The National Spatial Strategy Its Role in Creating Competitive and Sustainable Regions Mr Niall Cussen Senior Planning Advisor Department of Environment Heritage and Local Government (RoI)

What was it all about in the first place? Governments 20 year framework for achieving more balanced regional development by: Developing the potential of Dublin and all other Regions in a manner that would contribute to optimal performance of the State, economically, socially, environmentally… Co-ordinated public and private investment… A more strategic and plan-led planning system… Co-ordination with Regional Development Strategy in Northern Ireland…

Other Local Level Plans County Development Board strategies LA capital programmes Housing Strategy Corporate Plan National Level Plans/Guidelines NDP Towards 2016 Climate Change Dept/Agency Capital programmes PlanningGuidelines Spatial Strategy National Regional Regional Planning Guidelines Local Plans Development Plans Local Establishes Policy Context for… Assessment of and Decisions on Development Proposals Application to Planning Authority (PA) Bord Pleanala (Strategic Infrastructure) (SI) Appeal? Development/ Refusal of PP ABP decision to grant/refuse SI Decision PA Decision Appendix 1: How the Planning System Works at National Regional and Local levels. Our Planning System

National Spatial Strategy Implementation Structures

Key Concepts Potential: will vary between and within regions … Critical Mass: size and concentration of population… Gateway Cities & Towns: strategic economic motors for wider regions… Hub Towns: extending the reach of Gateways and driving rural areas… Other Towns, Villages and Rural areas: vital to potential… Linkages: good transport, communications, energy networks…

So where are we now? Unprecedented economic crisis globally, across EU, in Ireland - recovery some way off… Possibility of up to or over 20% unemployment (up from 4% a few years ago)… 16 billion structural gap in public finances and a banking system facing massive change… Major national competitiveness challenge and need for leadership at all levels… Major environmental challenges – climate change, fossil fuel dependency, waste, water quality…

So is it all bad news then? No: eaten bread soon forgotten – we have achieved a lot… Planning is central to getting out of a crisis… We have much to build on… DEHLG NSS Initiatives NSS Update and Outlook (March-April) Developing Areas Initiative (March-April) Reform of Planning System (Bill later 2009) Review of Regional Planning Guidelines (Underway)

What have we achieved in past 7 years?… NSS is a 20-year strategy – and is what it takes to address deep rooted issues… But recent events … re-writing the trends… Progress Major buy-in by key Departments and infrastructural progress… Some good progress on strategic plan-led development… Some trends (overspill from Dublin) were indicating a turnaround… Challenges Strategies depend on buy-in by all stakeholders… Funding (Gateway Innovation Funding not likely in current context) Excessively local focus of the planning system…

Around the Regions: Economy… Value Added ( growth) Highest in Midland (10.7% p.a.) and Border (10.1%); lowest in South East (6.8%) Labour productivity growth highest in Dublin (7.8% p.a.) and Southwest (6.1%); lowest in West and South East Regions (3.2%) Just under 50% national GVA generated in Greater Dublin Area! Unemployment (Jan 08 - Feb 09 comparison) State average +95% (Mid-East 115.7% - South East 89%) Poverty Risk ( average) % at risk varies from 29.1% in Border to 11.4% in Dublin Consistent poverty: significant regional variations: Border 11% - Dublin 6% Regional Disposable Income ( comparison) Grew in all regions relative to state average (except Dublin) - range 0.7% - 3.2% High concentration of disposable income in Dublin but reducing modestly

Around the Regions: Population Growth… Slowest in Dublin, Midwest and South West Regions ( % p.a. range - national 2.0%) Fastest in Mid-East (3.6%) Midland (2.8%) West (2.2%)… At or near national average in Border (2.0%) and South East (2.1%)… Gateway Growth: 1.1% - Hubs 2.2%... Commuter hinterlands of Gateways: 3.8% p.a. Fastest growth in smaller towns 10,000-15,000 pop: 2.9% 5,000-7,500: 4.7% (ANNUAL AVERAGE!) Small decline in national % living in rural areas…

Market-Led or Plan-Led Development? Tendency to zone too much land and in the wrong places… RegionUndeveloped Zoned Serviced Land Ready for Development at 30 June 2008 ha House Potential% Ave dw/ha Pop 2.75/dw % of 2008 Pop % of Increase (100% of inc in these areas) Border3,29580, , Dublin2,209149, , Mid East1,05434, , Midland1,18332, , Mid West1,20030, , South West2,09458, , South East1,67439, , West1,24830, , TOTAL13,958455, ,253, Being tackled in 2009 Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill…

