VISIONS OF IRELAND TOWARDS A NATIONAL SPATIAL PLAN. January 2001

Transcription

1 TOWARDS A NATIONAL SPATIAL PLAN January 2001

2 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION BY RUAIRI QUINN TD 3 PREFACE 4 SPATIAL PLANNING AGENDA I 6 TOWARDS THE YEAR 2015: SPATIAL DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVES VISIONS OF IRELAND IRELAND IN CONTEXT 8 New Planning Approaches in Ireland (i) All Island basis (ii) Agreed Socio-Economic Goals (iii) Sustainable Development FUTURE TRENDS AND PATTERNS IN URBANISATION 15 Competition between Cities Competitive Advantage The City as Economic Driver International Roles of Dublin and Belfast Cross-border, inter-urban corridors Ireland as E.U. Urban dominated Region SPATIAL PLANNING AGENDA II 21 KEY ISSUES NECESSITATING SPATIAL PLANNING AT A NATIONAL LEVEL 21 Energy Industry & Transport Land Use Planning Settlement Patterns and Densities Information Networks Waste Management SPATIAL PLANNING AGENDA III 24 A SERIES OF MAPS OF BASIC STRATEGY NATIONALLY SPATIAL PLANNING AGENDA IV 40 AN ALTERNATIVE MODEL OF URBAN / RURAL DEVELOPMENT 1. ATHLONE AND ITS CATCHMENT A SPATIAL STUDY 2. WATERFORD AND ITS CATCHMENT A SPATIAL STUDY COSTINGS 44 IMPLEMENTATION 47 2 Some of the maps in this document, notably those relating to broadband and electricity networks are of an indicative nature only.the subject matter was deemed to be strategically and commercially sensitive by the relevant authorities.

3 INTRODUCTION As Minister for Enterprise,Trade and Employment in 1994, before the heady days of the Celtic Tiger, I set out a vision of Ireland in My dream was to make Ireland the most dynamic and caring society in the European Union. My purpose was to instil the kind of can do attitude that would make the dream realisable. Some said I was a dreamer but, today, that vision could still become a reality. Some of the goals I set out have already been achieved others have not. In short, while our economy has prospered, our society, largely due to the policies being pursued by the current Government, has not. What has spatial planning to do with all this? In short, spatial planning or as I refer to it the future map of Ireland represents a blueprint for the future economic and social development of our country. It is not, as I acknowledge it may appear, a technocratic process. The choices made within are deeply ideological and fundamentally about values. Where we do things and how we do things have deep rooted social consequences which we cannot ignore. This plan is Labour s contribution to a vision of the future. It is one of a series of position papers which set out our ambition to use our new economic wealth to catch up with our European neighbours in terms of the environment in which we live and our rights as citizens. This plan is not set in stone. It is published to spark debate and as a contribution to a process the Government has belatedly commenced. Over the next twelve months, before and after the next General Election, I look forward to discussing the ideas set out here with the Irish people. The decisions made in that time will go a long way to determining what kind of country Ireland will be in the next twenty years. Labour is determined to influence that debate. 3

