rail network within Cork is of naonal significance and must  Electrificaon of rail lines has substanal be protected and enhanced. The rail connecvity between Cork environmental benefits; and Dublin should be improved with a journey me target of 1.5  Electrificaon of the Cork commuter network would hours operang at a frequency of one hour. be in line with naonal policy for rail infrastructure upgrades, such as the proposed electrificaon of the Regional and Commuter Rail Greater Dublin area rail network as part of the DART Expansion scheme. To further support the consolidaon of growth along high capacity public transport corridors, the following improvements Electrificaon will allow consideraon for the possibility of are required on the regional and commuter rail network serving linking the LRT to the commuter rail network at a later date. Cork:

METRO CORK LINE CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 67

Core Bus Network nearby locaons.  Increased opportunies to transfer between modes and A Core Bus Network will be implemented in Cork, providing an services: enhanced and reconfigured bus network serving all the main  Comprehensive informaon, both during and prior to corridors entering the City and operang within the the journey. Metropolitan Area and connecng with inter‐city and rural transport services. The bus network will connue to be the most  High quality public transport interchanges and hubs: important public transport mode, carrying the greatest number  Kent Staon. of public transport passengers within Cork and is the most flexible mode in terms of its implementaon and ability to adapt  Merchant’s Quay bus staon. and be improved in the medium to long term, responding to the  Patrick’s Street. future growth of Cork.  High quality bus stops and bus shelters with RTPI (Real Time Passenger Informaon). To ensure an efficient, reliable and effecve bus system, it is intended, as part of the Strategy, to develop the Core Bus  Strategic Park and Ride facilies along high capacity rail, network to achieve, as far as praccable, connuous priority for RTC and bus corridors: bus movement on the porons of the Core Bus Network within  Park and Ride facilies to be provided at key strategic the Metropolitan Area. This will mean enhanced bus lane locaons to allow for more dispersed commuters to provision on strategic corridors, removing delays on the bus access the public transport network. network and enabling the bus to provide a faster alternave to  Pending roll out/enhancement of BRT interim Park and car traffic along key commuter routes, making bus transport a Ride locaons may also be required. more aracve alternave for road users.  Park and Ride provision provides the opportunity at the Bus priority measures will be implemented to protect buses ends of each of the high capacity public transport corridors from general traffic congeson and will be supported by the to give greater connecvity to the wider County area and implementaon of further City Centre, urban and town centre provide ease of movement for people living in more rural traffic management measures to improve accessibility to urban areas to access the Metropolitan area by public transport. centres by sustainable modes whilst maintaining access. Traffic These facilies also support the principle of liming the use management measures will be introduced to support the of private cars for trips into the urban Metropolitan area, movement of sustainable modes in all towns within the that will be served by high quality public transport. Further Metropolitan Area and larger selements in County Cork. analysis is required on the most appropriate locaons for park and ride facilies in Cork, however some suggested Key employment desnaons not served by the high capacity locaons are detailed below: rail or RTC corridors, such as Ringaskiddy, will be served  Potenal major rail based park and ride sites may recognising its unique locaon and importance as one of the include Midleton, Charleville, Ballincollig (providing main employment desnaons in the Region and State. access to the RTC line), Monard (providing access from Addionally, enhanced public transport connecvity to the the Northern Relief Road to the rail line), Lile Island Airport from Ballyvolane, via the City Centre providing and Carrigtwohill. interchange with the RTC will be provided.  Potenal major bus based park and ride sites may include Sarsfield (on the M8), Dunkele (providing Public Transport Integraon access from the M8 and N25), Carrigaline (on the N28) and the further expansion of the successful Black Ash Public transport integraon measures which will support public site on the N27. transport legibility, operaon and use including:  Expansion of Real‐me Passenger Informaon and  Expansion of ckeng and the LEAP card products. Passenger Informaon:  Simple, affordable fares which enable transfers between  Provide and further develop passenger assisve services without unnecessary penalty. informaon, such as easy to use journey planners, fare  Provide easy‐to‐use cashless payment systems, where informaon, high quality route maps and feasible. comprehensive route metables, and make these  Raonalisaon of fare structures across the Metropolitan conveniently available across print and electronic area to prevent anomalies of relavely high fares to channels. 08 Transport Strategy for Cork 2050

 Expansion of the Rural Transport Programme and enhanced  Improve footpaths by widening them where appropriate, local transport integraon: resurfacing where necessary and by removing unnecessary  Idenfy areas across Cork County where local poles, signs, adversing and other cluer, parcularly in Cork transport could improve mobility for the populaon City Centre and other urban centres. and enhance the level of service that people living in  Revise road juncon layouts, where appropriate, to provide rural areas derive from public transport overall. dedicated pedestrian crossings, reduce pedestrian crossing  Improve the integraon of local transport services into distances, provide more direct pedestrian routes, and reduce the overall public transport network, through beer the speed of turning traffic. interchange opportunies and informaon provision.  Reduce waing me for pedestrians at crossings in Cork City  Ensure a greater level of co‐ordinaon between local Centre and other urban centres. transport services and longer distance scheduled bus  Deliver beer pedestrian informaon and wayfinding and rail services. signage in urban centres to support tourism.  Ensure a greater level of co‐ordinaon between local  Where appropriate, seek the introducon of lower speed transport services and other transport related services limits on residenal streets. such as hospital and medical transport services. Strategy Proposals for Technology Strategy Proposals for Cycling Cork to be at the forefront of technological advances through Delivery of the Cork Cycle Network Plan 2016: understanding its impact on the way people access services, the impact this has on mobility, and its applicaon to supporng the  The network is intended to provide a quality of service delivery of sustainable transport measures and the management sufficient to aract new cyclists, as well as catering for the of travel. increasing numbers of exisng cyclists.  This network will comprise primary routes, which will cater This will be achieved through monitoring technological advances for the highest levels of cycling demand, supported by and their impacts on travel behaviour and transport provision secondary routes and feeder routes which are forecast to and stress tesng future plans prior to implementaon. It is have lower levels of cycling demand. likely to be a very different world in 2050 and the strategy must  The Network Plan also proposes a number of Greenways – be adaptable to consider the potenal for new forms of fully segregated off‐road routes along, for example, rivers transport, advanced digital connecvity, ITS soluons, new fuel and disused railway lines. In the case of the built‐up area, technologies (electric, CNG), and automated transport soluons these Greenways will also perform a vital commuter funcon such as self‐driving cars. and will effecvely form a significant part of the primary One example of how technological advancement can contribute network. to traffic mobility in Cork is Port of Cork’s recent implementaon  The Cycle Network will establish connecons to the cycle of an integrated IT access management system that has network for the main towns across the Metropolitan area. improved access for hauliers at the terminal gate in Tivoli. The  The network will provide a safe cycling environment, with new system helps to support terminal efficiency and modernise cycling routes developed as segregated facilies, with the container collecon and delivery process at the terminal, cyclists separated from vehicular traffic through the use of leading to reduced impacts on the surrounding road network. kerb separators or by having the cycleway at a higher level than the road carriageway. Strategic Roads of Naonal Importance  Complemenng these facilies will be a corresponding level The Strategy recognises the importance of the strategic road of priority given to cycle movements at road juncons. network in supporng the growth of the naonal and regional economies. Cork has excellent access to Dublin through the M8 Strategy Proposals for Walking and can now focus on the enhancement of inter‐regional Deliver of the Cork Walking Strategy 2013: connecvity across the South‐west region.  Provide a safer, more comfortable and more convenient Cork Metropolitan Roads: The Transport Strategy provides for walking environment for those with mobility, visual and the following key strategic road infrastructural proposals within hearing impairments, and for those using buggies and prams. the Cork Metropolitan area, which are considered of naonal CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 69

importance: Cosng and Phasing for delivery of  The upgrade of Dunkele Interchange connecng the M8, N40 and N25. the Cork Transport Strategy  M28 connecng Ringaskiddy Port to the N40. It is important that capital spending on new infrastructure is  Northern Ring Road providing access to the Northern sequenced in a way that is affordable and equitable, while taking City environs and relieving pressure off the N40 and account of Ireland’s climate change obligaons. The phasing will Dunkele Interchange. make best use of exisng infrastructure and ensure new  Improvements to the N27 connecng Cork Airport to the development can be supported by the mely provision of social N40. infrastructure. The phased implementaon of the Cork Transport Strategy measures will facilitate the sustainable and  Eastern Gateway Bridge and a second mul‐modal balanced populaon and employment growth envisaged for bridge (within Cork City Dockland’s area). Cork. The public transport investment within the Metropolitan Cork Inter‐Regional Roads: The Transport Strategy provides for area will allow Cork to drive economic growth within the the following key strategic inter‐regional road infrastructural Southern Region and naonally. proposals within the wider Cork County area, which are considered of naonal importance: The Figure below outlines the expenditure profile for Cork across the five stages of delivery from now up to 2050. The  M20 strategic road improvement linking Cork to demographic and economic profile aligns with proposed public Limerick. transport investment over the period. It is envisaged that the  N22 strategic road improvement linking Cork to Kerry transport strategy will cost €4.58 billion to deliver up to 2050. (Killarney). The full breakdown of schemes and their associated costs are  N25 strategic road improvement from Carrigtwohill to detailed in the Table over. Youghal.  N71 strategic road improvement from Cork via West Economic and Environmental Cork to Kerry. Benefits of the Transport Strategy  N72 strategic road improvement from Kerry via Mallow and Fermoy to Waterford. An economic and environmental appraisal of the preferred  N73 strategic road improvement from Mallow to strategy was undertaken with a view to determining the wider Mitchelstown linking to the M8. economic benefits associated with implementaon of the strategy. The transport assessment has ulised the Naonal Transport Authority’s South West Regional Model and associated toolkit to assess the impact of the proposed strategy.

