Southern Regional Assembly Assembly House O'Connell Street Waterford X91 K256 Date: March 8th, 2019 Ref No: Ref No: 2.2.23.003 Dear Sir/Madam, RE: SUBMISSION TO THE DRAFT SOUTHERN REGIONAL SPATIAL AND ECONOMIC STRATEGY. Cork Airport welcomes publication of the Draft Southern Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (‘Draft SRSES’) by the Southern Regional Assembly (‘SRA’). The draft document represents a robust response to the requirement for a regional level strategic planning document. On adoption, it will provide a positive framework to foster economic prosperity and drive regional growth. Cork Airport welcomes this opportunity to provide further comment to shape the final strategy. By way of context, Cork Airport requested the following recommendations be considered in the preceding pre-draft submission: • Support for strong growth in movements and connectivity at Cork Airport • Support for the required infrastructure to facilitate this growth, particularly in terms of surface access and public transport to Cork Airport • Land use planning which provides the appropriate framework to manage safeguarding zones around Cork Airport and the communities that it serves; • Support full alignment between employment and population growth through the strategic designation of key employment sites, such as that available at Cork Airport. The Draft SRSES addressed and acknowledged these considerations and in so doing, will provide a positive planning policy platform on which Cork Airport can Document Classification: Class 1 - General continue to grow to meet the needs of the regional population in terms of international connectivity and as an economic enabler. The following submission is made with the intention of highlighting some suggested additions to the text to expand on the draft policies. Notwithstanding suggestions made herein, we acknowledge the recognition given by the Draft Southern RSES to the important role of Cork Airport, and we consider the proposed regional policies will provide a positive framework for Cork Airport to continue in that role. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE FINAL SOUTHERN RSES The following recommendations are made using the existing text within the Draft SRSES to form the basis of the suggested changes. Suggested changes are colour coded to indicate: • Existing Text: Italic typeface • Insertions: Green bold italics • Omissions: Red strikethrough italics • Relocation: Blue Bold italics Recommendations are made in the order in which the text appears in the Draft Southern RSES and are not presented in any order of priority. RECOMMENDATION 1: SURFACE ACCESS AND INTERNATIONAL CONNECTIVITY. Section 6.3.4 of the Draft SRSES provides direction in respect of airport growth and international connectivity, setting key planning policies for the future development of the national and regional airports within the Southern Region. Surface access to Cork Airport is exceptionally important to ensure passengers can access the airport on a high-quality road or public transport network, as well as accessing the surrounding region from the airport on arrival. This is captured in policy objectives on National Aviation Policy1, on High Quality International Connectivity for Airports2 and is further reinforced in the Cork Metropolitan Area Plan (MASP) Policy Objective 9, which seeks the delivery of improved connectivity from Cork City to Cork Airport. Recognising that international connectivity extends beyond the boundaries of any particular region, this policy objective could be further developed to include the need for expanding airport facilities to provide the operational efficiencies and service required for airlines to expand their fleets, increase the range of 1 RPO 143(b) (page148) 2 RPO 145(a) (page 149) Document Classification: Class 1 - General destinations to which they will travel from Cork Airport or increase the frequency of existing successful air routes. International connectivity is a driver of economic, social and tourism growth and fostering this connectivity, as the National Aviation Policy (NAP) for Ireland requires, necessitates an increase in aircraft movements and passengers to support these routes. Facilities that will support the competitiveness and appeal of Cork Airport for airline operators and passengers will assist in achieving this policy objective. Strengthening Policy RPO 145 to include support for growth of air traffic movements and passengers will expand on the policy position of the NAP and will translate this national policy objective to a regional context. We ask that a separate safeguarding policy objective is created providing further clarity on the assessment of development proposals located within the Airport safeguarding zones. Suggested Amendment: High Quality Connectivity - Airports RPO 145: To achieve NSO: High Quality International Connectivity, the following airport development actions for the Region are identified subject to required appraisal, planning and environmental assessment processes: a. Continued development and improvement of employment and economic activity, enterprise assets, access infrastructure, airport infrastructure and services at Cork and Shannon Airports by the relevant responsible commercial State-Owned Enterprises as key economic drivers, national tourism and national business gateways consistent with sectoral priorities defined through National Aviation Policy; b. Continued support for improved international connectivity through p149 the growth of air traffic movements and passengers at Cork Airport. This will necessitate the development and expansion of the aviation infrastructure at Cork Airport and the safeguarding of the necessary surrounding lands particularly from proximate housing development to achieve this. c. Continued exchequer support for smaller regional airports under the Regional Airports Programme for Waterford and Kerry Airports and develop their potential as key tourism and business gateways for their regions as a complement to the services provided by the region’s national airport gateways of Cork and Shannon. Given the importance of safeguarding to the operation of Cork Airport, we ask that a separate safeguarding policy objective is created providing further clarity on the assessment of development proposals located within the Airport safeguarding zones. Suggested Amendment: MASP POLICY OBJECTIVE 14 Ref page Support the sustainable development of the airport and seek investment in infrastructure and facilities that promote the role of Cork Airport as an p295 international gateway, employment location and economic driver for the region Document Classification: Class 1 - General including the following subject to the outcome of required feasibility, assessment and environmental processes: • Support the sustainable development and investment in infrastructure and facilities under the Cork Airport Masterplan. • Support the sustainable development of enhanced public transport connectivity to the airport including the provision of bus priority lanes on the N27 and an improvement in the alignment of the R600 south of the Airport. • Safeguard Public Safety Zones by way of land use planning under the relevant County Development Plan and Local Area Plans. Airport safeguarding priorities required include: °° Airport Noise Zones (Inner and Outer Zones). °° Airport Public Safety Zones °° General Airport Safeguarding [Relocate safeguarding policy] Development Plans should incorporate policies to control inappropriate development which could adversely impact the potential for growth in either airport infrastructure or expansion of routes to international destinations. RECOMMENDATION 2: SAFEGUARDING ZONES AROUND CORK AIRPORT Firstly, Cork Airport recognise and welcome that the Draft SRSES has reflected our recommendations in terms of airport safeguarding to support the safe and effective operation of Cork Airport. Having taken on board the pre-draft submission by Cork Airport, we would be grateful if further clarification could be provided in a separate Cork MASP Policy Objective in respect of the existing safeguarding zones to reinforce and clarify the importance of public safety zones, noise zones and general safeguarding zones around Cork Airport. In the pre-draft submission, the following policies were recommended for inclusion in the SRSES to support the continued safe and effective operation of Cork Airport. The strengthening of the policy objectives below will underline their importance and will provide a consistent approach to airport safeguarding by the relevant regional spatial and economic strategies. This will play a key role in guiding this spatial policy and importantly, will streamline safeguarding policy approach across administrative boundaries. Suggested Amendments: MASP POLICY OBJECTIVE 14(b) Ref page • Safeguard the operation of Cork Airport Public Safety Zones by way of land use planning under the relevant County Development Plan and Local Area Plans. Airport safeguarding priorities required include: °° Airport Noise Zones (Inner and Outer Zones). Spatial planning policies in the vicinity of the airport shall recognise and p295 reflect the noise zones associated with Cork Airport. In particular within the Inner Airport Noise Zone provision of new residential and/or other noise sensitive development shall be actively resisted. Within the Outer Noise Zone provision of new residential and/or other noise sensitive development shall be strictly controlled such that future airport expansion on a 24/7 basis is anticipated and planned.