4 PREFACE 4 The need to plan, the desire to anticipate the future and prepare for it is central to Labour s political philosophy. Ours is not a simple belief that market forces left to their own devices reach optimum outcomes. This is particularly true of planning. We have seen in this country the results of under regulated and under controlled planning. It has not only damaged the growth of our major cities and given rise to ghettoisation, it also corrupted our political process. Labour, alone of the major political parties, has stood for proper and integrated planning at county council level throughout the country. Our refusal to support a shoddy planning process has led some to accuse us of being antidevelopment. Not true. We are simply supportive of intelligent and sustainable development. The National Development Plan No one party or group can bear all the responsibility for Ireland s failure to plan its future properly. No one party, including Labour, can be totally absolved of all responsibility either. It is important to recognise that at the heart of this failure has been a lack of resources. Development has been dictated as much by the availability of resources rather than what might have been most appropriate. We know the price we have paid as a society for this phenomenon. Now it is different. Resources are no longer an issue. The National Development Plan published by the Government last year is the first to be funded primarily from our own national resources. Indeed, it is arguable that the controversy that surrounded the Government s attempts to maximise EU financial support distracted from the most important issues. One of those issues was the production of a National Spatial Plan. Twelve months after publication, the National Development Plan is still not accompanied by any real spatial planning. The Spatial Plan promised by the Government is in fact still another twelve months away at least. The absence of spatial planning hinders not just future development, but what we are doing now. For all the resources at its disposal, the National Development Plan reads more like a series of separate and unrelated projects derived from various and often unrelated sources, than a plan in itself. Because we have no vision of what the future should look like, it is difficult to evaluate the ability of the NDP to take us there. Labour s Spatial Plan This document is Labour s contribution to the debate on how Ireland should look in twenty years time. Fifteen years may seem a long way ahead but in reality it is not. The Government has already been forced to concede that any new proposed metro system for Dublin will take up to fifteen years to complete. Labour s primary aims are three fold. First we want to reconnect the country to itself. It is time to stop paying lip service to the needs of the West in particular. Similarly, the Good Friday Agreement and burgeoning cooperation between the two parts of this island must be built upon. For too long, the border regions in particular, but also the island as a whole, north and south, have paid a heavy price as a result of partition. Now that the people of Ireland have spoken clearly about the National Question through the referendum on the Good Friday Agreement, the rules for its ultimate resolution have, in effect, been agreed by the vast majority of the people of this island. It is now very timely for us to maximise co-operation between North and South for the benefit of all. We are committed too to ending the association between geographical location and poverty. The difficulty in dividing the country into two regions, as this Government has done, is that the prevalence of poverty blackspots in particular are ignored. The job of spatial planning is to fully integrate these communities into the society that surrounds them. This will require not just investment in the people who live in poverty blackspots, but also in the environment in which those people live.

5 Second, Labour puts transport at the centre of its vision for the future. Transport and public transport in particular have been neglected for far too long in this country. The resources at our disposal now are such that that neglect need not continue. This is critically important. Transport will be at the heart of future settlement and development patterns in this country. This principle is already recognised in the strategic planning guidelines for the Dublin area. That they seem to be being ignored is proof of the challenge ahead. It is time to get this right. Third, Labour insists that we bring Ireland into the Information Age in a way that includes all our citizens and prevents deepening a social divide between those who have access to the main information networks and those who do not. Electricity and motorised transport have been the sinews of the industrial age, and access to them has been essential for participation in society generally. In the twenty-first century information networks will play an equally central role, so it is vital that we plan to ensure that every household has access to them. This document envisages a massive expansion in public transport facilities. It is time now to bring public transport facilities to our growing regional towns, many of which are already being choked by private traffic. Costings Labour has no monopoly on wisdom. This is our contribution to an important debate. We have sought to apply approximate costings to the major proposals. It is important to emphasise that they are only approximate costings. In the absence of the full resources at the disposal of Government, it is difficult to cost a plan like this fully. It does not, for instance, take account of the cost of the massive increase in the volume of public transport services that Labour believes are necessary. Early indications for example from the Dublin Transport Office attached a 14billion cost figure to the necessary improvements in transport in Dublin.The provision of better and more complete public transport facilities to regional towns will be considerable also. However, we did feel it important to attempt to cost some of the major projects outlined here. They are included in our final chapter. And they reveal one thing, namely that a plan of this size is eminently affordable. It may even be possible to broaden it if our unprecedented economic growth levels sustain themselves over the next few years. Indeed, our continued economic success now depends upon us effectively planning to eliminate the constraints within our economy and its infrastructure. Dublin This document is a contribution to a debate about national spatial planning. As such, it is an attempt to replace the imbalance that has led to the predominance of the East and the Dublin region in particular. 5 However, that is not to ignore the importance of proper planning of Dublin itself. Labour will publish specific proposals later this year. These will focus on supporting the work of the Dublin Transport Office in developing an integrated and properly funded public transport system for our capital city and its environs. The unseemly rush of individual Government Ministers to take ownership of individual projects is detracting from the presentation of an integrated and structured plan to the citizens of Dublin. Ultimately, decisions about the future development of the capital should be left in the hands of its citizens.