08 Transport Strategy for Cork 2050

An important objecve of the Cork Transport Strategy 2050 is to design. ensure that the transport provision and the facilitaon of the The Benefit to Cost Rao (BCR) for the Strategy is forecast to be target levels of populaon and employment growth in the 2.4 represenng high value for money. region will be done in such a way as to ensure the creaon of a low carbon climate in an affordable and equitable manner. Scheme € ‘000 Economic Benefits Present Value of Transport User Benefits 29,202,762 An assessment of esmated transport user benefits for the transport strategy was carried out as part of the transport Present Value of Strategy Costs 12,026,303 modelling exercise. This provides a high‐level indicaon of whether the proposed investment required for the Strategy is worthwhile. Net Present Value 17,176,460 Scheme Capital Ex‐ penditure Transport User Benefit to Cost Rao 2.4 : 1 Cork Luas (LRT) 868 Cork BRT (to be replaced by LRT aer 2040) 287 This figure only accounts for direct transport benefits, predominately travel me savings, and does not include the Rail Upgrade 375 wider economic benefits that will be delivered through the (New Staons, Electrificaon and Kent Upgrade) Strategy. It indicates that the Strategy is economically beneficial from a regional and naonal perspecve, and provides Cork Bus Network 703 confirmaon of the overall economic jusficaon for its Primary Cycle Network 13 implementaon. Secondary Cycle Network 66 This BCR compares very favourably to the one achieved for the Naonal Roads 1,521 Greater Dublin Area (GDA) Transport Strategy 2016‐2035. (M28, Dunkele Interchange, NRR and M20) Regional and Local Roads 506 Cork has the me available over the next 30 years to manage the step changes in populaon growth forecast over this me (N22, Docklands etc.) and the ability to secure idenfied high capacity public transport Park and Ride 100 corridors well in advance of the growth taking place. Demand Management 50 Cork can derive a high BCR by placing growth in the right Integraon & ITS 20 locaons from now to deliver consolidated development that Conngency + Other Projects 70 provides higher density, a balanced mixed of land uses, compact selements to reduce trip distances and of a magnitude that Total 4,578 supports the viability of high capacity public transport and that The purpose of this assessment is to provide an ini al high level reduces the need to use private car for travel. indicaon of the performance of the package of strategy infrastructure schemes, i.e. do the benefits of implemenng the The approach that will be adopted spaally to drive growth Strategy exceed the costs. It is undertaken at a level of detail (during the period when public transport needs are emerging that is appropriate for this stage of transport strategy rather than aerwards) into corridors, with clustered development: development areas, will maximise efficiency and result in a higher benefit relave to the implementaon costs.  Cost esmates for the proposals are developed based on Environmental Benefits cost ouurns for similar projects rather than detailed design. An assessment of the esmated transport emissions resulng  Benefits are forecast based on outputs from the from the transport strategy, was undertaken as part of the transport modelling assessment of the proposals which transport modelling exercise. This provides a high level use broad assumpons regarding scheme operaon and indicaon of the environmental impact of the Strategy. CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 71

Harmful transport emissions reduce by a variety of amounts in where exisng public transport services remain in 2050). the Strategy compared to the Do Minimum scenario, all in the  €29 billion in transport user beneﬁts over the 30 year region of 4‐11%. One of the key outcomes of the improved appraisal period. public transport network is the substanal reducon in CO2 emissions. They are seen to reduce by almost 500,000 tonnes (a  2.4 to 1 beneﬁt to cost rao. reducon of 4%).  500,000 tonne reducon in CO2 emissions.

Vehicle Emissions Reducon: Cork City mode share: 27% Walking 3% Cycling 45% Car 25% Public Transport

The Cork Transport Strategy 2050 will support:  Health and Wellbeing improvements:

 Reduced absenteeism & enhanced employee Conclusion and Key Benefits of the wellbeing due to lower commute mes and a more acve lifestyle. Strategy  Compactness of development delivering shorter travel distances and improved accessibility supporng the The Transport Strategy will build upon efficiencies arising from greater number of people over the age of 65. consolidang growth within Metropolitan Cork along key corridors, making best use of exisng transport infrastructure,  Increased capacity for economic growth within the whilst developing a crical mass of development enabling an region and naonally: economically viable step up in sustainable mode investment along these corridors over me.  Sequencing of infrastructure and spaal development closely aligned. Cork Strategy 2050 Mobility Goals  Delivering densies along key corridors supporve of high capacity public transport (>4,000‐4,500 per sq.  300,000 growth in populaon travelling more km) in areas such as Docklands, Tivoli, Ballincollig sustainably. town and Cork Science and Innovaon Park.  6 mes the people using public transport in 2050  The investment in transport infrastructure compared to today. improvements in Cork will cater for future demand  330,000 daily public transport trips compared to the growth, support compeveness and economic approximately 50,000 in Metropolitan Cork today. growth for the South West Region and naonally.  87% of Cork Metropolitan area populaon (~480,000)  Improved access to Cork Airport and Port of Cork. will live within 1km of public transport services.  Mobility management facilitated by technological  300,000 people (circa 65%) will live within 1km of the advancements: Rail and Rapid Transit corridors.  Improved freight and road traffic management.  380,000 Daily Walking and Cycling trips.  Greater use of ITS to maintain the efficiency of the  55% of commuters will travel to work by sustainable transport network. modes in Cork City.  Increased use of alternave fuels use in transport such  31% reducon in car mode share in Cork Metropolitan as Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). area.  Increased workplace, educaonal and personal travel  67% reducon in traffic congeson when comparing the planning. Strategy 2050 to situaon without the strategy (i.e. 08 Transport Strategy for Cork 2050

Aarhus ‐ A benchmarking exercise was carried out at the start of the Cork 2050 process with Aarhus in Denmark one of the locaons selected. Subsequently the NPF Issues Paper idenﬁed Aarhus for comparave purposes with Cork.

The benchmarking exercise highlighted Aarhus as a place where spaal distribuon and public transport are fully integrated and also being delivered along corridors in associaon with development. Planning for the future the following sets out their core plans:  Combined tram / train system under construcon to open in 2017.  103 km of exisng heavy rail converted and 12km new double track provided.  Air Quality and Environmental improvements:  Bus priority lanes along the main corridor converted  Reduced vehicle emissions due to reducons in road into Light Rail. travel mes and distance, increased walking and cycling and the electriﬁcaon of the commuter rail network.

 The support of local and internaonal tourism within Cork:  Improvement of way‐ﬁnding and city access through the enhancement of public transport provision;  The implementaon of Cycle greenways.

Cycle Network ‐ Cork Metropolitan Area The NPF ‐ Cork in 2040

Cork will be well advanced in terms of transport infrastructure by 2040 and preparing for the next phase of delivery of CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal transport infrastructure. 73  The electriﬁcaon of Mallow and Cobh Rail lines.  BRT operaonal in Cork.  LRT pre‐construcon phase in preparaon of con‐ strucon commencement.

 Rail capacity and frequency enhancements.  M20 motorway open.  Kent staon expansion has been completed.  Northern Ring Road open.  M28 open.  New rail staons in Metropolitan Cork.  Dunkele upgrade complete.

CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 74 09 / Connections ‐ Strategic Infrastructure

KEY MESSAGES:

Water Supply & Waste Water

 Cork has suﬃcient water supply capacity in place to accommodate growth to 2050, and oﬀers excellent potenal to avail of exisng infrastructure.

 Cork is very well provided for in terms of waste water capacity, and can meet addional capacity requirements to 2050 without major investment and upgrading.

Energy

 Cork is of strategic naonal importance to Ireland’s energy supply over the long term, and oﬀers naonally signiﬁcant potenal to connue to lead the shi to sustainable and renewable energy naonally, as a net energy exporter.

 Whilst Cork offers significant potenal for a variety of land and marine‐based energy generaon, Cork Harbour is of parcular significance in Cork’s energy landscape.

 Cork is well placed to capitalise on its supply of natural gas and electricity and reduce the fossil‐ fuel dependency of its built environment.

Communicaons

 Cork oﬀers interconnental Tier 1 digital connecvity to the US and UK for Ireland and the Southern Region, which is planned to be extended to the European mainland.

Strategic Infrastructure Needs ‐ Water

Water supply, waste water treatment, energy supply Fundamental to supporng social and economic and communicaon infrastructure are all crical growth is the delivery of key infrastructure where and components of a sustainable, producve, resilient and when it is needed. compeve economy, be it local or naonal. These are the building blocks on which Cork needs to secure The Advent of Irish Water ‐ The Water Services Act of its future, which in turn will support the connued 2013 established Irish Water with the responsibility wider economic development of the naon. for the provision of public water services for Ireland. Irish Water’s key objecves are for the protecon of human health through the provision of a high quality and secure water supply whilst adhering to the EU Water Framework Direcve.

Water Supply

Analysis was carried out to idenfy the current capacity in potable water provision encompassing Cork County and Cork City. The analysis was based on the capacity of individual plants in terms of CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 75

Populaon Equivalent (PE). A per capita consumpon rate of 125l/person/day was used for domesc demand and Scheme Cost Programme commercial/industrial loading was esmated using AER (Annual €m Environmental Report) reports for the various Waste Water Upgrade of Lee Road Water Treatment 5 Programmed Treatment Plants in the areas of interest compared to residing Plant populaon ﬁgures as per the 2011 populaon census. The Wilton to Lee Road Trunk Main 2.5 Programmed following table presents current capacity in terms of PE and the expected required capacity in 2050. These capacity ﬁgures do Shanakiel Rising Main 2.5 Programmed not account for water loss through leakages but clearly show that exisng water supply is adequate to provide for future Cape Clear Water Scheme 2.5 Programmed populaon targets including industrial/commercial needs up to 2050. Skibbereen Regional Water Supply Pro‐ 12 Programmed ject Locaon PE Capacity 2016 PE 2050 (PE required Inniscarra Water Treatment Plant Phase 6 Programmed based on target popu‐ 2 upgrade laon County 475,544 185,246 These schemes are already programmed and, upon their compleon, will facilitate future development in the areas Cork Metro 924,000 717,200 outlined.

