South Tipperary County Development Plan 2009-2015. TABLE OF CONTENTS SCHEDULE OF PLATES................................................................................................................ 9 ABBREVIATIONS USED IN TEXT............................................................................................... 10 GLOSSARY OF TERMS............................................................................................................... 11 MEMBERS PAGE ......................................................................................................................... 15 FOREWORD FROM THE CATHAOIRLEACH............................................................................. 16 FOREWORD FROM THE COUNTY MANAGER ......................................................................... 17 CHAPTER 1: THE COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN IN CONTEXT .......................................... 18 1.0 Introduction.......................................................................................................................... 18 1.1 Composition of the County Development Plan ................................................................... 18 1.1.1 Strategic Environmental Assessment.......................................................................... 19 1.1.2 Appropriate Assessment.............................................................................................. 19 1.1.3 Maps ............................................................................................................................ 19 1.2 The County Development Plan, the Elected Members and the Community ...................... 20 1.2.1 Workshops with Elected Representatives ................................................................... 20 1.2.2 Strategic Policy Committees (SPCs) ........................................................................... 20 1.2.3 The Community & Public Participation ........................................................................ 20 1.2.3.1 Pre-Draft Stage ................................................................................................... 20 1.2.3.2 Draft Stage .......................................................................................................... 21 1.2.3.3 Proposed Material Amendment Stage.............................................................. 22 1.2.4 Service Providers......................................................................................................... 22 1.3 Relationship with other Plans/Guidelines............................................................................ 22 1.3.1 National Spatial Strategy 2002 .................................................................................... 23 1.3.2 National Development Plan 2007-2013....................................................................... 23 1.3.3 South East Regional Planning Guidelines 2004.......................................................... 23 1.3.4 Sustainable Development: A Strategy for Ireland 1997............................................... 24 1.3.5 National Climate Change Strategy 2007-2012 ............................................................ 24 1.3.6 The Water Framework Directive 2000......................................................................... 24 1.3.7 Draft Flood Guidelines (DoEHLG September 2008) ................................................... 25 1.3.8 Sustainable Residential Development in Urban Areas 2008....................................... 25 1.3.9 Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities 2007 ...................................................... 25 1.3.10 Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines 2005 ............................................................. 26 1.3.11 Other Strategies and Policy Documents.................................................................... 26 1.4 Monitoring of the County Development Plan ...................................................................... 26 1.5 South Tipperary in Context ................................................................................................. 29 1.5.1 Geographical Features ................................................................................................ 29 1.5.2 National Infrastructure in South Tipperary................................................................... 29 1.6 The Atlantic Gateways Initiative 2006................................................................................. 30 CHAPTER 2: CURRENT TRENDS............................................................................................... 32 2.0 Introduction.......................................................................................................................... 32 2.1 Population ........................................................................................................................... 32 2.1.1 Spatial Distribution of Population Growth .................................................................... 32 - 1 - South Tipperary County Development Plan 2009-2015. 2.2 Population Projections ........................................................................................................ 33 2.3 Population Structure & Profile............................................................................................. 34 2.3.1 In Migration .................................................................................................................. 35 2.4 Employment ........................................................................................................................ 35 2.5 Unemployment .................................................................................................................... 37 2.6 Education ............................................................................................................................ 37 CHAPTER 3: LOCATION AND PATTERN OF DEVELOPMENT................................................ 39 3.0 Introduction.......................................................................................................................... 39 3.1 Settlement Pattern in South Tipperary................................................................................ 39 3.1.1 Current Context............................................................................................................ 39 3.2 Population Context of South Tipperary Settlements........................................................... 39 3.2.1 Towns .......................................................................................................................... 39 3.2.2 Villages ........................................................................................................................ 40 3.2.3 Open Countryside........................................................................................................ 41 3.3 Purpose of the Settlement Strategy .................................................................................... 41 3.4 Methodology Employed in Designating the Settlement Tiers ............................................. 41 3.5 Settlement Strategy for South Tipperary............................................................................. 42 3.5.1 Urban Settlement Strategy .......................................................................................... 43 3.5.1.1 Primary Service Centre...................................................................................... 43 3.5.1.2 Secondary Service Centres............................................................................... 44 3.5.2 Rural Settlement Strategy............................................................................................ 44 3.5.2.1 District Service Centres..................................................................................... 44 3.5.2.2 Local Service Centres........................................................................................ 45 3.5.2.3 Rural Settlement Nodes..................................................................................... 46 3.5.2.4 Open Countryside Settlement Form................................................................. 46 CHAPTER 4: HOUSING ............................................................................................................... 48 4.0 Introduction.......................................................................................................................... 48 4.1 Housing Strategy Review 2008........................................................................................... 49 4.2 Traveller Accommodation ................................................................................................... 51 4.3 Housing Design and Development on Zoned Lands .......................................................... 51 4.4 Dwelling Design in the Open Countryside .......................................................................... 52 4.5 Nursing Homes/Retirement Villages ................................................................................... 52 4.6 Retaining Buildings of Merit and Building Reuse. ............................................................... 52 4.7 Sustainable Building Design ............................................................................................... 53 4.8 Specific Housing Objectives................................................................................................ 54 CHAPTER 5: ECONOMY ............................................................................................................