6 SPATIAL PLANNING AGENDA I 6 Towards the year 2015: Spatial Development Perspectives The future cannot be foretold.the year 2001 is a pivot around which the past can be viewed critically and the future planned for in a manner that can inspire and serve as a reference point for citizens, politicians, and the business community. Without pretence to forecasting or controlling the future, the Labour Party, in or out of Government, recognises that as people and citizens we have a duty to explore choices and values.visions for the development, evolution and re-structuring of Ireland and Irish Society need to be at the heart of the political agenda. The Labour Party will be the leader and catalyst of this debate. A recognition that this society has not embraced planning or a culture of planning or even good husbandry would be a positive starting position for both the debate and a National Spatial Plan. Indeed, we should also acknowledge that the manner in which the State has dispersed its resources in spatial terms is a good measure of our socio-political values. The unequal spatial distribution of income and class in space is a good indicator of such values. Recent political events, which for the first time in 80 years will hopefully see the Republic of Ireland and the elected assembly of Northern Ireland cooperate in key areas of mutual interest, allow the spatial shape and texture of Ireland to be reviewed, particularly in the context of parts of the island which failed, in the past, to reach their economic potential as a result of the partitioning of natural spatial and demographic catchments. Ireland is inextricably and positively committed to acknowledging and participating in the spatial planning of our EU partners. At the Maastricht Summit Council Meeting of 1991 it was decided to augment the Treaty so that physical planning is now within the community s brief. Our peripherality and future as an open trading economy will require that we be ever vigilant and cognisant of the impact and potential of modes of access and transportation. We should also aspire to creating planning models which, in time, could be shared with our European partners, in its present and future configurations with special reference to small countries. Visions of Ireland ANational Spatial Plan is merely a technocratic process if not formulated on vision and values. The Labour Party acknowledges that it is the duty of politics to lead. The Labour Party vision is founded on the principle that spatial planning should be driven by the needs of citizens and communities. We are therefore fundamentally committed to a process of engagement, debate and communal ownership of the goals of the National Spatial Plan and the means required to achieving those goals. Planning without interaction is meaningless. A National Spatial Plan is of its nature strategic. Labour has a vision of what that plan should be. A national vision, to which all our citizens can subscribe, can only be reached through discussion and dialogue.we offer this vision, informed as it is by our own political values, for consideration. 1. To achieve an egalitarian, integrated and cohesive spatial structure. e.g to eliminate ghettoisation by income and social class, with a priority of eliminating pockets of social, physical and economic deprivation. 2. To ensure sustainable economic growth, increased prosperity and equitable distribution of the fruits of prosperity across the country. 3. To protect and enhance the environment of Ireland for future generations. 4. To achieve the cleanest environment and highest water quality in Europe. 5. To locate real decision making as close to the citizen as possible through a programme of reform in local governance. 6. To stabilize the population of rural Ireland. 7. To emphasise and ensure the quality of the built environment and the heritage of our rural areas. 8. To seek to consolidate the role and competitive potential of the Dublin, and other, conurbations while developing a balanced and sustainable spatial structure.

7 9. To co-operate with the people of Northern Ireland to develop a plan for the whole island in the context of overall European planning. 10. To position the country competitively for an increasingly information-intensive economy. It can be seen that the platform offered by these strategic goals will engender a synergy which will support all aspects of social and economic policy. In the development and refinement of the National Spatial Plan, the Labour Party will solicit vision statements from the people of Ireland through its constituency network, and the electronic media. 7