Benchmarking ‐ In comparison to other Counes, Cork benefits The Cork Metropolitan Area is supplied by three reservoirs; from having significant natural resources with substanal water Inniscarra WTP, Lee Road WTP and Glashaboy WTP. The abstracon infrastructure already in place. The hydroelectric following table outlines the current producon capacity (shown dam on the River Lee at Inniscarra, provides Cork City and the as Phase 1) for each of the individual plants and presents future rest of Metropolitan Cork with more than adequate potable upgrades proposed as part of Irish Water’s strategic intent for water supply to meet projected future needs. Through Cork. Phase 2 for instance covers the current period of 2017‐ commied Irish Water improvement works, this plant alone can 2021 with capital investment already ear‐marked. Future phases be expanded to cater for an addional 220,000 persons. The will be progressed as required to facilitate growth in the area. River Lee provides the most cost effecve source of potable water in the Region, and with other works in conservaon, Scheme Lee Road Inniscarra Glashaboy Combine water producon and security of supply, both the City and the WTP WTP WTP Metropolitan area are well catered for up to and including the targeted 2050 populaon esmates. Phase 1 40 MLD 90 MLD 16 MLD 146 MLD

Phase 2 40 MLD 110 MLD 16 MLD 166 MLD Commied Schemes Phase 3 40 MLD 140 MLD 16 MLD 196 MLD Irish Water has commied to reducing water leakage and the Phase 4 40 MLD 170 MLD 16 MLD 226 MLD replacement of lead services naonally, as part of its mandate to ensure that communies have clean safe drinking water. Phase 5 40 MLD 200 MLD 16 MLD 256 MLD

In Cork City, a €15.8 million upgrade of water mains (27km of Phase 6 60 MLD 200 MLD 16 MLD 276 MLD old corroded watermains) is now underway, which will improve Phase 7 80 MLD 200 MLD 16 MLD 296 MLD reliability of supply and reduce leakage in the city by approximately 18 million litres per week (equates to As indicated in the Table above Inniscarra WTP, Lee Road WTP approximately 20,000 persons). A signiﬁcant upgrade and and Glashaboy WTP have the potenal to produce up to 296ML replacement of water mains in Mallow, Kinsale, Laharan Cross to per day(+2.3m PE). Abbeys Well, Glantane to Lombardstown, Macroom and Doneraile have also been completed. Key Issues ‐ The following are some of the key issues facing Cork in terms of potable water supply: rIrish Wate will invest a further €30 million to upgrade drinking water quality and supply in Cork in the coming years (2017‐  Protecon of exisng sources (sustainable and 2021). Planned schemes include: environmentally friendly abstracon). 09 Connecons ‐ Strategic Infrastructure

 Compleon of trunk mains to ensure a security of supply. Benchmarking ‐ Cork benefits from having significant infrastructure already in place, with ythe capacit to upgrade  Connued investment in water abstracon infrastructure. available in many instances. The Cork Main Drainage Scheme  Development of new sources such as bored wells. has seen the development of a Wastewater Treatment Plant at  Connuaon of the lead services replacement scheme. Carrigrenan, Lile Island, which has been designed to accommodate flows from Cork City, Tramore Valley,  Connuaon of rehabilitaon schemes to minimise water Glounthaune, Glanmire and the Lile Island areas. The plant leakage. accommodates exisng flows and has been designed on a modular basis to allow expansion as necessary over the next 20 The above issues are similar to those faced by every County, years. however when compared to the capital expenditure requirements in other areas, the cost benefit rao in Cork is very The Lower Harbour Main Drainage Scheme esmated to cost in favourable. Taking the example of the cost to supply Dublin with the region of €97m represents another significant investment in water from the Shannon (170km of pipeline providing up to 330 the Cork Area and will see the separamon of stor and foul for million litres of water per day), the price tag of €1.2 billion puts the lower harbour towns of Cobh, Carrigaline, Ringaskiddy, the level of investment required in Cork into context. Passage West, Monkstown and Crosshaven. The construcon of a state‐of‐the‐art treatment facility at Shanbally (65,000PE) has Conclusion ‐ Cork is well provisioned for future growth in terms already been completed and is now taking raw effluent from the of water supply with a clear roadmap of projects that will be towns of Carriagline and Ringaskiddy. It is worth nong that the required to sustain the level of populaon increase envisioned Shanbally Plant uses a significant advancement in technology up to and beyond 2050. (The Nereda Process) resulng in capacity increases as well as extensive nitrogen removal. Waste Water: Analysis The same technology has been used to upgrade the Clonakilty Waste Water Treatment Plant (20,500PE) and the Carrigtohill Analysis was carried out to idenfy the current capacity in waste WWTP (30,000PE). In a similar light a number of smaller water treatment services encompassing Cork County, Cork City schemes throughout the county have either been completed, and the Metropolitan Area. This was based on the treatment Riversck WWTP (1,000PE) as an example, or are in the process capacity of individual plants in terms of PE. of being designed for construcon.

The overall investment required to cater for 2050 populaon

targets is of the order of €400 million. The cosngs provided are based on a general rate per PE which includes an element of wastewater networks, treatment, contract and non‐contract costs such as land acquision.

Locaon Current Required Required €0‐ €10‐ €50‐ Capacity Capacity Capacity 10m 50m 100m PE to 2050 Increase PE PE

County 103,132 163,926 62,279 78.6 43 0

Metro & 561,900 817,200 257,300 3 95 245 City Clonakilty Waste Water Treatment Plant

CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 77

harbour (esmated to be 9km in length and cosng in the region Waste Water Capacity of €130m). A cost benefit analysis of this opon compared to the provision of on‐site terary treatment (€30m to treat a In general, waste water provision in Cork County has been well ceiling populaon level that sll oualls to the SAC), or the use served to date and is benefing from connued investment by of emerging technologies such as AGS (Aerobic Granular Sludge) Irish Water to achieve compliance with EU Regulaons. as proposed for the upgrade of the Ringsend WWTP in Dublin, would need to be undertaken, influenced by the future needs of In the Metropolitan Area, the Carrigrenan Waste Water the Cork Metropolitan Area in terms of populaon. Treatment Plant has adequate physical capacity to cater for connued growth in populaon numbers being served. It is Although well advanced in terms of meeng EU Regulaons limited due to the lack of terary treatment and by its ouall to connued investment by Irish Water is required to address the the inner harbour, a SAC designated area. The opon of numerous minor plants serving villages and some towns developing an ouall to the outer harbour (approximately 9km) throughout the County. would allow this plant to operate to its full potenal and cater for the enlargement of the satellite towns of Ballincollig, Conclusion ‐ Cork in general is well provided for in the treatment Blarney, Glanmire, Ballyvolane and Monard SDZ. of waste water with cost effecve engineering soluons available to facilitate future growth. Addional investment to Emerging Technologies meet requirements to 2050 are expected to be in the order of €400m. Cork is pioneering the use of new technologies in the treatment of waste water. The Nereda Process (advanced nutrient removal technology (AGS), implemented in a number of areas around the Strategic Infrastructure Needs ‐ County, benefits from reduced land requirements to construct, Energy reduced energy costs to operate, whilst producing a higher quality of e ffluent. The Nereda treatment process will consistently produce high‐quality treated wastewater which can Energy Supply be safely discharged into sensive environments. This process is The Supply/Demand index is a measure of medium‐to‐long‐term being proposed for the Ringsend WWTP in Dublin which oualls energy security of the whole energy system. The Government’s to the Inner Dublin Harbour SAC and is currently awaing a energy policy framework ”Delivering a Sustainable Energy Future decision from An Bord Pleanala. for Ireland”, places the sustainability of energy supply at the heart of Irish energy policy objecves. Diversifying the fuel mix Real‐me informaon systems will allow individual plants, both enhances energy security, parcularly where there is an over‐ water treatment plants and waste water treatment plants, to reliance on a single fuel source (the transport sector has a 97% maximise their capacity through on‐going monitoring of the reliance on oil based products). In this regard, transport is the abstracon/receiving source in terms of water level and water least secure energy sector, being almost enrely dependent on quality. The provision of on‐site storage and the connecon of oil based products, and has the greatest need of increased fuel foul sewer networks would facilitate the management of waste diversity. Diversificaon of the electricity generaon fuel mix by water treatment and disposal dependent on real‐me increasing indigenous renewable electricity producon will condions resulng in increases in capacity. reduce the demand for imported fossil fuels and the associated exposure to their variaons in price. The use of sewage sludge to generate sustainable energy (esmated at 15% electrical conversion efficiency from a Electricity suppliers in Cork include ESB, Bord Gais, Airtricity and standard Anaerobic Digeson (AD) plant) would allow WWTP’s a significant number of other operators primarily in wind energy. to operate from their own by‐product. Increased energy Ervia, as the commercial semi‐state body responsible for the recovery from sludge offers a significant mechanism for net delivery of Ireland’s naonal gas and water infrastructure, is carbon reducon within a carbon intensive industry (Palmer acvely exploring means to improve the supply/demand index 2010). for the country whilst facilitang Ireland meeng its greenhouse gas targets. Unique to Cork, and of global significance, is the Key Issues ‐ One of the key issues affecng the future opportunity to provide carbon neutral electricity generaon by development of the Cork Metropolitan Area is the lack of means of carbon capture and storage (CCS), using the Kinsale terary treatment in Carrigrennan. A number of opons are Head Gas Field, when it finishes being a producve well. The available to address this, including an ouall to the outer locaon of the Whitegate and Aghada gas fuelled power staons 09 Connecons ‐ Strategic Infrastructure

connected to this field through exisng transmission lines recognising its role as a leader and exemplar in energy efficiency. affords an opportunity for power generaon in Cork to be 100% Demand management also offers significant potenal for job carbon free. In terms of aracng foreign direct investment creaon, improvements in living standards, and environmental (FDI) to the Cork area this would be a significant plus, as more protecon, as well as opportunies for investment. and more internaonal companies look for opportunies to reduce their carbon footprint. Ervia are further exploring the Transportaon, building heang and cooling, industry and opon of conversion from Natural Gas to Hydrogen along similar energy generaon are the main energy consuming sectors. The lines to The H21 Leeds City Gate Project in the UK. proporons of total energy use in Ireland between Heat, Transport and Electricity are broadly equal (33.1%, 34.5% and Gas Network Ireland owns and operates over 13,500km of 32.4% respecvely). transmission and distribuon network naonwide, with the Kinsale Head Gas Field, Seven Heads Gas Field and the Corrib The Cork 2050 Strategy is cognisant of the significant impact that Gas Field providing an indigenous supply of natural gas to the transportaon has on energy consumpon and emissions. A network. The Inch entry point, located in Cork, connects the core intervenon at the heart of the Strategy is reducing Kinsale and Seven Heads gas fields and the Kinsale storage distances travelled as well as the need to travel. Ensuring higher facility to the onshore network. The Irish system has three density, mixed use development is a key enabling measure in compressor staons, Beaock and Brighouse Bay in southwest this regard. The Strategy also places significant emphasis on Scotland, and Midleton near Cork. The Kinsale Storage Facility is supporng public transport use. The Transportaon Strategy used to store imported gas during the summer months which is provides for the electrificaon of commuter rail services in line subsequently used when needed during the winter. The with naonal policy. This builds on other measures in place in development of Biomethane (Bioenergy) from the Cork’s public transport services. Spaal consolidaon, the shi waste/agricultural sector will feed directly to the gas network to public transport and shi to sustainable and renewable further reducing our dependence on imports. Gas Network energy reduce the demand for fossil fuel consumpon and

Ireland are acvely promong the development of this would see a substanal reducon in CO2 emissions; compared to technology in the Cork Region which generates the following the ‘Do Minimum’ scenario, decreased consumpon of fossil beneﬁts: fuels from the transport sector in Cork would reduce emissions by almost 500,000 tonnes (a reducon of 4%).  Greenhouse gas emission savings.

