1999 WATERFORD COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN
ADOPTED BY WATERFORD COUNTY COUNCIL JULY 12th 1999 WATERFORD COUNTY COUNCIL
County Manager: Mr. Donal Connolly County Secretary: Mr. Peter Carey County Engineer: Mr. John O’Flynn Senior Executive Engineer: Mr. Denis McCarthy TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page 1. Development Context 3 1.1 The Regional Context 3 1.2 Population and Economic Activity within the County 4 1.3 Review of Progress under the 1992 Development Plan 6 1.4 Development Opportunities and Constraints in Summary 7
2. Sustainable Development Strategy 8 2.1 Economic Development 9 2.1.1 Development of Industry and Enterprise 9 2.1.2 Retailing and Other Commercial Activity 10 2.1.3 Forestry 12 2.1.4 Agriculture 12 2.1.5 Fisheries and aquaculture 12 2.1.6 Tourism 13 2.2 Social Cohesion 16 2.2.1 Housing Provision 16 2.2.2 Maintenance of Cultural Identity 17 2.2.3 Arts, Culture and Community Facilities 17 2.2.4 Recreation and Amenity 18 2.3 Sustainable Land use and Transportation 19 2.3.1 Land Use and Settlement Strategy 19 2.3.2 Roads ,Transport & Telecommunications 20 2.4 Protection of the Natural Environment 22 2.4.1 Protection of Natural Resources 22 2.4.2 Investment proposed in support of protection of the natural environment 23 2.5 Management of the Landscape 26 2.5.1 General Approach 26 2.5.2 Upland Areas 28 2.5.3 Coastal Areas 28
3. Settlement Strategy 29 3.1 The Settlement Strategy for Waterford 29 3.2 County Service Centres 29 3.3 Development Nodes 32 3.3.1 Aglish 32 3.3.2 Annestown 34 3.3.3 Ardmore 36 3.3.4 Ballinroad 38 3.3.5 Ballyduff (East of the County) 40 3.3.6 Ballyduff (West of the County) 42 3.3.7 Ballylaneen 46 3.3.8 Bawnfune 48 3.3.9 Ballymacarbery 50
1999 Waterford County Development Plan iii Page 3.3.10 Bunmahon / Knockmahon 52 3.3.11 Cappoquin 56 3.3.12 Cheekpoint 58 3.3.13 Clashmore 60 3.3.14 Clonea-Power 62 3.3.15 Crooke 64 3.3.16 Dunhill 66 3.3.17 Dunmore East 68 3.3.18 Fenor 70 3.3.19 Kill 72 3.3.20 Kilmacthomas 74 3.3..21 Kilmanahan 76 3.3.22 Kilmeaden 78 3.3.23 Lismore 80 3.3.24 Lemybrien 82 3.3.25 Passage East 84 3.3.26 Piltown 86 3.3.27 Portlaw 88 3.3.28 Rathgormack 90 3.3.29 Mweelnahorna – Ballinagaul – Helvick 92 3.3.30 Stradbally 98 3.3.31 Tallow 100 3.3.32 Touraneena 102 3.3.33 Tramore 104 3.3.34 Villierstown 106 3.4 Availability of Serviced Land in Designated Settlement Nodes 108
4.Development Control and Standards 109 4.1 Standards for Different Types of Development 109 4.2 Location of New Development / General 109 4.2.1 Upland Areas 109 4.2.2 Coastal Areas 109 4.2.3 National Routes 109 4.2.4 Other Routes 109 4.2.5 Cottage Plots 110 4.3 Standards for New Development 110 4.4 New Housing in Urban Areas 112 4.4.1 Single Developments 112 4.4.2 Estate Development 112 4.5 Tourism Development 114 4.6 Industrial and Commercial Developments 115 4.6.1 General 115 4.6.2 Garages and Petrol Stations 115 4.6.3 Mineral Extraction / Quarrying 116
iv 1999 Waterford County Development Plan Page 4.7 Advertising 116 4.8 Demolition of Buildings 117 4.9 Car Parking 117 4.10 Access for Persons with Disabilities and the Mobility Impaired 119 4.11 Development Contributions, Bonds and Security 119 4.12 Listed Buildings 119 4.13 Tree Preservation Orders 119 4.14 Agricultural Development 120 4.15 Electricity and Other Cables 120 4.16 Zoning Objectives 120
Appendix 1: Road Improvement Programme 123 Appendix 2: Areas of Scientific Interest 135 Appendix 3:Multi-Annual Programme 1998-2000 for Small Public Water Schemes 141 Appendix 4: Scenic Landscape Evaluation 145 Appendix 5: Listed Buildings 159 Appendix 6: Schedule of Regional Roads 181 Appendix 7: Tree Preservation Orders 183
1999 Waterford County Development Plan v vi 1999 Waterford County Development Plan Foreword
The 1998 Waterford County Development Plan is part of a new generation of Development Plans that emphasises the principles of sustainable development. This concept has influenced the format and the layout of the plan, which is designed to integrate all of the issues that have implications for the future development of the County.