8 IRELAND IN CONTEXT The Republic of Ireland is a small but dynamic society on the periphery of Europe. It is a small country by European standards, but possesses a variety of landscapes, extensive coastlines, a high quality natural environment and a network of cities around our coast. According to the definitions of urban and rural used in the census, about 60% of the population live within urban boundaries and a much higher figure depend on towns for work and for social and economic facilities. This figure is low in comparison to the rest of Europe, and our population density is also lower than the European average. Only 36% live within the five major urban centres. Ireland has a network of small and medium-sized towns and cities, but only one urban region with more than one million inhabitants: The Greater Dublin Area, which comprises large parts of the surrounding counties of Kildare, Meath and Wicklow has 1.4 million inhabitants. In stark contrast to this urban region, are the Republic of Ireland s other principal cities, none of which exceeds 250,000 inhabitants in its catchment area. Thus, Dublin exerts a strong domination throughout the Republic of Ireland, with its large concentration of government activities and services, with resulting problems of traffic congestion, high demand for office space, and a significant housing shortage. The North-east of Northern Ireland, however, exhibits high levels of urbanisation, with a large number of towns with populations in excess of 10,000 in close proximity to Belfast, giving this city a significant catchment area of over 300,000. At the time of writing, the Republic of Ireland has the most successful economic indices in the EU. For the first time in its history it can look to an economy which is generating significant budget surpluses. However, a dispassionate view of the context of Ireland s economic success will reveal a number of serious fault lines which have to be regarded as threats to sustainable development. Cities in Ireland are pursuing unsustainable development patterns. Too often, the limited impact of physical planning in the State has eroded, to a large part, a living culture from our cities, creating a predominantly car-based society. environment investments that could have contributed enormously to the strengthening of the sustainable development of our economy. Ireland s environment has been protected until recently by the limited level of industrial development which the country had achieved. However, with the current economic upturn, the number of cars per head of population looks set to reach EU standards, a level that our inadequate road network seems unable to sustain. In addition, development pressures on land have increased the spread into rural areas of both industrial and residential demand, potentially impacting negatively on our ecosystems. Continued economic growth requires that the environment be protected from uncontrolled development and that environmental problems be tackled if Ireland is to maintain its image of a high quality environment. It will require a systematic national and regional spatial policy and investment. It will require a national waste management policy and its integration within a systematic national and regional spatial policy and investment. Ireland s transport infrastructure has never been developed to the standard of our European neighbours, and this underdevelopment is particularly true of public transport. The inadequacy of the Irish network will be further highlighted with the leaps forward being made in high speed rail links across Europe. The European Commission considers transport to be the single most important factor that could prevent the positive effects of the single market being achieved. Meeting this challenge will require an appropriate balance between public and private transport strategies as well as an integration between spatial planning and the planning of public transport. An inadequate transport infrastructure is compounded by our island status within a land-based wellconnected European community. Given our relative physical isolation we must at the same time take maximum advantage of the potential for electronic communications networks to neutralise any disadvantage this brings, while enabling people to work productively in socially and physically more pleasant environments. 8 In contrast to our neighbouring island and our continental European EU partners, significant investments have not been made in our infrastructure nor in the protection of our

9 Europe s rural areas are in decline. The ability of rural areas to solve their own problems has been weakened, because per capita incomes are usually lower than in many of the adjacent urban areas. The EU is trying to reduce migration away from rural areas. However, changes in agricultural practice will continue to affect Ireland s economic performance and its environment and landscapes. 9

10 Urban Form In promoting the growth of towns outside the principal urban centres, it is important not to reinforce nonsustainable forms of growth as experienced in our major urban areas. This involves increased densities in town centres, including in-town living; the development of backlands; public transport access even in smaller towns; limits to ex-urban developments around these towns and emphasis on retail developments in town centres only. This will reduce dependence on the car and the need to travel. Regional Planning Efforts should be continued to encourage jobs and services to move westwards, particularly to the Objective 1 areas and possibly more emphasis placed on a high quality road network linking Derry / Sligo / Galway / Limerick /Tralee, Cork, Waterford and Rosslare. The improvement of existing rail links and the creation of new links along this corridor is also essential. The lack of significant inland growth centres should be addressed by creating new growth centres in the Midlands and the North West, in particular Sligo and Athlone should be investigated as potential centres. In the context of the consolidation of the Good Friday Agreement, regional planning could look at the island of Ireland in a balanced manner. Accordingly, Enniskillen along with Sligo could be promoted by the co-ordinated efforts of the governments in Belfast and Dublin. In addition, a managed and properly planned programme of industrial development and public sector decentralisation could reinforce these centres. MAP 1 - PRIMARY TRANSNATIONAL TRANSPORT AXES IN EUROPE Cities With Population > 1million & Capitals With Population > 750,000 Primary Transnational Transport Axes 10 Source: Denmark Towards The Year 2018, Ministry of the Environment, 1992

11 Technology Policy Technology policy should be directed both at encouraging the networking of centres of excellence and at creating networks to achieve a more effective dissemination of technology to businesses, using regional universities or higherlevel technical training centres in medium-sized cities as contact points. For example, the Sligo Institute of Technology could be linked with colleges of further education in Northern Ireland. Monaghan could be linked to the Armagh Outreach Colleges, and our principal universities could develop a network of outreach programmes nationwide. Advanced telecommunications networks is rapidly becoming the mainstream medium for all forms of business and organisation. At the same time the cost of installing and managing such networks has now reached the point where we can realistically plan to provide access to such communications, not just for every town but for every household. This means universal access to broadband communication, or specifically, communication capable of conveying high quality moving video images. The Swedish Social Democratic Government has already planned to do this, at a cost that would certainly be affordable for an Irish Government. Taking such a dramatic step would not only open up economic opportunities to smaller towns and villages currently excluded by network infrastructure availability. It would make it possible for our entire society to move into the Information Age together and offer an ideal test bed for a whole variety of new ICT-based products and services, including areas such as e- learning and e-commerce. Such a step is to be seen as the 21st century equivalent of provision of running water and electricity to every household. MAP 2 - THE EUROPEAN HIGH SPEED RAIL NETWORK Existing Projected Upgraded Connections Other Lines 11 Source: Europe 2000

