The Mid-East Project Ireland 2040 in the Mid-East
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The Mid-East Project Ireland 2040 in the Mid-East The Mid-East (Eastern and Midlands Regional Assembly) Key Facts and Projects NSO 1 - Compact Growth 627 new social housing builds in the Mid-East in 2018 3,321 total new dwelling completions in the Mid-East in 2018 11 successful applicants to the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund NSO 2 - Enhanced Regional Connectivity The M7 Naas to Newbridge Bypass Widening – implementation/construction stage M11 Capacity Enhancement (Phase 1 & Phase 2) – planning/design stage Slane Bypass – detailed appraisal stage NSO 3 - Strengthened Rural Economies and Communities 10 projects were approved for funding from the first call of the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund NSO 4 - Sustainable Mobility The Dart Expansion Programme to Drogheda, Celbridge and Maynooth. Initial sequencing of investment in the Mid-East will focus on electrification of these lines NSO 5 - A Strong Economy, supported by Enterprise, Innovation and Skills 13,088 in IDA supported employment, 20,266 in EI supported employment 187 in Údarás supported employment 1 successful applicant for the latest round of the Regional Enterprise Development Fund 2 successful applicants for the latest round of the Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund NSO 6 - High Quality International Connectivity The Mid-East will benefit from its close access to Dublin Port and Airport and the ongoing investment in both NSO 7 - Enhanced Amenity and Heritage Improve the condition and visitor experience at National Monument sites such as Brú na Bóinne Over €700,000 has been allocated to enhance access to the Wicklow Mountains National Park 218 successful applicants from the Mid-East in the last round of the Sports Capital Programme The average sports capital grant for the region was €33,495 NSO 8 - Climate-Resilient Society Ten flood relief schemes including the Arklow Flood relief Scheme NSO 9 - Sustainable Management of Water and other Environmental Resources There are currently 15 water and waste water projects in progress in the Mid-East e.g. the Meath Water Mains Rehabilitation Project NSO 10 - Access to Quality Childcare, Education and Health Services 6 new schools were delivered in the Mid-East in 2018 A further 63 schools projects are at various stages of planning, design and construction There will be three healthcare projects completed in 2019, including the Primary Care Centre in Rathdrum Co. Wicklow Page | 1 Project Ireland 2040 in the Mid-East 1. Project Ireland 2040 This document sets out the regional projects and programmes which are being planned and delivered in the Mid-East as part of the public investment detailed in Project Ireland 2040 - the Government’s National Planning Framework and National Development Plan. While this document does not provide an exhaustive list of all public capital expenditure in the region, it does serve to highlight the diverse range of investment being made the State under Project Ireland 2040. Project Ireland 2040 set out ten National Strategic Outcomes (NSO’s), built around the over-arching themes of well-being, equality and opportunity. This document sets out the main achievements under each NSO to date for the Mid-East and highlights priorities for the coming years. The document draws on information from a wide range of publicly available sources as well as material provided by Government Departments and Agencies – a list of the major projects in the Mid-East is contained in the Appendix. 2. The Mid-East and Project Ireland 2040 Area The Mid-East has experienced high levels of population growth in recent decades, at more than twice the national growth rate. Managing the challenges of future growth is critical to this area. A more balanced and sustainable pattern of development, with a greater focus on addressing employment creation, local infrastructure needs and addressing the legacy of rapid growth, must be prioritised. 3. Progress against National Strategic Outcomes 3.1 National Strategic Outcome 1 – Compact Growth This outcome aims to secure the sustainable growth of more compact urban and rural settlements supported by jobs, houses, services and amenities, rather than continued sprawl and unplanned, uneconomic growth. There were 627 social housing new builds in the Mid-East in 2018 with more planned in 2019. In line with the national increase in new houses being built, there was a total of 3,321 new dwelling completions in the Mid-East in 2018. Table 1: Social Housing Completions in 2018 Mid-East Total New Build Kildare County Council 225 Meath County Council 319 Wicklow County Council 83 Total 627 Source: Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government Page | 2 Project Ireland 2040 in the Mid-East Table 2: Total Housing Completions in 2018 Mid-East New Dwelling Completions Kildare County Council 1,219 Meath County Council 1,512 Wicklow County Council 590 Total 3,321 Source: Central Statistics Office Table 3: Total Planning Permissions in 2018 Planning Region and County