Competitive Cities Essential as national and regional drivers… But some are underperforming… Need more effective, more joined up governance arrangements… Facing major issues around sustainability in economic, social and environmental terms… Weak cities/towns = weak regions

Around The Regions: Travel Patterns Variation in extent of journey to work patterns Travel distances shorter in Dublin (10.6km) (Average 15.5km) and greater % of those using sustainable modes Nationally, % using green modes has fallen in 20 years to 2006 from 45.5% to 28.7%! Transport sector is biggest area of increase of CO 2 emissions Increasing usage of private car (especially for school trips): green modes down from 83.4% in 1986 to 65% in 2006 Settlement patterns are making public transport provision very difficult

Around the Regions: Environment Biodiversity: largest areas are in the West – with major implications for planning, infrastructure under EU Habitats Directive… Air Quality and Greenhouse gases: Our pattern of development is in part driving increases in CO 2 emissions that will be costly in the future… Irish water quality generally good but risks that some areas will not meet required standards by 2015 set by EU Water Framework Directive… Soils: loss of arable land due to urbanisation… Built Heritage: assets in abundance but some under pressure…

Around the Regions: Infrastructure

So: Are the NSS Aims Being Achieved? More Balanced Regional Development? Mixed picture at this early stage: positive and negative trends… Consolidating Physical Development of Dublin? Good progress: Housing output was up in Dublin, improving affordability… Gateways? Hubs? Mixed overall, but generally not growing strong enough and too much growth in commuting catchments, not enough in cities/towns… Atlantic Gateways? Good infrastructure progress but weaker soft collaboration… Other Towns? Rural areas? Excessive dependence on commuter/tax-driven development – major issues re diversification of the rural economy (only 10% funding allocation) … Environment? Travel patterns must change, environmental issues taken more seriously…

Future Progress NSS Update and Outlook Report (Summer 2009) Looking back – looking forward… A refocusing of how it is implemented… Linked to review of Regional Development Strategy (NI) Looking at… What is working (and how to improve)… What is not working (and how it should be addressed)… Key issues emerging: Implementation of NSS at local level (Planning Bill 2009) Regional co-ordination and leadership (White Paper on Local Government Reform, Review of Regional Planning Guidelines) Infrastructure prioritisation (Developing Areas Report) Departmental Buy-In

Priority Actions – (1) Bending the Spend With less resources available, spatial planning should be to the fore in determining better investment prioritisation…. How? More focussed, better coordinated investment programmes and structures (using Developing Areas analysis) aimed at s trengthening the capacity of gateways/hubs to act as drivers of national/regional economy… Maintaining commitments to invest in strategic transport priorities (Metro/LRT, Inter-regional linkages)… Stimulus package for strategic locations combining sectoral budgets – water, transport, regeneration, public realm… Strengthening economic motors – critical mass, efficient use of public resources – by promoting linkages between 3 rd level research and industry, rural towns initiative.

Priority Actions – (2) Gateway Governance Achieving strategic leadership and vision in driving the development of the gateways specifically and their wider regions is now the critical factor… How? White Paper on local government reform – directly elected Mayor in Dublin, with strong land use / transport powers (to be Chair of Dublin Transport Authority / Regional Authority)… Local governance arrangements in gateways… Competitive regions and places: develop innovative ways to bring enterprise agencies, business leaders and R+D institutes together to deliver economic strategies…

Priority Actions – (3) Sustainable Development Encourage development patterns in both urban and rural areas that are more sustainable in environmental, economic and social terms. How? Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009 Core strategies to identify quantum, location and phasing of development, in line with regional guidance/Min policy Linking planning climate change/adaptation/water quality and investment/habitats and heritage More sharply focused Regional Plans – strengthen legislation Pilot initiatives to address rural unemployment/restructuring: Market towns initiative, rural re-skilling, micro-enterprise Dept of Transport Smarter Travel Initiative

Creating Sustainable and Competitive Places Opportunities for spatial planning within strategies for economic recovery are many… Spatial Planning: only allow so much time for theorising! The system wants to know about delivery mechanisms… Governance: need for new thinking on organisational models… Island of Ireland and wider perspectives… Environment: new parameters and implications for spatial planning (Habitats Directive)… Ireland: lessons in linking spatial planning and investment…