12 New planning approaches in Ireland New approaches to planning in Ireland have been made possible by recent developments in a number of areas, namely in the political structure of the island, in the economic growth being experienced, and the subsequent urbanisation of the country. We suggest that the principal requirements of a National Spatial Plan are that it should be: (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) Based on an integrated approach to economic, social and cultural needs. Designed to enhance the quality of life of citizens, families and communities. Based on a politically agreed set of socio-economic goals, including equality and social cohesion. Conceived on an all island basis. Framed on sustainable principles. (i) Based on an integrated approach to economic, social and cultural needs The vision which underpins the Labour Party s approach to spatial planning, is that it should serve the full needs of our citizens and communities. Each of the different aspects of our needs: economic, social and cultural must be given equal priority within the spatial plan and integrated, just as they are integrated in our lives as citizens. Long-term planning makes the integration of these different aspects of our lives possible. Public discussion on planning proposals allows a consensus to emerge on how differing priorities and lifestyles should be reflected. spatial planning of our communities. People find themselves living further from their employment, from their childcare arrangements, schools and leisure and cultural interests. A National Spatial Plan which is driven by a recognition of the needs of the citizen can ensure that greater wealth is combined with a better life for everyone. (iii) All Island basis The Belfast Agreement gives the opportunity for cross border planning to mutual benefit. Among the objectives to be addressed should be : The maximising of the potential of both economies. The reintegration of the severed but natural catchments. Promotion of greater opportunity, social services and quality of life in border areas especially. To link planning on this island with planning at an EU level. Projects which might achieve these objectives include: Encouraging cross border growth centres (Derry/Lifford/Letterkenny, Dundalk/Newry, Sligo/Enniskillen, Monaghan/Armagh). Improving infrastructure links between the North West and Dublin by providing dual carriageway standard roads and the development of a Letterkenny/Derry rail link direct to Dublin and from there to the South and West of the country. Inter-institutional co-operation. 12 (ii) Designed to enhance the quality of life of citizens, families and communities For the Labour Party, planning is not only a matter of better use of our resources. Planning is crucial in ensuring that the places where we live and work are shaped around our needs, rather than our lives being constantly reshaped to fit around the demands of a growing economy. For many people, growing economic prosperity has not been matched by a growing quality of society. Much of the growing stress of modern Ireland results from the poor (iv) Agreed Socio-Economic Goals It may be difficult for each Regional Authority or County to subscribe to the detailed elements of a National Spatial Plan but the debate might be carried on in terms of the identification of socio-economic goals that might generally be agreed. For the Labour Party, the goals of eliminating social exclusion and reducing inequality must be at the core of the consensus.

13 13 Questions which need to be addressed are: What all-island population are we planning for and on what basis and time scale? How and where is this population to be distributed on a broad geographical basis? What percentage of new housing should be provided on brownfield sites within urban settlements and how much on greenfield for example, 50/50? What levels of emissions can we live with, and what percentage of these can be derived from various uses industry, transport and housing and what implications will this have for car ownership and public transport? Which are the absolutely inviolate areas of landscape that we want to preserve for all time and what steps will we take to ensure their preservation State ownership, planning control? What skills and facilities do we need to achieve these objectives? Are they available now or should we start putting them in place and in fact export them to other countries in due course? What policies should be in place to eliminate social exclusion, rural and urban? Can a national policy on waste management be formatted and its spatial implications agreed? What is the future for the community structures and landscape of rural Ireland in the light of the declining numbers employed directly in agriculture? Do we need to further change our planning laws to implement the National Spatial Plan? What levels of immigration should be catered for or encouraged and, if so, how should we do it? (v) Sustainable Development The best use needs to be made of existing facilities and underused infrastructure to: Take some of the pressure off the larger cities and towns which may now be overheating. Ensure the use of the spare capacity existing in schools, shops, health centres in our towns and villages. Assist in the discouragement of urbangenerated rural housing which is becoming a serious environmental problem. Facilitating a greater use of network-based communication for people to do their work and interact with public services would also reduce the necessity for people to travel for many purposes. Such measures can reduce the physical pressure of traffic on the environment. This development could be particularly focused on the smaller towns and villages. Diverting growth to these may now be more realistic than heretofore because of the information technology revolution. Resources could be re-focused to encourage the expansion of villages in the person range e.g. Ferbane, Tarbert, Glenties, Ballisodare, Louisburg, Mountbellew, Summerhill and Robertstown. Such a policy would require a re-focusing of the roads programme to provide a high quality of rural secondary and tertiary roads. Investment in a good rural public transport service would also be necessary. The policies of expanding these settlements would be balanced by a discouragement of one-off urban-generated rural housing. (vi) Universal Service Obligations In the past, publicly owned utilities provided services to all parts of the country on a reasonably equal basis. For example, the installation charge for phone lines is the same across the country, regardless of population density. On the other hand, it is arguable that people outside the metropolitan areas were discriminated against with regard to the cost of local phone calls in particular. The privatisation of some of the utilities has meant that the State no longer has the direct capacity to direct service provision in key areas. Therefore, the regulation of these industries has become more important. In particular, it is critical that dynamic and progressive universal service obligations (USOs) or public service obligations (PSOs) are in place. In fact, Labour believes that these are critically important if our objective of reconnecting the country to itself is to be achieved. USOs or PSOs are the contractual obligations placed on companies to operate in certain areas or to cross subsidise those who do. They exist to ensure that companies cannot merely cherry-pick business in densely populated areas while ignoring others.

