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Offaly County Development Plan 2014-2020

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Offaly County Development Plan 2014-2020 Volume 1: Written Statement th Adopted 15 September 2014 1.19 Part V Provision 41 1.20 Application for ‘Part V’ Exemption Table of Contents Certificate 41 1.21 Special Needs Accommodation 41 Introduction and Context 1 1.22 Traveller Accommodation Needs 41 1.23 Homelessness 42 ______________________________ 1.24 Part V Housing Strategy Policies 43 1.25 Part V Housing Strategy Chapter 1: Core Strategy and Objectives 44 Settlement Strategy 7 1.0 Aim 7 1.1 Purpose of Core Strategy 7 ______________________________ 1.2 Legislation and Policy Context 7 1.3 Strategic Objectives of the Core Strategy 10 Chapter 2: Economic 1.4 Core Strategy Approach 11 Development Strategy 45 2.1 Aim 45 1.5 Settlement Hierarchy 11 2.2 Context 45 1.6 Population 14 2.3 Strategy 45 1.7 Future Housing Land 2.4 Strategic Policy 48 Requirements 14 2.5 Spatial Strategy 51 1.8 Core Strategy Table 14 2.6 Enterprise Policies 52 1.9 Delivering the Core Strategy 17 2.7 Enterprise Objectives 53 1.10 Core Strategy Policy 22 2.8 Rural Strategy 55 1.11 Core Strategy Objectives 23 2.9 Rural Development Policy 57 1.12 Settlement Strategy Aim 24 2.10 Rural Development Objectives 59 1.13 Purpose 24 2.11 Tourism 60 1.14 Strategy 24 2.12 Tourism Policies 63 1.15 Approach to Future Population Growth 27 2.13 Tourism Objectives 64 1.16 Settlement Strategy Policies 32 1.17 Part V Housing Strategy 40 ______________________________ 1.18 Future Part V Housing Development 40 Chapter 3: Energy Strategy 67 4.11 Water Services Policies 95 3.1 Introduction 67 4.12 Water Services Objectives 96 3.2 Context 67 Communications Infrastructure 97 3.3 Energy Efficiency and 4.13 Aim 97 Conservation 67 4.14 Telecommunications 97 3.4 Strategy for County Offaly 68 4.15 Communications Infrastructure 3.5 Wind 71 Policies 98 3.6 Heating 72 4.16 Communications Infrastructure 3.7 Energy Policies 73 Objective 98 3.8 Energy Objectives 74 Environment 99 4.17 Aim 99 4.18 Context 99 4.19 Strategy 99 ______________________________ 4.20 Environment Policies 110 Chapter 4: Infrastructure and 4.21 Environment Objectives 113 Environment Strategy 77 Sustainable Transport and ______________________________ Accessibility 77 4.1 Aim 77 Chapter 5: Retail and Town 4.2 Policy and Legislative Context 77 Centre Strategy 115 4.3 Context 77 5.1 Aim 115 4.4 Integrating Landuse and 5.2 Context 115 Transportation 77 5.3 Retail Development Strategy 115 4.5 Strategy for Sustainable Transport 5.4 Town Centre Strategy 124 and Accessibility 78 5.5 Retail and Town Centre Policies 129 4.6 Sustainable Transport and Accessibility Policies 86 5.6 Retail and Town Centre Objectives 130 4.7 Sustainable Transport and Accessibility Objectives 88 Water Services 92 ______________________________ 4.8 Aim 92 4.9 Context 92 4.10 Strategy 92 Chapter 6: Community, Social ______________________________ and Cultural Development 131 Chapter 7: Heritage and 6.1 Aim 131 Landscape 141 6.2 Context 131 7.1 Introduction 141 6.3 Strategy 132 7.2 Natural Heritage 142 6.4 Social Inclusion 132 7.3 Natural Heritage Policies 153 6.5 Community Facilities 132 7.4 Natural Heritage Objectives 155 6.6 Education 132 7.5 Green Infrastructure 157 6.7 Other Education/ 7.6 Green Infrastructure Policies 159 Skills Training 132 7.7 Green Infrastructure Objectives 159 6.8 Childcare 133 7.8 Areas of High Amenity 160 6.9 Play Facilities for Children 133 7.9 Areas of High Amenity Policies 163 6.10 Youth 133 7.10 Areas of High Amenity Objective 163 6.11 Elderly 134 7.11 Landscape Sensitivity in County 164 6.12 Sport / Recreation / 7.12 Amenities 168 Open Space 134 7.13 Landscape and Amenity Policies 171 6.13 Health Services 134 7.14 Landscape and Amenity 6.14 Libraries 134 Objectives 172 6.15 Offaly Local Development 7.15 Public Rights of Way 173 Company 134 7.16 Public Rights of Way Policies 174 6.16 Arts and Culture 134 7.17 Public Right of Way Objectives 174 6.17 Places of Worship 135 7.18 Built Heritage 175 6.18 Burial Grounds 135 7.19 Architectural and Archaeological 6.19 Other Traditional Local Services 135 Heritage Policies 182 6.20 New Residential Developments 135 7.20 Architectural and Archaeological 6.21 Voluntary Organisations 136 Heritage Objectives 184 6.22 Implementation 136 6.23 Community, Social and Cultural ______________________________ Development Policies 137 6.24 Community, Social and Cultural Development Objectives 140 Chapter 8: Development 8.27 Landuse Zoning Policies 229 Management Standards 203 8.28 Landuse Zoning Objectives 229 8.1 Aim 203 8.29 Table 8.4 List of Native Trees 8.2 Appropriate Assessment (AA) 203 and Shrubs 232 8.3 Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) 203 ______________________________ 8.4 Planning Guidelines – DoECLG 204 8.5 Strategy 204 8.6 