Relating to Other Extension Alteration Total Dwellings and Conversion Mid-East 885 776 802 363 2,826 Kildare 266 334 303 192 1,095 Meath 397 280 270 82 1,029 Wicklow 222 162 229 89 702 Source: Central Statistics Office The Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) will help to rejuvenate significant but underused areas in Ireland’s five cities and other large towns. In the Mid-East these include: Bray, Newbridge, Naas, Celbridge, Greystones, Leixlip, Maynooth, Arklow, Ashbourne, Laytown- Bettystown-Mornington, Wicklow and Trim. The URDF is a key part of Project Ireland 2040 and has a total budget of €2 billion over the period to 2027. The aim of the URDF is to stimulate new residential and commercial development in our larger cities and towns. New services and amenities will support these new developments, and help to achieve the ‘compact growth’ also set out in Project Ireland 2040. In total, 11 projects were approved for funding from the first call of the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund. Table 4a: Successful Applicants for the latest round of the Urban RDF in the Mid-East Category A (Ready Category B Total per County Mid-East to Go) (to be developed) Kildare County Council 1 3 4 Meath County Council 2 2 4 Wicklow County Council 3 0 3 Total 6 5 11 Source: Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government Page | 3 Project Ireland 2040 in the Mid-East Table 4b: Successful Applicants for the latest round of the Urban RDF in the Mid-East Applicant County Description Kildare County Council Kildare Naas Library (including Public Realm works) Kildare County Council Kildare Celbridge Southern Relief Road & Second Liffey Crossing Kildare County Council Kildare Newbridge Cultural and Civic Quarter Kildare County Council Kildare Canal Quarter Naas Meath County Council Meath Ashbourne Road and Public Realm Improvement Meath County Council Meath Navan Active Land Management Project Meath County Council Meath Flowerhill Regeneration Project Meath County Council Meath Railway Street Regeneration and County Archive Wicklow County Council Wicklow Bray Public Transport Bridge Wicklow County Council Wicklow Arklow Historic Town Core Wicklow County Council Wicklow Wicklow Town Source: Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government 3.2 National Strategic Outcome 2 – Enhanced Regional Connectivity A core priority under the National Planning Framework (NPF) is the essential requirement to enhance and upgrade accessibility between urban centres of population and their regions, in parallel with the compact growth of urban centres. There are six major regional transport projects planned for the Mid-East, including M7 Naas to Newbridge Bypass Widening, the M11 Capacity Enhancement (Phase 1 & Phase 2), the Sallins Bypass, the Slane Bypass, the Athy Southern Distributor Road and the Laytown to Bettystown Link Road. Page | 4 Project Ireland 2040 in the Mid-East 3.3 National Strategic Outcome 3 – Strengthened Rural Economies and Communities The full participation of rural communities in the strategic development as envisaged under the National Planning Framework (NPF) is imperative to achieving the full potential of a broad range of strategic outcomes detailed in the National Development Plan. This applies both in terms of the traditional pillars of the rural economy, the natural resource and food sector, as well as those emerging from such developments as improved connectivity, broadband and rural economic development opportunities. As part of Project Ireland 2040, the Government has committed to providing an additional €1 billion for a new Rural Regeneration and Development Fund over the period 2019 to 2027. The Fund will provide investment to support rural renewal for suitable projects in towns and villages with a population of less than 10,000, and outlying areas. It will be administered by the Department of Rural and Community Development. 10 projects for the Mid-East were approved for funding from the first call of the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund. Table 5a: Projects approved for funding under the first call of the Rural RDF in the Mid-East Category 1 Category 2 Total per County Mid-East (Ready to Go) (to be developed) Kildare 1 2 3 Meath 0 4 4 Wicklow 2 1 3 Total 3 7 10 Source: Department of Rural and Community Development Page | 5 Project Ireland 2040 in the Mid-East Table 5b: Projects approved for funding under the first call of the Rural RDF in the Mid-East Applicant Project County Description Total RRDF Funding € Coillte International Wicklow This flagship national project will develop €1,560,194 Mountain international standard Mountain Biking Biking Project Trails which will provide recreational, health and tourism benefits. The locations include: Ballinastoe in Wicklow. Department National Parks Wicklow This is a flagship national project which €528,750 of Culture, will provide a major upgrade of National Heritage and Parks and Reserves in a number of the Gaeltacht locations. It will aid the implementation of the Tourism Interpretative Master Plan for Ireland’s National Parks and Nature Reserves.