LAOIS COUNTY COUNCIL Comhairle Chontae Laoise LAOIS COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2011-2017 VOLUME 1: Written Statement Adopted 11th October 2011 Forward Planning Department, Laois County Council Table of Contents 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................1 1.1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................1 1.2 STRUCTURE OF THE PLAN .........................................................................................................................5 1.3 STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT ............................................................................................7 1.4 APPROPRIATE ASSESSMENT .....................................................................................................................7 1.5 STRATEGIC FLOOD RISK ASSESSMENT ......................................................................................................7 1.6 LOCAL AREA PLANNING ............................................................................................................................7 1.7 FINANCIAL RESOURCES.............................................................................................................................8 2 CURRENT TRENDS AND ISSUES .....................................................................................................................9 2.1 NATIONAL AND REGIONAL CONTEXT .......................................................................................................9 2.2 KEY DEMOGRAPHIC AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC TRENDS .............................................................................9 2.3 DEPENDENCY ......................................................................................................................................... 10 2.4 EDUCATION ........................................................................................................................................... 10 2.5 POVERTY AND SOCIAL INCLUSION ........................................................................................................ 12 2.6 CRIME .................................................................................................................................................... 12 2.7 ECONOMIC PROFILE .............................................................................................................................. 12 2.7.1 Agri- Forestry And Fisheries ........................................................................................................... 13 2.7.2 Manufacturing ............................................................................................................................... 13 2.7.3 Services .......................................................................................................................................... 14 2.7.4 Construction .................................................................................................................................. 14 2.7.5 Tourism .......................................................................................................................................... 14 2.7.6 Enterprise and Employment Creation ........................................................................................... 14 2.7.7 Unemployment Rate ..................................................................................................................... 14 2.8 PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT TRENDS ........................................................................................................ 15 2.8.1 Transport ....................................................................................................................................... 15 2.8.2 Public Transport ............................................................................................................................. 16 2.8.3 Wastewater ................................................................................................................................... 16 2.8.4 Water ............................................................................................................................................. 16 2.8.5 Rural Water Programme ................................................................................................................ 17 2.8.6 Energy ............................................................................................................................................ 17 2.8.7 Environment .................................................................................................................................. 17 2.8.8 Social Infrastructure ...................................................................................................................... 17 i 2.8.9 Broadband ..................................................................................................................................... 19 2.9 KEY ISSUES TO ADDRESS IN THIS PLAN .................................................................................................. 19 3 DEVELOPMENT PLAN STRATEGY ............................................................................................................... 24 3.1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................... 24 3.2 THE VISION ............................................................................................................................................ 24 3.2.1 Core Strategy Summary ................................................................................................................. 25 3.2.2 Core Aims ....................................................................................................................................... 25 3.3 STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES ........................................................................................ 27 3.3.1 Enterprise And Employment ......................................................................................................... 27 3.3.2 Rural Economy ............................................................................................................................... 28 3.3.3 Extractive Industries ...................................................................................................................... 28 3.3.4 Energy ............................................................................................................................................ 29 3.3.5 Peatlands ....................................................................................................................................... 29 3.3.6 Tourism .......................................................................................................................................... 29 3.4 THE CORE STRATEGY ............................................................................................................................. 30 3.5 PREFERED STRATEGY - STRATEGIC PLANNING ...................................................................................... 30 3.5.1 Portlaoise Area .............................................................................................................................. 31 3.5.2 Borris in Ossory Area ..................................................................................................................... 31 3.5.3 Mountmellick Area ........................................................................................................................ 32 3.5.4 Luggacurren Area........................................................................................................................... 32 3.5.5 Emo Area ....................................................................................................................................... 32 3.5.6 Rural development ........................................................................................................................ 33 3.6 CONFORMANCE WITH NSS AND RGGS.................................................................................................. 33 3.7 SETTLEMENT STRATEGY ........................................................................................................................ 34 3.8 DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE LAST PLAN PERIOD .................................................................................. 35 3.9 NATIONAL AND REGIONAL POPULATION TARGETS .............................................................................. 35 3.10 LOCAL POLICY CONTEXT ........................................................................................................................ 35 3.11 POPULATION TARGETS 2011-2017 ........................................................................................................ 39 3.12 HOUSING LAND REQUIREMENT 2011-2017 .......................................................................................... 39 3.13 LANDS AVAILABLE WITHIN TOWN / VILLAGE CENTRES ........................................................................ 42 3.14 STRATEGIC RESERVE .............................................................................................................................. 42 3.15 SETTLEMENT HIERARCHY .....................................................................................................................