14 Labour believes that USOs / PSOs cannot just apply to existing technologies. They must apply also to evolving new technologies. If they do not, then this country will be destined for more unbalanced development that even the measures in this plan will find difficult to address. Labour welcomes the Green Paper Governance and Accountability in the Regulatory Process published by the Government and contributed to it. We believe this is a critical area for the country as a whole despite the fact that it received little or no publicity, far more significant in the long term than last year s debate about regionalisation, and one we will be active on if returned to Government. 14

15 FUTURE TRENDS AND PATTERNS IN URBANISATION 15 COMPETITION BETWEEN CITIES Labour holds the view that international competition in the present and enlarged Europe will be more between urban regions than between nations. This signifies the importance of looking at the specialisations of each of these regions and cities. The development potential of different towns is not alike. There is a need to capitalise on this through increased specialisation. We must also recognise the opportunity for towns close to each other to complement each other s specialisations, e.g. Dundalk / Newry. Within this, is the need to look at the commuter catchment of each urban region. Intrinsic in this analysis is the role of the countryside and a range of factors such as the role of agriculture, natural attractions and environmental factors. There is a need to promote and to develop a polycentric model of urbanisation at every level across the island - between cities, towns and in the interlinking of smaller towns and villages into interdependent, mutually supporting networks. A detailed and overall vision for the future development of an urban region is essential to successful urban planning and policy. With the internationalisation of the economy and European integration, competition among European urban regions is intensifying with the consequent need for regional administrations to become stronger and more businesslike in their policy development and implementation. COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE Two urban characteristics are important in attracting economic activities: Amenity broadly defined it often includes access to a wide range of urban, residential, educational, social, recreational and cultural services in addition to an appreciation of the quality of the natural or built environment of cities. Perception of cities the way cities are valued as places in which to live, work, enjoy leisure or invest makes the way they are viewed of critical significance.thus, the perception of cities becomes an active component of economic success or failure. THE CITY AS ECONOMIC DRIVER In this new context, the development potential of many cities, and the success of their insertion into the international arena, depends on their capacity to adapt themselves to the changing situation. This can be summed up as follows: The growing importance placed on the quality of life and on environmental factors as determinants in economic development.these serve as locational factors for transnational companies whose managers choice of residence reflects these qualities. Socially integrated and safe environments. The increased accessibility between European regions. The growing competition between cities and regions. The decrease in the power of national governments and an increase in that of local governments. Possible actions for city-regions within this framework are: Give higher priority to the improvement of both the natural and built environment in supplying better quality, and a wider range of, housing, shops, public spaces, and cultural and leisure facilities, in addition to reducing pollution levels. Improve both internal (within the city-region) and external (with other cities) access. Develop an integrated strategy which takes account of the relationships between the principal spatial planning functions and the economic, social and environmental needs of the city, exploiting community participation, public and public-private cooperation. Administrative restructuring to better handle this strategy may be needed in many cities, to overcome the divisive effects of fragmented administrations of large agglomerations. Compare their strengths and weaknesses with competitor cities through a market analysis and re-orient their development strategies accordingly. A SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis of the city can help assess the suitability of the urban facilities to the target market. In addition, an analysis of competitors can help position the city within a broader market. Outline an internationally oriented spatial development perspective for their geographic