 Improves soil, water and air quality. The Strategy is also cognisant that the planning and design of  Boosts rural economy. the built environment has a significant impact on the consumpon of energy. Poor design and poor energy efficiency  Diversifies farm income. ‘builds in’ high energy consumpon to the built environment  Carbon negave. over the long term. Improving energy efficiency requirements,  Sustainable and indigenous. through increased design and construcon standards, reduces energy consumpon, and offers the potenal to make future  Compable with exisng transmission network. buildings net energy producers. The Place‐Making Strategy supports the design of buildings and the built environment Managing Energy Demand generally, to maximise energy efficiency and minimise energy consumpon. Exisng measures such as the “Energy Many of the opportunies for addressing energy costs focus on Performance of Buildings Direcve” are a significant complement the demand management aspects of the energy equaon, rather to planning policy measures in this regard. So too are measures then energy supply. Whilst much of Cork’s potenal in relaon which support improvements to the energy efficiency of exisng to energy lies in generaon and supply, demand management building stock, including the energy efficiency retrofing of offers significant potenal for reducing Cork and Ireland’s energy houses and businesses, which in turn supports indigenous needs. business and employment.

Demand‐Side Management (DSM) includes peak demand Ireland’s progress towards achieving its renewable energy 2020 reducon through tariff incenves, smart metering, behavioural targets has been mixed; good progress has been made in the changes and energy storage (sll at research stage). The electricity sector (25.3% with a 40% target), but meeng the governments central commitment, (“Ireland’s Naonal Energy heat and transport sector targets sll presents a significant Efficiency Acon Plan” (NEEAP) is to a naonal energy‐savings challenge to policy makers. The overall progress towards the target of 20% across the whole economy by 2020. A higher 2020 16% target for renewable energy is 9.1%. target of 33% efficiency savings is set for the public sector, CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 79

Benchmarking ‐ Cork County Council became the first Local to enable the provision and consumpon of services in a digital Authority in Ireland to receive ISO50001 accreditaon for its world. whole of service energy management system, which has considerable posive implicaons for energy saving and carbon Fast, secure, high capacity and reliable digital connecvity will emissions long‐term. Cork County Council through this become increasingly important as an economic plaorm to achievement is 4% ahead of its NEEAP target of 33% by 2020 access markets, be they local, regional, naonal or internaonal. having saved 4 million kilowa hours (KWh) of energy to date. Failure to deliver informaon and communicaons technology which meets contemporary expectaons will be a barrier to Key Issues ‐ Currently, Cork leads the way in helping Ireland economic growth at every level of the economy. It will also achieve its greenhouse gas emissions targets as set by the EU hinder innovaon, reduce compeveness, and impede the relang to energy producon. The key challenges that face the aracon of investment and talent. county are mainly related to the development of alternave energy sources to replace the non‐renewable gas reserves It will also reduce quality of life and have a significant impact on currently being used. the quality of access to an increasing array of public and private services and facilies, as well as employment opportunies An increase in populaon and economic demand will delivered digitally. Failure to deliver ICT to 2050, will reduce the consequently require more energy. Addional capacity will have capacity of Cork’s labour force to engage with naonal and to be generated through renewables and backed up with current global markets, and have significant implicaons for social infrastructure, if naonal targets on GHG emissions are to be engagement. met. Broadband Rollout ‐ Cork is relavely well equipped with hard In the transport sector, progress has already been made to communicaons infrastructure. The rollout of the Naonal posion Cork as a hub and leader for low‐carbon transport. Broadband Plan is due to be completed between 2020 and 2025. Various iniaves have been developed to encourage the use of Once in place, with incremental improvements, this low‐carbon transport oprons, fo example Cork’s Drive4Zero, infrastructure is expected to meet demands naonally for the the successful Cork Bikes Scheme, as well as proposals to deploy coming decades. However, due to the lead in me, and whilst green bus technology in Cork. Such schemes, including the Cork is well‐progressed in the roll‐out of the Naonal Broadband electrifying of commuter rail lines will have to be further Plan, early delivery of digital connecvity is essenal to support developed and funded in order to facilitate the sustainable growth. development of Cork. Furthermore, Cork and Ireland should already be looking to the Naonally, Cork and parcularly Cork City, has a relavely high longer‐term to future‐proof local, regional, naonal and proporon of its space heang needs met through gas and internaonal connecvity. Whilst it is not yet clear what electricity. This highlights that Cork is well‐posioned to communicaons connecvity is needed for our economy and appropriately reduce the consumpon of fossil fuels in favour of society in 2040 or 2050, keeping up with and keeping ahead of natural gas and sustainable energy through electricity. competor locaons internaonally is essenal. Cork, as a high‐ growth potenal area, should be idenfied for accelerated Conclusion ‐ Cork is home to significant research and broadband rollout. development facilies in the energy sector. It is also a net exporter of energy to the naonal grid and has the unique Digital connecvity is crical to supporng established potenal to generate carbon neutral electricity, with the businesses and to facilitate future economic acvity. The need is successful exploitaon of the Kinsale Gas Head (Carbon Capture parcularly acute in communies outside of Metropolitan Cork, & Storage) and connued development of renewable energy which have significant capacity to adapt to emerging economic sources. opportunies as well as in the tourism, agri‐tech, food and beverage, and marine sectors.

Strategic Infrastructure Needs ‐ Benchmarking ‐ Whilst broadband rollout connues, a prime Communicaons example of how Cork is pushing the boundaries to offer naonally significant and world‐class global connecvity is Digital connecvity is a basic enabling ulity. Alongside power provided by the Hibernia Express Internaonal subsea fibre and clean water, it should be seen as an essenal minimum cable. The Point of Presenced is locate at Cork Internet requirement for every home, business and government in order Exchange, Ringaskiddy and connects Cork to the UK and North 09 Connecons ‐ Strategic Infrastructure

America. Cork’s towns, villages, rural areas and islands socially, economically and in terms of accessing services. One way to This Tier 1 connecvity provides the lowest latency to the US achieve this is via a digital audit of communies and rollout of and UK from Europe, and is faster than that provided in London. local digital engagement strategies to meet bespoke needs. The connecon significantly enhances the Southern Region and However, significant differences in quality of coverage remain Cork’s value proposion as a locaon for data‐intensive and investment is required to balance access and commercial businesses in the tech sector. Addional connecvity from Cork advantage. directly to Connental Europe is currently being progressed and should be accelerated. Cork Testbed ‐ Whilst we do not have a clear picture of future requirements, we know that the volume and speed of data Data‐intensive business opportunies ‐ The advantage provided required will increase exponenally as technology and digital by this infrastructure is highly aracve to a range of data‐ connecvity is further integrated into daily life, for example centric sectors such as financial services, data management and through Big Data, the Internet of Things, as well as changes in cyber security. This provides SME’s and FDI companies in Cork media are delivered. We also know that more and more services and the Southern Region with a compeve advantage in terms will be provided remotely and digitally, including services from of speed, bandwidth capacity and price. It also incenvises business, healthcare, and government in the form of E‐ exisng businesses to develop and expand, and for new Governance. businesses to locate in Cork. Cork’s size and potenal make it a naonal opportunity to be a This in turn can provide the necessary business case for ICT testbed or demonstrator of improvements in Ireland’s infrastructure providers, such as Eir, to meet the specific informaon and communicaons technology and infrastructure, requirements of niche customers, be they data centres or large for example 5‐G technology. As an environment for driving mul‐naonals such as Apple in Cork. Cork offers significant forward‐facing soluons to support growth and take advantage potenal in this regard, as it offers the internaonal digital of opportunies in the digital age, this is an excellent connecvity via the Hibernia Express cable, as well as the water opportunity for Cork. and Ireland supply for cooling and power around Cork Harbour. Being at the forefront of integrang cung edge ICT into society Equity of Connecvity ‐ Digital connecvity is essenal for all of and the economy, and also developing a reputaon naonally Cork’s communies to engage fully with the global digital and internaonally for this, is important in enhancing Cork’s economy. Whilst accelerang the rollout of digital hard aracveness as a tech locaon. This is important for aracng infrastructure is a basic requirement, communies must be and retaining talent, and meeng contemporary expectaons. equipped to engage with technology. This in turn will enhance the business case for the roll‐out of further infrastructure in less populated areas. In this way, both the hard and so aspects of digital connecvity must be enhanced to maximise the effecveness of the technology and harness the full potenal of Cork’s human capital.

A step‐change in digital connecvity will ensure that coverage extends to the most remote and least populated, but also asset rich towns, villages, rural areas and islands. This will ensure equality of access, as well as maximising Cork’s human capital and ensuring that there is not a ‘digital divide’ socially in Cork.

There is also potenal to explore other ways for delivering digital connecvity in these areas, for example through community eﬀorts.

Cork can be a leader naonally in ensuring all parts of the community can engage fully with the opportunies digital connecvity provides. The capacity to take advantage of the potenal that ICT infrastructure provides will be increasingly important to communies and local indigenous business in CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 09 Connecons: Strategic Infrastructure 81

CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 82 10 / Cost Benefit Narrative

KEY POINT: For Ireland, Cork offers the best and most cost‐efficient use of limited exchequer resources to achieve sustainable and effecve regional growth.

As strong growth in the Irish economy connues, the increased capital investment available must be targeted into the infrastructure that provides the best all‐round return for Ireland today and for our shared future tomorrow.

There is a need to make choices between compeng social, economic and infrastructural priories. Cork 2050 enables prudent and informed decisions which make beer use of limited resources and which will deliver more equitable and balanced growth for Ireland.

The NPF, as the spaal expression of naonal sectoral policy, is the key co‐ordinang factor to realise the opportunity to invest in the places that oﬀer the potenal to deliver the most for Ireland and its regions.

