Ballinasloe Town Development Plan 2009-2015 – as Varied on 12-07-2011 SECTION 1. INTRODUCTION AND CONTEXT ...................................................................................... 5 1.1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................. 5 1.2 LEGISLATIVE CONTEXT ................................................................................................................ 5 1.3 POLICY CONTEXT .......................................................................................................................... 7 1.4 THE PLAN AS A SUSTAINABLE STRATEGY ................................................................................ 8 1.5 PREPARATION OF THE DRAFT PLAN .......................................................................................... 9 SECTION 2. BALLINASLOE PROFILE AND CORE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY ........................... 11 2.1 BALLINASLOE PROFILE ............................................................................................................... 11 2.1.7 CORE STRATEGY INTRODUCTION..................................................................................... 19 2.2 ZONING MATRIX ........................................................................................................................... 31 SECTION 3. INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICES ............................................................................. 35 3.1 WATER SERVICES ....................................................................................................................... 35 3.2 FLOOD RISK MANAGEMENT ....................................................................................................... 43 3.3 INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY ........................................................... 47 3.4 ENERGY SUPPLY ......................................................................................................................... 49 3.5 CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY ........................................................................ 51 SECTION 4. TRANSPORTATION AND MOVEMENT .......................................................................... 55 4.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................ 55 4.2 SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION ............................................................................................ 55 4.3 BALLINASLOE CONTEXT ............................................................................................................. 56 4.4 LAND USE AND TRANSPORTATION ........................................................................................... 56 4.5 ROADS AND TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT ....................................................................................... 58 4.6 SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION MODES AND INITIATIVES ................................................ 61 4.7 TRANSPORT ACCESSIBILITY...................................................................................................... 66 SECTION 5. EMPLOYMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ....................................................... 68 5.1 SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT .............................................................................. 68 5.2 POLICY CONTEXT ........................................................................................................................ 70 5.3 FUTURE EMPLOYMENT, ENTERPRISE AND ECONOMIC STRATEGY AT EU, NATIONAL, REGIONAL & LOCAL LEVEL......................................................................................................... 83 5.4 DETERMINANTS OF LOCATION ASSESSMENT FOR INVESTMENT ....................................... 87 5.5 FUTURE INDUSTRIAL/ENTERPRISE STRATEGY FOR BALLINASLOE .................................... 89 5.6 PROVISIONS FOR THE PREVENTION OF MAJOR ACCIDENTS (―SEVESO 11‖ DIRECTIVE) 98 SECTION 6. RETAIL DEVELOPMENT .............................................................................................. 100 6.1 RETAIL ......................................................................................................................................... 100 6.2 REQUIREMENTS FOR DEVELOPMENT PLANS ....................................................................... 102 6.3 GALWAY RETAIL STRATEGY 2002 ........................................................................................... 102 6.4 DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL FOR BALLINASLOE ................................................................... 104 6.5 EXISTING URBAN STRUCTURE WITHIN BALLINASLOE ........................................................ 106 6.6 PRINCIPLES FOR FUTURE RETAIL DEVELOPMENT .............................................................. 114 1 Ballinasloe Town Development Plan 2009-2015 – as Varied on 12-07-2011 SECTION 7. RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT AND NEIGHBOURHOODS ....................................... 124 7.1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 124 7.2 PLANNING AND POLICY CONTEXT .......................................................................................... 124 7.3 BALLINASLOE CONTEXT ........................................................................................................... 125 7.4 NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTRES ................................................................................................... 126 7.5 SOCIAL HOUSING ....................................................................................................................... 127 7.6 TRAVELLER ACCOMMODATION ............................................................................................... 127 7.7 GALWAY COUNTY COUNCIL AND BALLINASLOE TOWN COUNCIL JOINT HOUSING STRATEGY 2009-2015 ................................................................................................................ 128 SECTION 8. SOCIAL INCLUSION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES ................................................. 136 8.1 SOCIAL INCLUSION .................................................................................................................... 136 8.2 COMMUNITY FACILITIES ........................................................................................................... 138 SECTION 9. BUILT HERITAGE .......................................................................................................... 146 9.1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 146 9.2 HISTORICAL CONTEXT .............................................................................................................. 146 9.3 STATUTORY CONTEXT .............................................................................................................. 146 9.4 ARCHAEOLOGICAL HERITAGE ................................................................................................. 147 9.5 PROTECTED STRUCTURES ...................................................................................................... 148 9.6 ARCHITECTURAL CONSERVATION AREAS ............................................................................ 151 9.7 VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE .......................................................................... 154 9.8 SHOP-FRONTS ........................................................................................................................... 155 SECTION 10. NATURAL HERITAGE AND ENVIRONMENT ........................................................... 156 10.1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 156 10.2 BIODIVERSITY ............................................................................................................................ 156 10.3 ECOLOGICAL NETWORKS ........................................................................................................ 156 10.4 NATIONAL HERITAGE AND NATIONAL BIODIVERSITY PLANS ............................................. 156 10.5 THREATS TO BIODIVERSITY..................................................................................................... 157 10.6 DESIGNATED SITES, HABITATS AND SPECIES ...................................................................... 158 10.7 LANDSCAPE ................................................................................................................................ 162 10.8 TERRESTRIAL HABITATS AND FEATURES ............................................................................. 163 10.9 INLAND WATERS AND CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT ............................................................. 165 10.10 AIR QUALITY ............................................................................................................................... 169 SECTION 11. TOURISM, AMENITY, LEISURE & RECREATION ................................................... 171 11.1 TOURISM ..................................................................................................................................... 171 11.2 AMENITY, LEISURE AND RECREATION ................................................................................... 185 11.3 THE URBAN EDGE ...................................................................................................................... 192 SECTION 12. DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT