National Planning Framework – Ireland 2040-Our Plan Issues & Choices SUBMISSION OF DONEGAL COUNTY COUNCIL MARCH 2017 1 THE NORTH WEST CITY REGION Fig.1 2 SUBMISSION OUTLINE The consultation document published last month [www.npf.ie] represents the initial phase of consultation in advance of the preparation of drafting a new National Planning Framework. The core question posed by the ‘Issues & Choices’ paper seeks responses to “what sort of place Ireland should be in 2040 and what do we need to achieve this?” Government is seeking initial views relating to nationally significant, strategic issues that are spatial or place-based in focus. The purpose of the submission is to reflect the strategically significant regional issues that are of central importance to County Donegal and the North West. The main theme of the submission is to ensure that the function and viability of the strategic approach to regional growth, that is being informed by Donegal County Council and Derry City & Strabane District Council through the North West Regional Development Group and the North West Strategic Growth Partnership, continues to be recognised nationally and that this place-based approach to regional growth shapes strategic investment in the region in a manner that benefits both the development of the State and the Community. The submission will aim to ensure that place-based leadership with the ambitious growth targets and the spatial interventions required are presented in a manner that contribute to the regional dynamics of the North West and the effectiveness of regional planning as it applies to the Northern and Western Regional Assembly area. Contents: 1. Key Messages 4 2. Principle Headings of the Submission 5 1. The Planning Opportunities and Challenges 5 2. Health and Well Being 8 3. Place Making Strategy 9 4. Donegal’s Unique Environment, Culture and Heritage 14 3. Critical Issues for the National Planning Framework 15 4. Appendices 17 3 1. KEY MESSAGES . Donegal County Council broadly welcomes the content and thrust of the Issues & Choices paper and the acknowledgement of the value of cross- border collaborative efforts in the North West. In this context the Council considers that the North West City Region and the potential of this spatial contract to deliver effective regional development should be explicitly referenced in the National Planning Framework; . The place-based focus of the Paper is considered to be of significant value, particularly in relation to the capacity for urban and rural regeneration; . As an initial expression of the Council’s ambitions for growth coupled with the determined interventions necessary for delivery of strategy, the review of the Donegal County Development Plan is underway to provide for: o An uplift in the population of the County to a level of 200,000 by 2038; o An increase in the population of Letterkenny to 35,000 by 2038; o Projected growth in the county’s other Strategic Towns (layer 2 settlements) to provide for an additional 17,000 by 2038; o A spatially effective distribution of population across the county; . The submission will reflect the County’s focus on providing mitigation for Brexit as part of a cross-border strategic approach; . Capitalising on the value of a strong skills and education base is identified as an essential component of strategic growth in the North West; . The enhancement of links between employers, employment opportunities and the educational sector is considered to be an important component of effective growth in the region. As a sector of growing importance to the County’s economy, tourism development will be emphasised as a vital component in building future capacity for Donegal and the North West; . This submission will seek to reinforce the recognition in the Issues Paper of the place-based approach driven by local leadership and collaboration evident through the development of structures such as the North West Strategic Growth Partnership. It will seek to reaffirm the need to continue with the spatial contract between Donegal County Council, neighbouring authorities and governments in place-making, economic growth and cohesion in service delivery for the community. 4 2. THE PRINCIPAL HEADINGS OF THE SUBMISSION: 1. The Planning Opportunities and Challenges: i. The NPF is presented as an enabler for investment with a place- based dimension where investments are made in the national interest. For Donegal and the North West this investment in a “landscape of indigenous activity”1 is a central driver for the strategic vision of the County Development Plan review2. This submission seeks to reinforce the regionally significant role of Letterkenny as an integral part of the wider North West City Region, address the spatial planning considerations for Urban and Rural populations; understand how we can plan for and collaborate on how to make provision for all sections of the community, especially our growing cohort of people over 65; where job creation opportunities will be located; what services and amenities will growing communities need; how will people move around; what are the priorities for