Resilient Economic Plaorm

Building a growing but adaptable and resilient economy with which to fund investment in public Cost Eﬀecve Regional services is key to Cork’s sustainable development. Development

The Cork 2050 Strategy reflects a mindfulness of the One of Ireland's key challenges is protecng the gains uncertain economic outlook, in parcular the short to in compeveness achieved in recent years, whilst medium term challenges presented by Brexit, as well ensuring that the benefits of growth are transmied as longer term challenges such as equipping Ireland to more fairly and more widely. grow in the context of disrupon from technological change and a changing climate. The Strategy seeks to Cork’s compeveness, heightened producvity, and realign Cork’s economy and equip its labour force to high value added make it the prime opportunity lead in these changes and to create, rather than react naonally to deliver more effecve regional to opportunies as they arise. development in a cost effecve way. Escalated rates of sustainable growth in Cork promises the most The Strategy also reflects a mindfulness of the cost efficient return on exchequer investment whilst implicaons of the above changes. Factoring in future inslling compeveness, increasing living standards, costs now, parcularly in relaon to water and driving growth in the Southern Region. management, achieving greater labour market responsiveness, and ageing, alongside prudent However, growth in Cork is not for growth’s sake; it planning and preparaon, will equip Cork to create presents an opportunity for Ireland to grow and the condions for growth, respond to change, and develop in a plan‐led, sustainable, future‐proofed way build its resilience. Invesng prior to growth, and whilst achieving balance between economic, social , building in adapve capacity now, will increase environmental and cultural objecves, and certainty for investors and provide for a beer long‐ underpinning social cohesiveness and term capital return. compeveness. This cascades through the Strategy which seeks to develop Cork into high growth sectors, Naonal investment is required to enable Cork to but not at the expense of its quality of life and social deliver for Ireland on its growth potenal; its latent sustainability. capacity; its compeveness; its capacity to reskill; its entrepreneurialism; and its adapve ability so as to In this context, the unique benefit that Cork offers is remain ahead of the curve internaonally for the opportunity to invest prior to growth and to investment and opportunies. release significant latent capacity and growth CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 83

potenal with value for money investment. This will deliver greater efficiency and effecveness of investment and greater Transportaon return than retrofing aer growth. The naonal road improvements proposed, specifically the M28, Dunkele Interchange, Northern Ring Road and M20, together The Cork 2050 Strategy seeks to communicate Cork’s compelling would cost in the region of €1,521 M (c.33%) of the total raonale for priorisaon between compeng policy choices on €4,579M forecast spend. the basis of efficiency and value for money. A key point is appreciang not only the costs, but the beer return, and the whole of life benefits that investment in Cork can bring for Strategic Investment € M Ireland. Transportaon

The Cork 2050 Strategy focuses on strategic infrastructure Public Transport 2,412 investment that will give demonstrable economic and social Road Network 2,027 returns. The capital spending required by Cork 2050 will help deliver sustainable growth, stability, and more eﬀecve regional System Management & Other 140 development with which to support naonal compeveness. This can be achieved by unlocking latent potenal and capacity ‐ Total Transportaon Infrastructure 4,579 and in that way provide an overall beer return on limited naonal capital investment. Water Services Potable Water 55

Value for Money: Sustainable Waste Water 457.6

Spending ‐ Total Water Infrastructure 512.6 The level of investment in strategic infrastructure ‐ Overall Total Strategic Infrastructure 5,091.6 (transportaon and water) required to facilitate the idenfied growth potenal in Cork to 2050 is in the order of €5,092 M. In terms of the level of growth achievable in Cork, and taking account of the level of strategic transportaon investment The below represents the total investment in strategic transport required, the return on investment and level of efficiency and water infrastructure required in Cork over c.33 years to provided is significant. support the targeted level of growth of c.300,000 people and c.120,000 jobs. Transport: Benefit to Cost Rao

Cost Benefit An assessment of esmated transport user benefits provides a high‐level indicaon of whether the proposed investment There is significant potenal in Cork to capitalise on latent required for the Strategy is worthwhile. capacity in exisng infrastructure, parcularly in relaon to water services infrastructure, as well as to achieve greater The purpose of the assessment is to provide an inial high level efficiencies in the use of commied infrastructure, parcularly indicaon of the performance of the package of infrastructure transportaon infrastructure. Cork’s capacity for growth based schemes proposed. i.e do the benefits of implemenng the on exisng and already commied infrastructure investment Strategy exceed the costs. It is undertaken at a level of detail means that the relavely modest addional costs set out above that is appropriate for this stage of transport strategy can provide a significantly beer return to the exchequer over development in terms of: me.

Set out below are details of capacity already in place to support  Cost esmates for the proposals are developed based on cost the envisaged level of growth alongside details of the addional ouurns for similar projects rather than detailed design. investment required.  Beneﬁts are forecast based on outputs from the transport modelling assessment of the proposals which use broad assumpons regarding scheme operaon and design. 10 Cost Beneﬁt Narrave

The Benefit to Cost Rao (BCR) for the transport element of the Transportaon Strategy is forecast to be 2.4, which represents high value for money. As a high level indicaon of the environmental impact of the Strategy, it is expected that harmful transport emissions will This figure accounts for direct transport benefits, predominately reduce by between 4‐11% in the Strategy compared to the ‘Do travel me savings, and does not include the wider economic Minimum’. One of the key outcomes of the improved public benefits that will be delivered through the Strategy. It indicates transport network is the substanal reducon in CO2 emissions that the Strategy is economically beneficial from a regional and which would reduce by almost 500,000 tonnes (or c.4%). naonal perspecve, and provides confirmaon of the overall economic jusficaon for its implementaon. Against the ‘Do minimum’ scenario the Strategy would also deliver a reducon in road congeson by over two‐thirds, (67%) This BCR compares very favourably to the one achieved for the as well as a 129% increase in public transport trips and an 11% Greater Dublin Area (GDA) Transport Strategy 2016‐2035. increase in cycling trips. These improvements demonstrate that Cork can grow whilst retaining its quality of life and enabling Water Infrastructure healthier lifestyles.

In comparison to other Counes, Cork benefits from having Benefit to Cost Rao € M significant water infrastructure already in place upon which it Present Value of Transport User Benefits 29,203 can grow. Present Value of Strategy Costs 11,506 With regard to potable water, sufficient treatment capacity is Net Present Value 17,696 already in place to accommodate the overall level of growth in populaon and jobs envisaged in the Strategy. Potable water Transport User Benefit to Cost Rao 2.5 : 1 sourced from Cork’s three largest treatment plants is perhaps the most cost effective use of a natural resource in the Country as the capacity in these plants is sufficient, without significant investment other that maintenance and modernisation works, to cater for targeted growth in Cork City and wider Metropolitan Area beyond 2050 (up to 1.2m people).

The water services investment set out above relates to upgrading of water quality and supply, reducing leakages and other improvements to supply.

In relaon to wastewater, over two‐thirds of the total capacity required to support the populaon and jobs growth to 2050 is already in place in Cork. The largest proporon of this investment (c.€135 M or c.30%) would be from providing a new ouall to the outer Harbour if this was required instead of terary treatment of current capacity. Dublin has been unable to match the level of growth in acvity When viewed over a 30+ year period the level of water services with the necessary investment in public transport required to investment required in Cork to 2050 is by no means prohibive stem the reliance on trips by private car. Cork’s unique selling and would be in‐line with current annual expenditure. point naonally is that it has the scale to grow, but also the opportunity over the 30+ year period of the Strategy to manage Whole of Life Beneﬁts: High Level the step changes in populaon and job growth forecast and the ability to deliver idenﬁed high capacity public transport Analysis corridors well in advance of the growth taking place.

The costs above should be seen in terms of the wider social, economic and environmental beneﬁts within the context of the overall growth potenal idenﬁed in Cork.

CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 85

Water Services

Cork has pioneered the use of new technology in waste water treatment in a number of plants. With further investment in plants serving major towns, both inland and coastal, Cork has the potenal to significantly improve water quality with relavely minimal addional investment. Marine sports and leisure, angling and other water based sports will not only benefit local people but will also add to the aracveness of Cork as a tourist desnaon benefing the wider economy.

The provision of a high quality and secure water supply is one of the keys objecve of Irish Water (IW). Coupled with this is our naonal requirement to adhere to the EU Water Framework Direcve which seeks to protect aquac ecology and habitats, drinking water resources and bathing water. Failure to comply with this Direcve will and has, resulted in signiﬁcant ﬁnes being made on Naonal Government. In the long term paying penales is not sustainable and the cost to public health and wellbeing from having contaminated watercourses and estuaries would be substanal. To promote Ireland as a centre for aquaculture, marine tourism—and as a clean environment— the Strategy supports connued investment in Cork’s strong and burgeoning research and innovaon ecosystem. CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 86

CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 87

11 / Cork’s Unique Environment: 88 Sustainability

With the right investment and through a coordinated approach, Cork has the potenal to not only become a low carbon place but to be a leader in sustainable and renewable energy generaon and supply. Underpinning this is a recognion of and response to the environmental challenges facing not only Cork but Ireland generally.

Supporng increased and sustainable growth over the lifeme of the Strategy will require strategic investment decisions in relaon to crical services such as water, wastewater, energy and transport; at the same me Cork’s environmental resources must be managed and enhanced for their signiﬁcance to Cork’s strong sense of place and quality of life oﬀer.

