Agenda item

Presentation from the  Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly

The Spatial Strategy is a theoretical approach making sure that policy is consistent with the National Planning Framework population targets and key growth areas. This is an integrated land use and transport strategy which identifies the key growth areas within the region of which Dublin City and Suburbs would be a key settlement and includes evidence based capacity analysis, looking at the functional area of urban centres.  How many people are commuting into these key settlements from surrounding areas, have they a functional role or are they merely commuter driven, what is their carrying capacity in terms of infrastructure and environment.

The Economic Strategy is a new element in regional planning and did not exist previously in the Regional Planning Guidelines.  This strategy is aligned with National and Regional level policy such as Enterprise 2025, Action Plan for Jobs, The Dublin Regional Enterprise Strategy and Local Economic and Community Plans.  There is a focus on Economic Engines such as Dublin, Athlone, Dundalk, Drogheda and the Dublin to Belfast Economic corridor. What are the existing drivers, building on regional strengths to facilitate effective regional development? There is an Economist as part of the team who has worked up the economic strategy.  One of the key elements of the economic strategy is the recognition of the importance of human

Capital so skills and also the importance of infrastructure in order to facilitate economic development.

Transport Strategy is an integrated spatial strategy for roads, public transport and green modes of travel. It is a requirement of the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy to be consistent with transport strategy throughout the process. Thus working with the National Transport Authority to help define commuter patterns, mode shares and trip profiles for settlements across the region. 

Metropolitan Area Strategic Plans will set out a clear and concise plan for future sustainable growth of the capital city region.  Identifying the key change parameters for the city in question, i.e. population, employment, housing, retail, travel patterns and key renewal, development and amenity areas.  Work out a sequence of infrastructure prioritisation, delivery and co-ordination: to deliver compact regeneration and growth.  Dublin City and Suburbs population is expected to grow by 20%-25% between 2016 and 2040 with a minimum target population of 1,408,000.00.

The Metropolitan Area Strategic Plan for Dublin can identify large scale regeneration areas that can deliver significant population and /or employment growth.  It will prioritise public transport, walking and cycling initiatives and focus on underutilised, infill, brownfield and state owned lands and help co-ordinate relevant agencies and government departments for phased delivery of critical infrastructure.  The Urban Regeneration and Development fund of 2 Billion over 10 years can help unlock development potential.

 Bernie then explained that the Draft Regional Spatial & Economic Strategy will go before the members of the Eastern & Midland Regional Assembly on the 5^th October.  It will then go on public display from October to December, anyone can make a submission. The whole process would hope to be finished by early spring 2019.  It would then be a requirement for Local Authorities to vary or amend their Development Plan within a certain timeframe to ensure it is consistent with the Regional Strategy.

 Discussion followed and the main concern is that the Regional Spatial & Economic Strategy is due to be adopted very close to the Local Elections. Councillors are worried that they may be in the middle of an Election and that it can take up to 2 months for things to bed down, between the fall and rise of a Council.

MAPS is very new and the Dublin one is very wide with a lot of rural area. The wider the area the less you get out in term of Strategic out comes.  The feeling is that there needs to be a very strong voice for Dublin. The feeling is that until the governance structure for Dublin is sorted out it will be hard to implement.

From an economic side there needs to be a very strong focus on the type of Industry, how we are doing Smart Cities, this all predetermines education and training needs.  What is the input that the Economic Development and Enterprise SPC will be making into this strategy, can the members make a submission. It was pointed out that submission can be made through the 38 Councillors who are members of the RSES or anyone can make a submission when the Strategy is on public display.  Originally it was hoped that the strategy would have been on public display and that this meeting would have been on during the formal consultation period. It was pointed out that there was input from semi state bodies and that the private sector can make submissions during the public consultation period. Also at the pre-draft stage there would have been submissions made by the private sector.  It is also very important that the message is out on the international market that Dublin is open for business. There is a perception on the international market that Ireland is closed, headlines about housing problems that we do not have the capacity.  It is vital that during this time of Brexit it is important that forward planning can be shown, it is reassuring for the International market.

Councillor Andrew Montague

Chairperson

              Tuesday 25^th September 2018

Attendance:

Apologies:

Cllr. Kieran Binchy                              Cllr. Greg Kelly                 Ms. Denise Brophy            

Cllr. Patrick Costello                           Cllr. Paddy Bourke           Mr. John Lombard

Cllr. Hazel De Nortúin                         Cllr. Gary Gannon            Mr. Evanne Kilmurray

Cllr. Janice Boylan                              Cllr. Noeleen Reilly           Ms. Geraldine Lavin

Cllr. Cathleen Carney Boud                Cllr. Mary Freehill              Mr. Martin Harte