FAR-REACHING adjustments to the forthcoming development plan for Clare have been recommended by the State’s planning watchdog.
After examining the draft plan for 2023-2029, the Office of the Planning Regulator (OPR) has told the Council it is in breach of a number of national and regional guidelines.
The regulator has made a total of 13 recommendations and eight observations on draft. The proposed settlement strategy, whereby population and growth targets are allocated across the county, is the focus of the greatest concern for the OPR. Five recommendations and one observation have been made on this aspect of the document.
In its submission, seen by The Champion, the OPR has identified “a number of concerns regarding the amount of residential land zoned in certain towns”.
This, it says, is “risking the ability to deliver housing that is well located and served by services and amenities”.
The regulator has warned that “significant adjustments” will be needed to ensure the plan is fully aligned with legislative requirements, as well as national and regional policies and guidelines.
The OPR has also told the Council that its population target of 11,637 is higher than that provided for in the National Planning Framework Implementation Roadmap and the Southern Regional Assembly Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (RSES).
The OPR said that this is the result of a population allocation of 3,500 to the proposed Strategic Development Zone (SDZ) beside the University of Limerick (UL). Pending a ministerial designation for the SDZ, however, the OPR has described the allocation of housing and population to the area as “premature”.
For these reasons, the OPR has recommended the Council leaves out the 3,500 allocation to the proposed SDZ and that it recalculates the overall county-wide population target.
These adjustments, the regulator said, will then require “adjustments to settlement population targets, housing unit allocations and residential land zoning requirements”.
In a recommendation on the ‘Settlement Hierarchy’ of draft plan, the OPR has also asked for changes. It said that the Limerick-Shannon Metropolitan Area (LSMA) must be in the top tier, followed by “the key town of Ennis”.
Based on population, the OPR has said that it would be appropriate “to designate Scarrif as a Small Town; Killaloe and Newmarket-on-Ferus as Service Towns; and Quinn as a Small Town”. Population allocations must also be reevaluated on that basis.
Recommendations, the OPR stated, relate to “clear breaches of the relevant legislative provisions of the national or regional policy framework and/or of the policy of Government”. The Council must comply with them.
Other OPR recommendations relate sustainable development; housing strategy; economic development and employment ; sustainable transport and flood risk management. Observations, which require the Council to justify their approach, have been made on the core strategy and settlement strategy; rural housing and regeneration; economic development and employment; climate action and renewable energy; sustainable transport; environment, heritage and amenities; and implementation and monitoring.
Meanwhile, the OPR has commended a number of elements of the draft plan.
“In particular, the Office commends the approach to planning for renewable energy and climate action, and recognises the significant contribution that County Clare has already made to the generation of renewable wind energy,” the submission said.
“The Office also acknowledges the extensive and positive public engagement carried out by the authority to extend the public input into the preparation of the Plan, in particular the engagement with younger people and school groups; the production of a video on the draft Plan to engage with people remotely; direct engagement through public meetings; and use of traditional and social media.”
Submissions on the draft plan closed on March 28 and these are now being considered by the local authority.
After that, a Chief Executive’s Report will be drawn up on the submissions.
The OPR was set up in 2019 to oversee the planning system, following a recommendation of the Mahon tribunal. The OPR, has also clearly stated that it “does not set planning policy which is the job of the Minister and government. Nor does the OPR determine local authority development plans. This is reserved function for local authority members only.”
At the April meeting of Clare County Council, it was agreed – on foot of a motion from Councillor PJ Kelly – to invite Niall Cussen, the CEO of the OPR to address the authority.