The format of this Development Plan is also designed to enable the reader to understand the principal issues in County Waterford, such as housing, infrastructure, transportation and waste, that need to be addressed in a manner which allows the preservation of the environment over the next plan period.
Crucially, the plan is designed to help members of the public ascertain how all proposals for development are assessed in County Waterford. The plan is also intended as a guide to persons who wish to undertake development in the County.
The Development Plan consists of 4 chapters, which comprise the written statement, together with the schedule of maps. Should any conflict arise between the written statement and the maps, the written statement shall prevail.
Chapter 1 of the Plan reviews the development context of County Waterford.
Chapter 2 covers the sustainable development strategy for County Waterford. It sets out exactly what the county wide policies and the objectives of the Council are, with respect to all issues that impinge on land use in the County. It includes a number of Sustainability Indicators that have been devised for County Waterford to ensure that the implementation of the strategy in the Development Plan can be monitored against the broad principles of sustainability over the plan period. These sustainability indicators are marked by the following symbol. [Si]
Chapter 3 consists of the policies and objectives of the Council for County Waterford with respect to settlement and the development strategies for each settlement within it.
Chapter 4 focuses on the issues that the Planning Authority will consider when processing a planning application. It deals with the major issues that are to be addressed when a member of the public is making a planning application.
1999 Waterford County Development Plan 1 2 1999 Waterford County Development Plan 1. Development Context
The County Development Plan is the statutory Mahon, Bride and Colligan and the impressive framework within which all development in County Comeragh and Knockmealdown mountain ranges. Waterford will take place over the next 5 years. This Waterford City exerts a strong influence over the draft plan has been prepared under Local Government physical, social and economic development of the (Planning and Development) Legislation. It lays down County. Over the last plan period, Waterford City has the physical development policies for County Waterford become more significant in the east of the County and over the life of the plan, which will facilitate economic the town of Dungarvan (with its own Development and employment growth in the County in a manner Plan) has continued to dominate the west. that preserves and improves the quality of the environment. It also explains the means to be used to An increasing proportion of the labour force of the achieve these objectives and the reasons why these County work in Waterford City. This commuter mechanisms have been chosen. The achievement of the population is based in suburbs of Waterford City within objectives stated in this plan is subject to the availability County Waterford and in the dormitory towns of of resources (financial and otherwise). Tramore, Dunmore East and Passage East. In 1991, approximately 4500 persons lived in the County and worked in the City. 1.1 The Regional Context There are a number of urban centres located on the County Waterford is located on the southern coast of border of County Waterford, which have had a Ireland bordering the counties of Cork, Tipperary, noticeable impact on the growth of the County. Kilkenny and Wexford. Together with counties Carlow, Clonmel and Fermoy (and Carrick-on-Suir and Youghal Kilkenny, South Tipperary, Wexford, and Waterford to a lesser extent), have experienced employment and City, it forms the South East Region. population growth in recent years at the expense of County Waterford. County Waterford has an extensive coastline, which extends from the estuary of the river Suir in the East to The location of Waterford City and the proximity of Youghal in the West. There are also a number of natural Cork City to the County have both made a positive harbours in the County, the largest of which is contribution to the infrastructure of County Waterford. Waterford Harbour (which leads into the Port of The County is serviced by the N.25 National Primary Waterford). Harbours are also found in Helvick, Route (Euroroute E30), which connects Cork to Rosslare, Dunmore East and Dungarvan. Other physical features in addition to Waterford Port and Belview and of the County include, the rivers Suir, Blackwater Waterford Regional Airport.
1999 Waterford County Development Plan 3 Chapter 1: Development Context
1.2 Population and Economic Activity within the County Figure 1: Population change in County Waterford 1991-96
Population Trends to the West and North West of the County have experienced the highest percentage decrease. The population of County Waterford grew by over 13 per cent between 1971 and 1979, then slowed and subsequently declined in the intercensal period 1986 to Clonmel, Carrick-on-Suir, Fermoy and Youghal, are 1991. The 1996 total of 52,140 represented, however, an located on the border of Waterford and act as service increase of 1.6 per cent since 1991. This compares with centres and employment providers for County an overall national increase of 2.8 per cent and an Waterford. increase in the South-east region of 2.2 per cent. Youghal and Carrick-on-Suir experienced significant Some 27.5 per cent of the population of County population growth in the 1990s and the spatial Waterford reside in the Aggregate Town Area, expansion of these towns is important in the compared with 26 per cent in 1986. development of a settlement strategy for County Waterford. Their presence has depressed the level of Population increases have occurred in the urban nodes urbanisation within the County of Waterford, but the of Lismore and Dungarvan and also in the hinterland of growth of their environs into County Waterford will the Waterford City. In general, areas which have place pressure on the supply of infrastructure. experienced growth are surrounding the urban centres and coastal areas Household Formation All towns, apart from Lemybrien, experienced an Nevertheless, Cappoquin, Tallow and the environs of increase in the number of households in the period Lismore all suffered a decline in population in the intercensal period 1991 to 1996. These towns are all 1991-96. The largest increases were found in the towns located in the West of the County. Kilmacthomas also of Dunmore East (32.3 per cent), Tramore (14.7 per cent) experienced a decline in population. and Cheekpoint (17.2 per cent). The formation of new households in these towns is partially a result of the Indeed, out of a total of 92 District Electoral Divisions development of tourism. In the West of the County, which make up County Waterford, 48 have declined in Ardmore experienced an increase in the number of population in the last intercensal period. The rural areas households of 25%.
4 1999 Waterford County Development Plan Chapter 1: Development Context
Further examination of the data indicates that the rural together with other professional services, they amount areas surrounding urban centres are experiencing the to 31.8 of the workforce. largest increase in the number of households. Waterford Rural District, which comprises the area surrounding The three named sectors above have all shown Waterford city, experienced an increase in the number significant increases in employment over the period of households of almost 12 per cent in the intercensal 1991-96 - more than 1,500 persons. This contrasts with period 1991 to 1996. However, 18 other District Electoral agriculture, which fell by 10 per cent over the period. Divisions experienced a decline in number of households. Employment data on agriculture, however, understate the importance of the sector to the County, in relation Since 1992, a total of 2003 houses have been constructed both to the food manufacturing sector and the services in County Waterford. Over 80 per cent of those sector, which are both interrelated and partly constructed were for the private market with the dependent on agricultural activity. remainder built by the County Council. Since 1992 there has been a sharp rise in the number of houses being In line with national trends, female participation rates constructed annually. rose sharply over the period 1991-96. Jobs for women are rising at nearly twice the rate as those for men. The Gaeltacht area of Ring / Old Parish experienced a population decline of 1.6 per cent between 1991 and The latest available data, which relate to 1991, show 1996. However, the area did not display a decline in the that almost a third of the work force that are resident number of households. in the County, work outside the County.
Economic Activity Unemployment An analysis of economic activity in County Waterford Using the unemployment figures from the Live Register over the last plan period (using 1991 and 1996 Census between 1991 and 1997, there was a decrease in data) shows that manufacturing is now the most unemployment of 12 per cent in County Waterford. The significant economic activity in employment terms with rate of unemployment defined by the Census of 24.2 per cent of the work force involved in this sector. Population in 1996 was 14 per cent, with a high proportion of long term unemployed - up to 68 per cent, However, if commerce, insurance and finance are taken dependent on definition.
Table 1: Sectoral Employment
Sector 1991 1996 Change Percent Change
Male Female Total Male Female Total Male Female Total Male Female Total
Agriculture, forestry and fishing 3552 372 3924 3170 372 3542 -382 0 -382 -10.8 0.0 -9.7
Mining and Quarrying 61 22 83 30 1 31 -31 -21 -52 -50.8 -95.5 -62.7
Manufacturing 2817 1082 3899 3196 1230 4426 379 148 527 13.5 13.7 13.5
Building and Construction 1042 43 1085 1260 60 1320 218 17 235 20.9 39.5 21.7
Electricity, gas and water supply 84 10 94 81 17 98 -3 7 4 -3.6 70.0 4.3
Commerce, insurance and finance 1458 1019 2477 1467 1284 2751 9 265 274 0.6 26.0 11.1
Transport and communication 445 119 564 495 142 637 50 23 73 11.2 19.3 12.9
Public Administration and defence 529 203 732 450 234 684 -79 31 -48 -14.9 15.3 -6.6
Professional Services 786 1568 2354 1020 2054 3074 234 486 720 29.8 31.0 30.6
Other 430 614 1044 780 953 1733 350 339 689 81.4 55.2 66.0
Total 11204 5052 16256 11949 6347 18296 745 1295 2040 6.6 25.6 12.5
Source: Census of Population
1999 Waterford County Development Plan 5 Chapter 1: Development Context
1.3 Review of Progress under the 1992 The water supply of East Waterford has improved Development Plan considerably as a result of the completion of Phase 1 of the East Waterford Regional Supply Scheme in The 1992 Development Plan highlighted a number of association with Waterford Corporation. The constraints to the development of County Waterford, Council expect to complete Phase 2 of the scheme including the low urban population fraction within the over this plan period. County; marginal population growth; and the considerable physical barriers to development. The Council have developed proposals for a West Waterford Regional Supply Scheme that will Over the last plan period, settlements have undergone integrate the existing supply schemes in the west considerable change. Many settlements in the East of of the County with Dungarvan. the County experienced an increase in population while settlements in the west of the County underwent a decline in population. Waste water treatment Unemployment continues to be a major problem in Improvements were also made to the waste water County Waterford. Although, the last plan period treatment systems in the County with new treatment witnessed a decline in the numbers out of work, systems being installed in Lismore, Portlaw, Kill, unemployment persists at a high level, particularly in Lemybrien, Ballymacarbery, Bawnfune, Touraneena the urban areas of the County. and Clonea. However, despite these improvements, substantial investment is required in many of the waste The Council have implemented the following -water treatment systems within the County. investment programmes and other actions in support of policies set out in the 1992 development plan. Road Network The road network in County Waterford has benefitted Economic development from a comprehensive programme of modernisation The Council, in association with the I.D.A. and and improvement. Between 1992 and 1998, all Forbairt, brought a number of new industries into categories of road in the County have been upgraded the County over the last plan period. and improved.