strategic infrastructural investment; and how can we seek to adapt to the challenges of climate change in the context of a low carbon society. For Donegal, addressing these key issues is being shaped by the governance structures that exist and are developing in the North West and the wider Region. This is a context that is proposed to be reinforced by the submission and is directly related to the spatial trends and patterns that occur in Northern Ireland and in the Northern & Western Regional Assembly area. ii. The review of the County Development Plan (CDP) proposes to establish an ambitious vision to 2038 that is to be a catalyst for positive growth and economic development in County Donegal where the aim for the County is to target population growth to approximately 173,000 people by 2024 and to consequently reach upwards of 200,000 people by 2038 (fig 2 refers). Its purpose is to acknowledge the wider social, economic and environmental trends within which growth is to occur but it is focussed on the possibilities and opportunities for the county arising from its 1 O’Brennan, J (2017) “The view from Dublin: Hard Brexit looks like a weapon of wanton neighbourly destruction”, www.ukandeu.ac.uk 2 “Working Draft: Donegal County Development Plan 2018-2024”, Part A – Strategic Context”, Donegal County Council, March 2017 (unpublished) 5 position as part of a much broader cohesive socio-economic and geographical area. iii. The population is anticipated to grow in conjunction with a programme of determined intervention that will aim to stimulate and accelerate growth over the next 20 years. Such ‘intervention’ will include distinctly spatial and plan-led dimensions but will extend beyond the spatial context and include a collaborative partnership response across the public and private sector. ‘Interventions’ include setting out and implementing investment priorities in roads infrastructure, water services and energy as examples; fast tracking the roll out of the high speed broadband in the region, establishing enabling initiatives and programmes particularly in relation to regeneration and renewal of town centres; proactive interventions to support indigenous enterprise development and use of enterprise lands; targeted approaches to secure Foreign Direct Investment; and delivering critical strategy development/ research upon which further action will be identified. Fig 2: Population change in county Donegal and growth to 2038 240000 220000 200000 180000 160000 140000 120000 100000 80000 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 iv. Within the wider context of the region, there are firmly established partnerships that are to be developed further in order to support a coordinated approach to deliver on regional priorities that are critical to facilitate the priorities of County Donegal. Given the diversity and geographical extent of County Donegal (Fig. 3 refers), opportunities for regional cooperation are being harnessed across all of the county’s borders through (i) the area of the Northern and Western Regional Assembly (NWRA) comprising the counties of Donegal, Monaghan, Cavan, Leitrim, Sligo, Mayo, Roscommon and Galway and; (ii) in the context of the North West City Region comprising all of Donegal County Council (DCC) and Derry City & Strabane District Council (DCSDC) areas, with Letterkenny and the City of Derry-Londonderry as its linked 6 metropolitan areas. This area has been identified as the North West City Region and the Initiative has secured the establishment of a local government partnership between DCC and DCSDC and has been endorsed by both local authorities and, significantly, by both of the respective national governments. Fig 3: County Donegal and its regional context: v. Capacity in the Region is underpinned by the establishment of the North West Strategic Growth Partnership. The Partnership aims to work collaboratively to drive forward economic, environmental and social regeneration and prosperity in the North West City Region focussing across three pillars: economic development; physical development and; social and community planning. The review of the County Development Plan, its Vision, Core Strategy, objectives and policies, will support County Donegal’s critical role in the wider region and in particular in the implementation of the North West City Region Initiative. For the Border region as a whole, the spatial relationships between the border area and Northern Ireland should be expressly contained within the scope of the National Planning framework. vi. There is significant capacity throughout our entire County to participate in and contribute to growth and development. It is important therefore that the particular strengths, opportunities and niche potential that exists within the different areas of the County be harnessed to produce benefits and meaningful change for all of Donegal’s communities and consequently for the region. 7 The capacity that is present in County Donegal exists from North to South, East to West, within our rural areas and within our towns and villages and therefore, by its very nature, it is diverse and unique.