Decoupling Growth and Carbon Use

To develop sustainably Cork must decouple to the north west and west and areas at risk from populaon and economic growth from carbon usage, flooding. This ensures the efficient use of land, whilst building into its environment, its places and its minimises soil sealing, retains open Greenbelt areas, economy the resilience to respond to a changing and maintains Cork’s varied habitats. climate. Movement and Air Quality ‐ Air quality is generally Cork 2050 is an integrated strategy that acvely good in Cork. Transport is one of the main sources of drives adaptaon to a low carbon, sustainable future carbon and air dpolluon an this Strategy will provide through a plan‐led approach that aligns spaal and an associated reducon in energy usage and carbon sectoral policy. In line with the “Naonal Climate consumpon, reducing CO2 emissions by c.500k Change Adaptaon Framework”, Cork 2050 delivers a tonnes. This will be achieved by reducing the need to vision for growth that: travel and beer integrang housing, employment and educaon development with an enhanced public  Reposions Cork’s economy to benefit from the transport network.o It is als realised by increasing opportunies arising from a low carbon economy, sustainable transport mode share, as well as and to be resilient in the face of climate change. extending the electrificaon of the rail network,  Beer coordinates land use and infrastructure enabling it to be powered by sustainable energy investment. sources.  Reduces the environmental impact of Cork’s Sustainable Energy Economy ‐ Cork 2050 will development and supports sustainable iniate a shi towards responsible environmental management of Cork’s ‘green’ assets. management and adaptaon to climate change along with transion to a compeve, low carbon, climate Development and Land Use resilient and environmentally‐aligned economy. The Economic Strategy reposions Cork’s economy to Change take advantage of growth in sustainable and renewable energy generaon systems and increased Spaal ‐ The Cork 2050 strategy promotes less demand, whilst the Infrastructure Chapter supports a dispersed growth, and focusses development into sustainable, secure supply of energy and increased higher density, mixed use locaons along high energy efficiency. This will be achieved by supporng capacity public transport corridors in Cork City and Cork’s renewable energy research and development Metropolitan Cork. These areas are located away ecosystem and targeng the marine and energy from the more environmentally sensive parts of Cork CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 89

industry as one of Cork’s key growth sectors into the future. oﬀshore wind energy generaon capacity exists in Cork.  Wave and Tidal ‐ Cork has signiﬁcant potenal for the Cork’s energy system will shi from being almost exclusively generaon of wave and dal energy; the Marine and Energy centralised, to increasingly decentralised and democrased. Research Cluster Ireland (iMERC) promotes Cork as a Households, communies and businesses will be parcipants in marime energy research and development hub. UCC’s renewable energy generaon and distribuon. This provides an Hydraulics & Marime Research Centre (HMRC) is a centre opportunity for residents and businesses to take advantage of of excellence for ocean renewables and coastal engineering, and engage with the economic opportunies arising from the and houses the Naonal Ocean Test Facility which shi to renewable energy and Cork’s emerging compeve, low researches wave energy. These bodies form the bedrock of carbon green economy. This requires support and coordinaon Cork and Ireland’s renewable energy R&D ecosystem going at local, regional and naonal levels. forward.

The above changes represent a parcular opportunity to  Gas ‐ Ireland’s sole gas storage facility is located at Kinsale. enhance the resilience of rural communies, especially from The Inch entry point in Cork connects the Kinsale and Seven local ownership of renewable energy. The Strategy supports Heads gas fields and the Kinsale storage facility to Ireland’s tackling fuel poverty and increasing opportunies for rural gas network. Kinsale also has long term potenal for gas communies to reduce energy costs and increase energy self‐ storage and carbon capture facilies. sufficiency as part of the wider diversificaon of the rural  Forestry ‐ Cork has the highest forest cover levels in Ireland, economy and rural development. almost 50% more than the next highest (Donegal). This key asset supports a strong private and public forest products A Low Carbon Future industry and plays an important carbon management ecosystem services funcon. With the largest land area in Cork consumes c.13% of Ireland’s energy output but provides the Country Cork also ioffers sign ficant potenal in terms of c.24% of Ireland’s energy end use requirements. This supply is land based energy, including bio‐fuels. primarily from wind farms, convenonal fossil fuels, and hydro electric plants, with solar farm development in the pipeline. This Strategic Low Carbon Energy Infrastructure ‐ Cork can be a makes Cork a net energy exporter and naonal hub of energy leader naonally in sustainable energy, from solar and biomass, supply, and highlights that it is a leader in making the naonal to wind, wave and dal. Realising the potenal of Cork’s assets transion to renewable energy a reality. requires connued investment from the public and private sectors. Spaal and sectoral policy must be aligned to provide Meeng Ireland’s European and global renewable energy and future‐proofed strategic infrastructure decisions and delivery. climate change commitments, whilst maintaining a secure This requires greater clarity/certainty for investors and energy supply (as set out in Chapter 9), requires a significant communies regarding the type, scale and locaon of renewable reducon in fossil‐fuel demand and decoupling socio‐economic energy infrastructure across Cork’s terrestrial and marine growth from carbon usage. To achieve this, in line with ‘Ireland’s environment. Addi onal direcon and support will provide the Transion to a Low Carbon Energy Future 2015‐2030’, increased framework to priorise sustainable energy generaon and meet capacity for sustainable and renewable energy generaon, our internaonal targets. improved energy efficiency, accelerated diversificaon of supply, and transformaon of Ireland’s energy system is required. Energy Security sCork ha a number of renewable energy assets that offer Ireland has one of the highest levels of dependence on imported significant growth potenal. These include: energy in the EU. Cork’s role in supporng Ireland’s energy supply and energy security is of strategic naonal importance,  Hydro ‐ Large scale hydro‐electricity generaon since the primarily due to the Whitegate Refinery, Ireland’s sole refinery. 1950’s at the Lee Hydro schemes; the Inniscarra and Over the medium term Ireland’s mix of non ‐renewables will Carrigadrohid power staons have a combined capacity of move away from peat and coal to lower carbon fossil fuels such 27MW. as natural gas, which will remain important elements of Ireland’s  Wind ‐ Cork has the largest installed and commied wind energy supply to c.2035. As a result both Whitegate and Cork, in energy generaon capacity in the Country which is over 13% parcular Cork Harbour will connue to play a unique role of Ireland's wind energy capacity. Considerable onshore and supporng Ireland’s transion from a primarily fossil fuel based 90 11 Cork’s Unique Environment: Sustainability

system to a sustainable and renewable one. The Cork 2050 contribung to Ireland’s GHG emission targets. Strategy is cognisant of and supports this dynamic.  Biogas from the agri and waste industry.  Carbon capture & storage. Cork Harbour & Whitegate ‐ As Ireland’s only oil reﬁnery, Whitegate provides approximately 40% of all naonal petroleum  Connued use & development of hydro power needs. No other locaon naonally has the capacity or transport generaon. infrastructure to reﬁne or store the level of fuel imports Ireland  Connued development of wind and Solar PV. currently requires. In addion, 90% of the oil reserves held in  The use of dal and wave‐rider technology (coastal Ireland are stored in Whitegate and elsewhere in Cork such as energy). Whiddy Island Oil Trans‐shipment Terminal and Irish Strategic

Oil Reserve, in Bantry. Alongside Cork Harbour, Whiddy Island has a potenal role in relaon to future output from offshore All of these technologies, are either in use or are at praccal oil‐ fields in Irish coastal waters. It should be noted that demonstraon phase within the Cork Region. Whitegate provides c.50% of the Port of Cork’s traffic. The As an example, Solar PV, which is parcularly suitable to Whitegate area is also the locaon for three gas–fired power Ireland’s southern counes, has the potenal for rapid staons. deployment to help meet Ireland’s 40% renewable electricity This makes Whitegate the lynchpin of Ireland’s energy security target for 2020 and to diversify Ireland’s onshore renewable over the short to medium term. This places Cork and specifically energy sources. In this area alone applicaons for up to Cork Harbour at the heart of Irish energy supply, as well as Cork 5,500MW of grid connecons have been applied for naonally, being a leader in Ireland’s sustainable energy supply. This should the majority of these being in the south. be seen in the context of the closure of a number of European The Governments target of 40% of electricity to come from refineries since 2008, which offers potenal for Whitegate to renewable energy sources by 2020 is predominantly being met become more prominent in the supply of processed oil to by wind. By its nature this source of renewable energy is Europe. variable which presents a range of operaonal challenges for the power system. This variability must be managed to ensure This brings into focus the wider energy assets and potenal in demand for electricity tis me at all mes. Cork. In parcular, Cork Harbour offlers da and wave energy potenal, as well as having the cluster of services, infrastructure, Cork has the opportunity to lead the way in the integraon of research, knowledge, businesses, and port facilies related non‐synchronous renewable generaon by promong connued supporng Cork’s energy industry that have the potenal to research in the fields of carbon capture and storage (Kinsale serve an expanded energy industry into the future. There is a Storage Facility), smart storage systems using the exisng need to plan and coordinate exisng marine and terrestrial transmission grid and the further development of alternave energy acvies as well as the opportunity to develop the renewable sources such as dal and bioenergy. It has been long economic potenal of Cork Harbour, to include the broader acknowledged that Cork has the potenal to be a world leader energy resource potenal from land‐based energy such as bio‐ in the energy sector and to that end Energy Cork was formed in fuels and wind in the harbour area. 2012. This requires advancing marine spa al planning alongside Energy Cork is an industry‐driven cluster pursuing coordinated terrestrial planning, as well as exploraon of Cork and Cork acons to strengthen enterprise and employment within the Harbour’s economic potenal as a hub for the energy and energy sector in the Cork region. Supported by Cork City Council marine industries, potenally in the context of the Southern and Cork County Council through their respecve Economic Region RSES. The Cork 2050 Economic Strategy centred Development Funds, Energy Cork was conceived by Cork highlights the potenal and broader significance of Cork Harbour Chamber with a view to building on the unique opportunies for regionally and naonally as a hub for marine development and the region to secure compeve advantage in the energy sector. energy research and generaon.

Emerging Technologies ‐ With connued investment in Research & Development, Cork has the potenal to become a world leader in the use of renewable energy whilst signiﬁcantly CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 91

Marine Spa al Planning Environmental Assets: Green

There is significant cross‐over between energy generaon and Infrastructure & Ecosystem management of the marine environment in Cork. Cork Harbour Services is of parcular significance as a locaon that plays a vital role naonally in terms of energy supply, as well as offering The Cork 2050 Strategy approaches strategic environmental significant potenal for expansion of dal, wave and offshore management using Green & Blue Infrastructure and Ecosystems and onshore wind energy. There are also broader marine and Services as the overarching framework to guide spaal planning terrestrial consideraons within and around Cork Harbour and highlight the contribuon that Cork’s environment, habitats relang to defence, research, port infrastructure and operaon, and landscapes make to Cork’s development. industry, and the related clusters of companies that support Cork’s energy industry. Green Infrastructure ‐ Cork 2050 offers an opportunity to connect the urban and rural landscapes, designated sites and Marine spa al planning is essenal to the effecve management other habitats in Cork, to develop a more coherent structure and ulisaon of the marine environment including exploitaon between habitats and natural environments. This connecvity, of energy resources. It requires coordinaon and potenal and the creaon of appropriate linkages between natural areas integraon with terrestrial planning. Cork has an array of within and around Cork, supports a more strategic ecological energy, transport, tourism, habitats, landscapes, and economic approach to spaal planning and environmental management. assets thatt impac on both the marine and terrestrial environments, parcularly around Cork Harbour, and the Ecosystem Services ‐ Underpinning the concept of Green potenal to expand which requires coordinaon and Infrastructure is the recognion of the role of ecosystems. The development. This takes on addional significance in the context ecosystem services concept highlights how a healthy, of the emerging RSES, that presents an opportunity not only for funconing and resilient environment sustains socio‐economic regional spaal planning obut als elevang and maximising the development and human wellbeing, and that the environment, economic and social potenal of Cork’s terrestrial and marine society and the economy must be daligned an mutually environments. supporng.