Residential Development – Multiple Housing Schemes 204 8.7 Single Houses in the Countryside 210 8.8 Extensions 211 8.9 Infill 211 8.10 Employment Uses 212 8.11 Retail 213 8.12 Agricultural Development 215 8.13 Extractive Industries 215 8.14 Community Facilities 216 8.15 Environment and Heritage 217 8.16 Infrastructure 219 8.17 Flood Risk Management 221 8.18 Water Supply 221 8.19 Waste 222 8.20 Lighting 222 8.21 Cables and Servicing 222 8.22 Telecommunications Masts 222 8.23 Wind Farm Development 222 8.24 Environmental Impact 223 Assessments 223 8.25 Development Contributions and Bonds 223 8.26 Landuse and Zoning 225 (Birr LAP also includes village plans for Crinkle and Introduction and Riverstown) Accompanying Strategies Context The Plan is accompanied by a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), a Natura Impact Report (NIR), a Record of Protected Structures1, a Strategic Flood Risk 1. Introduction and Context Assessment (SFRA) and a Wind Energy Strategy for the This plan is a land use plan and overall strategy for the county. development of County Offaly over the period 2014- 2020. Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is a systematic There is an obligation on every Planning Authority to process for evaluating the likely significant environmental make a development plan every six years under the effects of implementing the County Development Plan. terms of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as This is a mandatory process under the terms of the amended. Planning and Development (SEA) Regulations 2004, as amended and informs the Plan’s preparation. 2. Legal Context The Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, Appropriate Assessment (AA) requires a development plan to set out an overall An Appropriate Assessment of the County Development strategy for the proper planning and sustainable Plan has been undertaken in accordance with the development of an area. The “sustainable“ consideration requirements of Article 6(3) of the EU Habitats Directive means that the longer term effects of development and (directive 92/43/EEC). The initial iteration of the Plan was how it impacts on people and the environment in found to have the potential to result in impacts to the general, both locally and in the broader context, both integrity of the Natura 2000 network if unmitigated. currently and into the future, must be considered. Accordingly, the inclusion of mitigation measures in the Plan will prioritise the avoidance of impacts and mitigate The Planning and Development Act requires the plan to impacts where these cannot be avoided, thus resulting in contain mandatory development objectives in relation to this Plan excluding significant effects on the integrity of a broad range of issues. These include the zoning of land, Natura 2000 sites. the provision of infrastructure and preservation of landscape character among others. Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) An SFRA for the Offaly County Development Plan was 3. Contents of the Plan undertaken with the purpose of setting out how flood This plan contains the following: risk is to be dealt with in County Offaly in addition to outlining what areas are at risk of flooding and what the Volume 1 - Written Statement extent of the risk is. The Plan has been informed by the This is divided into 8 chapters and sets out the vision, SFRA in its preparation, particularly within Chapter 4 of aims, goals and strategy for the county over the plan Volume 1 and within the settlement plans of Volume 2, in period in addition to the Council’s policies and objectives accordance with the DOEHLG Flood Risk Management under various headings. It contains the written land use Guidelines (2009) and EU Flood Directive 2007/60/EC. zoning categories which are read in conjunction with the land use zoning maps contained in Volume 2. Volume 2 - Settlement Plans (includes Town plans, 1 The Town and Environs Development Plans for Village plans, and Sráid plans) Tullamore and Birr contain the Record of Protected Plans are not included for Tullamore, Birr, Edenderry and Structures for the relevant Town Council’s functional Portarlington as these have Local Area Plans in force. area. October 2014 Page | 1 Offaly County Development Plan 2014-2020 Introduction and Context 4. Functional Area county remains largely rural in nature, with This plan relates to the functional area of Offaly County approximately 60% of its population residing in rural Council, which is County Offaly. This plan sets out an areas comprising a well-developed network of smaller overall vision, strategies, policies and objectives for the towns and villages of less than 1,500 population county as a whole and its successful implementation will (approximately 30% of population) and the open have a positive impact on all areas within the county.
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