Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

47. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the timelines for completion of regional planning strategies under the regional spatial and economic strategies; the way in which they will implement with population targets in the national development plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39093/18]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The National Planning Framework (NPF), published together with the National Development Plan (NDP) as part of Project Ireland 2040 earlier this year, is intended to provide the strategic context for future planning, development and investment over the next two decades. In addition, the NPF represents a long-term strategy for Government Departments, State agencies, State-owned enterprises, regional and local authorities and others to support communities to achieve their potential for economic, social and infrastructural development through a shared set of strategic objectives and key principles.

As a strategic document, the NPF is currently being given further and more detailed expression at the regional level through preparation, by the Regional Assemblies, of statutory Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies (RSESs) for the three Regional Assembly areas. The RSES process formally commenced earlier this year and draft Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies are currently in preparation for public consultation later in the Autumn.

The finalisation of these regional strategies in the first half of 2019 will in turn prompt reviews and updates of individual county and city development plans to ensure strategic co-ordination and consistency between national, regional and local levels.

To assist in the preparation of these important plans, my Department published the Implementation Roadmap for the National Planning Frameworkin July 2018. Appendix 2 of this document provides details on transitional regional and county population projections for 2026 and 2031.

These projections take account of the fact that, cumulatively, current city and county plans are based on post-2006 population projections and provide for a quantum of significantly greater population growth than previously occurred and that also exceeds any likely scenario identified as part of the NPF/NDP preparation process.

The transitional regional and county population projections provided in the Roadmap set a growth trajectory approximately mid-way between what is currently proposed for in statutory development plans and a more evidence-based nationally coherent scenario to 2031 and 2040.

The Implementation Roadmap is available to view on my Department's website at the following link:

.

The RSES process, and the subsequent individual county/city development plan reviews, must address the growth of each region in accordance with the overall parameters set out in the NPF. The transitional population projections provided in the Roadmap are part of these parameters. The review process is intended to strengthen the settlement strategy within counties in light of more relevant and updated population projections whereby towns with capacity will be enabled to continue their logical planned growth within a coordinated county-wide strategy.

Regional and local decision-making at the appropriate level is also provided for through the approach above to shape how the development of all parts of the country can be assured and guided through to 2040, including in the matter of ensuring that housing is provided at appropriate locations across the country and in line with infrastructural and service availability in place and planned for those locations.