As an economic asset, the Government esmates that our Water Management biodiversity is worth over €2.5 billion per annum and contributes Sustainable spaal growth enables beer servicing of to economic performance in a range of ways. As a social asset, development with water services, sewerage and flood our natural environment plays an equally important role in our management infrastructure as Cork grows. With the right well‐being, as the quality place within which we live. investment Cork has significant capacity for growth in terms of Cork has a diverse range of ecosystem types, including marine, water infrastructure whilst managing environmental impact. In freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems. Understanding the range, parcular for Cork, protecon of exis ng sources, especially quality, diversity and fundamental value of the ecosystems and sustainable and environmentally friendly abstracon and Green Infrastructure that sustain Cork is crical. Enhancing the sustainable flood risk management is key. funconality of these resources through effec ve planning, Cork 2050 supports advances in technology to improve water prudent management and sustainable ulisaon of these assets management and reduce environmental impact. Cork is is crical to the long term success of the Cork 2050 Strategy. pioneering the use of new technologies in water supply and Landscape ‐ Cork’s ecosystems and Green Infrastructure are also waste water soluons such as the Nereda Process which the diverse landscapes which contribute to the environmental produces treated wastewater which can be safely discharged quality, character and seng of Cork City and County. These into sensive environments. Cork can also be a leader in range from the mountains and peatlands in the west of the converng sewerage waste to energy, as well as smarter County, to the river corridors and lakes that traverse Cork, to the management of exisng water infrastructure to maximise its significant coastal, marine and island habitats, and the aracve capacity to funcon in the context of climate change impacts seng and streetscapes of Cork City. such as reduced assimilave and abstracve capacity of water bodies.

11 Cork’s Unique Environment: Sustainability

The townscapes, landscapes and seascapes of Cork are arguably Image & Identy its most signiﬁcant environmental resource. They embody the interplay of historical acvity and the natural environmental Ireland’s internaonal image is that of a ’green’ place; this is of over millennia, whilst telling the story of Cork, and contribung strategic importance to aracng investment and talent. hugely to local sense of place, identy, and quality of life for However the spaal paern of development in parts of the residents and visitors. country alongside water quality issues at a European level have the potenal to damage Ireland’s image in this regard. The disncveness and aracveness of Cork and its variety and Promong the qualies and dealing with these issues is essenal choice of sengs and environments, are essenal ingredients in for Cork and Ireland’s long term success. Cork’s compelling oﬀer to retain and aract talent, and investment. Connuing to plan, manage and sustainably ulise this resource in the context of increased growth has been a central consideraon of the Cork 2050 Strategy.

Cultural Heritage

Cultural heritage is a resource that plays a key role not only in identy and landscape but also as an economic driver for regeneraon and the creave economy. Cultural heritage in terms of Cork’s monuments, sites, tradions, transmied knowledge and expressions of human creavity are smulants of innovaon potenal in a wide range of tradional and new industries. It is also a major contributor to social cohesion and a conduit for engagement which brings communies and young people together to engage with Cork’s environment and identy.

Cork has one of the largest numbers of naonal monuments in the Country, and the largest number of protected structures outside of Dublin. Cork’s Cultural heritage includes signiﬁcant archaeological sites and landscapes, oen around the foothills and uplands, whilst the City retains a medieval street paern. The underwater, marine and industrial archaeology and associated tourism potenal is also signiﬁcant. At a smaller scale, the contribuon of vernacular architecture and features ranging from farm buildings, shop fronts, walls and gates all contribute to creang a local sense of place and disncve landscape character.

The archaeological and architectural heritage of Cork is a non‐ replaceable, ﬁnite resource. Both tell Cork’s story and contribute to landscape character and sense of place. From an environmental standpoint, the embodied energy of Cork’s exisng buildings is one of the most compelling arguments for preserving them. Maintaining and reusing exis ng structures also contribute to reducing urban sprawl, prolonging the physical service‐life of buildings and building parts and supporng waste‐avoidance.

94 12 / Implementation

The key to Cork’s success will be implementaon. This Strategy seeks to bring together many of the plans, iniaves, ideas and intervenons that currently exist, develop new approaches to help unlock potenal and provide the strategic guidance to allow a series of acons to come forward. There will be a need up to 2050 to ensure that the opportunies are weaved together so as to create a sustainable place inﬂuenced by change.

Key areas of change:

 Signiﬁcant but sustainable populaon growth with high levels of migraon.  Focused development along public transport corridors across Metropolitan Cork and the City proper.  Employment balance shiing over the long term towards industries that are driven by technology, innovaon, connecvity and entrepreneurialism.  Constant adapon of the human capital skill base to meet new industries and advances in technology.  Manufacturing, processing and administraon will undergo dramac changes.  The level of sustainability a place can create will heavily inﬂuence development opons.  The drive for sustainability will need to come from the people of a place and not be solely driven by Government.  To be globally compe ve a business as usual approach needs to be avoided.

This secon seeks to provide a high level implementaon strategy focusing on crical acons that will be required so as to embrace change and deliver on the guiding principles set out in this Strategy.

The Cork 2050 Strategy provides strategic guidance and progress on achieving the Strategic goals. This and macro level acons (see overleaf) that will need informaon will support the priorisaon of the to be implemented over the next 30 years and infrastructure delivery and the monitoring and beyond. It is acknowledged that not all acons will be reporng should consist of: realised and new acons will emerge over. Therefore, it is important that thes acon are viewed as  Annual Update Report to provide advice on the ‘catalysts’ or ‘gamechangers’ that individually and progress and delivery of the acons in the cumulavely will drive sustainable growth. Strategy and will be reported to Cork City Council and Cork County Council. Monitoring the acons and  Outcomes Report every 3 years to provide detailed reporng against the Outcomes in the strategic outcomes Strategy and recommendaons or changes in the Recognising the recursive nature of Strategy infrastructure priories, if required. development and implementaon, there will be a  Review of the Strategy every 5 years or as need to establish a monitoring and reporng process required to update and revise if necessary. to check on progress in delivering the Strategy acons CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 95

Phasing

A core part of the Strategy is the integraon of land use and infrastructure investment, the phasing of which will be closely aligned. The diagram below gives a high level indicaon of the delivery of essenal infrastructure to 2050.

96 12 Implementaon

Principle Acons

 Deliver public transport corridors across Metropolitan  Facilitate improved skills training to meet Cork’s Cork in the form of BRT and LRT. economic needs, including improved access to reskilling and retraining for the whole of Cork.  Increase populaon densies along public transport corridors to between 3,500 ‐ 4,500 persons per sq. km at  Invest in local infrastructure (water services, roads, appropriate nodes within a 1km zone. cycling etc.) and the public realm of Cork City, County Towns and Villages, focussing on improving health and  Fast‐track the supply of housing in the right locaons to wellbeing. meet housing need.  Develop key roads infrastructure, parcularly the  Fast‐track ﬂexible oﬃce space to meet short term market Dunkele Interchange, M20, M28 and Northern Ring demand which is designed to adapt to shis Road with demand management measures if necessary. in ways of doing business over the medium and long term.  Improve Regional linkages and connectivity both in terms of movement and digitally.  Support the creaon of aracve, person‐focused environments and places throughout Cork.  Improve transport connectivity to Cork Airport and as required expand the capacity of the Airport.  Enable creaon of a socially sustainable, fair and open social environment.  Facilitate renewable energy generation in Cork and improvements in energy efficiency, and the shift to a Low  Provide a supply of land and sites that is responsive to Carbon society. and meets social and economic needs.  Enhance infrastructure and facilities for Cork’s arts and  Develop the Docklands (South & North Docks and Tivoli) cultural environment. in a high density, mixed use manner.  Continue to invest in water infrastructure to cater for  Support the development of Cork City as the ‘healthy growth and the impact of climate change, including heart’ of Cork and the Southern Region. increased use of technology to maximise the capacity of  Deliver improvements to the Port of Cork. water infrastructure investment.

 Enable the development of town, village, rural and island  Develop and expand Cork’s Green Infrastructure and Eco‐ communies and diversiﬁcaon of the rural economy. System services network.

 Roll out broadband across the whole of Cork.  Communicate Cork’s identity and brand image nationally  Create a Strategic Naonal Energy Zone centred on Cork and internationally. Harbour, and develop Marine Spaal Planning in Cork.  Continue a collaborative approach to planning and  Expand facilities for enterprise and innovation, including delivering Cork’s growth and development. enhanced collaboration and networking ability.  Facilitate the development of healthcare facilies, including facilies to support innovaon in the healthcare sector.

 Facilitate expansion of Third and Fourth Level Educaon Facilies for Cork and the wider region, at appropriate locaons that respond to the need for increased research, enterprise, and innovaon capacity. CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 97

Strategic Outcomes Aligned to Guiding Principles

Spaal: Maximise the potenal of Cork’s urban and rural  A sustainable place. areas to be successful, sustainable places that support  Globally connected economic corridors and clusters. strong, vibrant and healthy communies.

 Transion to a low carbon environment.

 Greater eﬃciency in land use. Social (People / Lifestyle): Facilitate the creaon of a built  Improved health and wellbeing within communies. environment with the associated services that respond to  Integrated public transport system. the community’s needs and support its health, social and  Robust and resilient environment. cultural well‐being.

 A premier locaon for global commerce, business and investment.

 Densiﬁcaon at appropriate nodes along growth Economic: Support an environment that enables the corridors. building of a strong, responsive and compeve economy that provides opportunity and access for all.  An inclusive and diverse place.

 Self suﬃcient and connected rural areas.

 Increased levels of compeveness and producvity. Environment: Ensure the protecon and resilience of  Flexible and adaptable development framework. Cork’s natural, built, historic and cultural environment. Proacvely adapt to climate change and the transion to a  Diverse and resilient, whole of Cork economy. low carbon society.  Connected regionally, naonally and internaonally.

 Culture of collaboraon and entrepreneurialism.

 Choice of aracve and unique places. Mobility and Infrastructure: Co‐ordinate development  Improved urban form and pleasant public realm. requirements to idenfy infrastructural investment priories that support sustainable paerns of growth and  Homes delivered in the right place and that meet people’s of community living. needs.

 Easily accessible and well connected.

 Alignment with regional and naonal policies.

12 Implementaon

Funding The NPF ‐ Cork in 2040 The integraon of infrastructure and land use is at the core of Cork will be an enabled place, equipped within a naonal and this Strategy. This allows for a tangible link to funding arrange‐ regional framework, to deliver for Cork, the Southern Region ments with the investment decisions needed today to maximise and Ireland. the cost benefit and benefits in terms of whole life costs. Progress toward the Cork 2050 Vision and Strategic Objec‐ Naonal level Investment ‐ The Cork 2050 Strategy will require ves will be well advanced. Results will have been achieved significant infrastructural investment by the Government if it is through Cork’s culture of collaboraon and the commitment to deliver in a mely manner. This document outlines headline and involvement of stakeholders in implemenng the Strate‐ costs and there will need to be a clear commitment at naonal gy. Guided by standing implementaon and review structures level to deliver the ’game changers’ in terms of infrastructure. focused on delivery and guided by comprehensive monitoring and review of progress and direcon. Enterprise Modelt ‐ As set ou in Chapter 6 an Enterprise Model Review of the Naonal Planning Framework will be under‐ supports businesses that have the main aim of creang commu‐ way, with Cork acvely engaging to scope future risks and nity benefits rather than generang profit for stakeholders. Such reviewing progress in delivering the populaon and migraon enterprises trade in the market of providing goods and services increase, dynamic jobs market and investment for Cork, the locally. The model seeks to tackle important social (for example Southern Region and Ireland. social inclusion) and environmental maers with any profits The review of the NPF will present another mely opportuni‐ made put back into the business or community. This has the ty to review strategic outcomes, guiding principles and Vision circular effect of providing jobs, services and wider community against future perspecve and outlooks. benefits. This model can generate change and help the transi‐ on to a more resilient and sustainable economy.

100 13 / Environmental Assessment

The Cork 2050 strategy promotes the sustainable management and responsible stewardship of Cork’s environment in the context of the adaptaon to and migaon of climate change and the shi to a sustainable energy future. The Strategy also promotes the protecon and supports the resilience of natural, social, cultural and economic assets, and paerns of growth that minimise economic, social and environmental ineﬃciencies.

The core objecve is to align and integrate Cork’s social and economic growth with the management of its environment. This will ensure that Cork is resilient in the face of risks, and posid one to take advantage of opportunies, emerging from structural changes in our society and our economy generated by climate change and the transion to a low carbon future.

Introducon Central to the process of developing the Cork 2050 Relaonship to the NPF Strategy has been the consideraon of potenal strategic impacts on Cork’s environment. The ﬁgure below shows the relaonship between the NPF, the statutory environmental assessments being To support the Cork 2050 Strategy a Strategic prepared as part of the NPF process, and the Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Appropriate environmental Pre‐Screening Exercise for Cork 2050. Assessment (AA) Pre‐Screening Exercise has been carried out. The SEA and AA Pre‐Screening Exercise The NPF Issues & Choices Consultaon Paper and has been undertaken as a parallel process in tandem accompanying SEA Scoping Report have informed the with the strategy development process to ensure that Cork 2050 pre‐screening and accompanying potenal strategic environmental impacts are commentary. As the NPF will undergo further considered and responded to appropriately. assessment under the Strategic Environmental

Naonal Planning Framework Environmental Assessments

SEA Screening Appropriate Assessment Strategic Flood Risk Assessment Screening

Naonal Planning Framework Issues Paper (Feb/March 2017)

SEA Scoping (current stage) Complete AA Screening Complete Flood Risk Screening

Cork City and County NPF submission including this pre‐screening environmental assessment

Dra Naonal Planning Framework SEA Environmental Report Natura Impact Statement Flood Risk Assessment

Cork City and Council input at dra NPF – SEA Env. Report Stage CORK 2050 | Realising the Full Potenal 101

Assessment Direc ve and Habitats Direcve Assessment, this extreme weather events will ibe cr cal to a sustainable and submission aims to contribute to these processes, through resilient future for Cork. commenng and highlighng the environmental context of Cork. Ecosystem Services, and Green & Blue Infrastructure ‐ The Overall Approach and overarching environmental framework introduced by the NPF is that of developing Ireland’s Green and Blue Infrastructure and Methodology Ecosystem Services network. Cork has a diverse range of ecosystem types, including marine, freshwater and terrestrial The assessment focussed on statutory environmental ecosystems. requirements relang to the Water Framework Direcve, Habitats Direcve Assessment and key policy drivers including Cork 2050 and the NPF provide an opportunity the Naonal Landscape Strategy and Naonal Biodiversity Acon Plan (dra) in relaon to the assessment of potenal to beer connect landscapes, habitats, and environmental impacts associated withe th core elements of the designated sites in order to develop a more Cork 2050 Strategy. robust and resilient structure between

In addion to baseline analysis and analysis of strategic important habitats and natural environments in ecosystem services, a preliminary environmental sensivity Cork and the wider Southern Region. assessment was also undertaken. This ranked the sensivity of biodiversity, water protecon, populaon, soil and geology Green growth ‐ This concept is becoming increasingly important designaons throughout Cork and enabled an overall as it relates to economic growth that promotes social well‐being environmental sensivity profile for Cork to be developed. and reduces inequalies whilst not exposing future generaons to significant environmental and ecological risks. This approach The assessment also incorporated analysis of internaonal good supports: pracce and benchmarking against comparator areas which informed the strategy and accompanying implementaon  Recognion of benefit of decarbonising economy strategy. The assessment process highlighted the strategic  Explicit links between health and environmental quality environmental resources present in Cork and idenfied at a strategic level the environmental opportunies and constraints  Equity of access to resources present.  Valuing ecosystem services  Wellbeing of human health & the environment Key Trends  Fair social & employment structures

The assessment process closely informed the development of the Cork 2050 Strategy which seeks to ensure that Cork Water Management ‐ This is parcularly pernent in terms of develops in a sustainable way and within the capacity of the the Cork 2050 growth scenarios having regard to maintaining natural environment. This has influenced the spaal strategy water quality, water supplies and managing flood risk. which focuses growth within the less environmentally sensive areas along higher density corridors served by high capacity Regard was had to the variable provision of exisng terary public transport within Cork City and the Metropolitan Area. treatment, Water Framework Protected areas,d an the assimilave capacity for rivers, lakes and groundwater for both The assessment idenfied key trends and other factors abstracon and wastewater discharges. influencing the long term growth and development of Cork. These have been responded to and incorporated into the Cork Parcular regard was had to the qualifying interests associated 2050 Strategy and are highlighted below: with the Natura 2000 network within Cork and along its extensive coastline that are idenfied as sensive to abstracon Climate change ‐ The transion to a low carbon, climate resilient and discharge pressures and/or polluon. Many of these areas and environmentally sustainable place is the primary are wetlands and also sensive to nutrient inputs and environmental trend facing Ireland. Adapng to climate change discharges. The assimilave capacity of these receiving bodies and planning for environmental infrastructure that can support and how exisng and proposed wastewater and water supply Cork’s capacity to respond to increased flood risk and more would address these issues is crical. 13 Environmental Assessment

Landscapes, Seascapes and Streetscapes ‐ Cork has significant In parcular for the demographics, transport and ulies assets in this regard which contribute to an aracve infrastructure, environmental opportunies and constraints environment. This in turn contributes to the quality of life and were highlighted at a strategic level. The purpose of highlighng aracveness of Cork for residents and visitors. Retaining and the consistency between the Cork 2050 Strategy and the exisng enhancing Cork’s landscapes, seascapes and streetscapes statutory planning framework is to demonstrate exisng through an evidence based policy structure is important to avoid planning support for the strategy, in light of more detailed homogenisaon of this resource and loss of local character. environmental assessments that were undertaken as part of the County and City Development Plan preparaon. Urban Regeneraon ‐ Urban regeneraon, reuse of brownfield lands, and re‐use of buildings is parcularly pernent to Cork This Cork 2050 submission is non‐statutory and aims to support City Centre and some town centres in Cork County. Related to a longer term accelerated, sustainable growth for Cork City and this is the facilitang increased growth within exisng Cork County. As the NPF is progressed and becomes a statutory framework it will be incorporated throughout the planning selements and enhancing town centre living and services. This hierarchy and be subject to appropriate level environmental is crical in terms of supporng the viability of exisng assessments including SEA and Appropriate Assessment. selements and avoiding soil sealing and resultant risks in relaon to surface run off.

Linking Habitats ‐ Facilitang linkages between designated habitats and corridors and stepping stones between, for example Cork Harbour, River Lee and Blackwater with wetlands and wider ecological connecvity is essenal to habitat sustainability.

Food Security ‐ Maintaining a supply of high quality, viable agricultural land will become increasingly important in the context of food security globally. Robust agricultural producon and strong agricultural areas, and planning that avoids urban sprawl and soil sealing which reduces agricultural capacies and increases surface water run oﬀ is essenal.

Underpinning the assessment is a recognion of the environmental challenges and opportunies presented to not only Cork but Ireland generally. The wider approach of the Cork 2050 Strategy in this regard is one of responsible stewardship and sustainable management and eﬃcient use of environmental resources. The aim of Cork 2050 is to enhance and manage Cork’s environment as Cork grows into the future, including protecng the contribuon Cork’s environment makes to the strong sense of place and quality of life for residents and visitors.

Conclusion

The Cork 2050 Strategy forms the basis for Cork City and Cork County’s submission to the Naonal Planning Framework consultaon. Through the development of the Strategy, environmental resources and their sustainable management has informed the preparaon process. Through the ongoing iterave process, key environmental issues and themes were raised within the Project Team and feedback and amendments to proposals were provided.

GVA 104 SYSTRA Jack Sheehan Associates Minogue & Associates MHL