16 area based on the area s profile and comparative advantages. Seek cooperation and strategic alliances with nearby cities and towns in city networks to increase the international potential of the entire area. INTERNATIONAL ROLES OF DUBLIN AND BELFAST The two major cities on the island must now contend within a European network of cities as well as a national network. Forming an impressive urban corridor along the East Coast, the cities have spread their span of influence the length of the country and must now be channelled to the UK and the European mainland. IRELAND AS AN EU URBAN DOMINATED REGION If we view regional development as a focus for the spatial development plan, then each region needs an urban driver to succeed. It has been noted that those rural areas in Ireland most disadvantaged are far from urban centres. From this, spin-off developments will emerge in towns near to these urban areas, once policy is so directed. Within each region, there is a need for development in centres outside the main urban areas to reduce pressure on the principal centres of population, based on polycentric forms of development and town networking. CROSS-BORDER, INTER-URBAN CORRIDORS Inter-urban corridors are vital for the balanced growth of the country as a whole so as to limit development of the eastern region. The intrinsic strengths of other urban areas need to be exploited and this can best be achieved through efficient inter-urban connections. Within an all-island framework, this must extend across the border to reach, not just Belfast, but the network of towns and cities in Northern Ireland. Examples of such corridors include Derry-Letterkenny, Enniskillen- Sligo, Armagh-Monaghan. 16

17 MAP 3 - PRINCIPAL URBAN AREAS INFRASTRUCTURAL STRENGTHS Existing Strategic Road Corridor Existing Strategic Road Corridor Link Existing Rail Network Third Level Educational Institutes International Airports Regional Airports Ports 17

18 MAP 4 - URBANISATION PATTERN IN IRELAND Towns of Population 10,000+ Antrim Armagh Athlone Ballymena Banbridge Bangor Belfast Bray Carlow Carrickfergus Celbridge Clonmel Craigavon Coleraine Cookstown Cork Derry Downpatrick Drogheda Dublin Dundalk Dundonald Dungannon Dunmurray Ennis Enniskillen Galway Greystones Kilkenny Killarney Larne Leixlip Letterkenny Limavady Limerick Lisburn Lurgan Magherafelt Malahide Mullingar Naas Navan Newbridge Newry Newtownabbey Newtownards Omagh Portadown Port Laoise Sligo Strabane Swords Tralee Tullamore Waterford Wexford If we view regional development as a focus for this plan, then each region needs an urban driver to succeed. It has been noted that those rural areas in Ireland most disadvantaged are far from urban centres Towns of 10,000 People or More Areas Bereft of Towns of 10,000 People or More 18

19 MAP 5A - UTILITIES NETWORK, POWERLINES AND GAS 400kv Powerlines 220kv Powerlines Gas Network Towns of 10,000 People or More 19

20 MAP 5B - UTILITIES NETWORK, BROADBAND NETWORK Areas of Strengths Areas of Weaknesses 2.5 Gbits / Fibre (SDH) 565 Mbits / Fibre (PDH) < 140 Mbits / Fibre (PDH) Towns of 10,000 People or More 20 Data Source Republic of Ireland: Fitzpatrick Associates, Southern and Eastern Region Development Strategy , 1999

21 SPATIAL PLANNING AGENDA II Key Issues Necessitating Spatial Planning at a National Level from excessive and almost exclusive suburbanization of our towns, and promoting higher residential densities in tandem with improved public transportation systems. 21 ENERGY It can be argued that energy over-consumption and misuse at a national level is leading to environmental disasters that could be prevented with a more efficient use of resources and infrastructure. With demand for electricity currently growing at approximately 7% per year, there is clearly a need to develop sustainable indigenous sources of energy that can encourage regionally balanced, strong economic growth, while helping to meet EU agreed and legally binding targets on emissions of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.this relates to the competitiveness of Ireland within Europe, in that this depends, in part, on energy costs and security of energy supply considerations. It also reflects the essential role of electricity in our technology-based society and its importance for economic growth. We also have to have regard to our environmental commitment under the Kyoto Convention whereby Ireland is legally bound to limit the growth in greenhouse gas emissions to 13% above 1990 levels to This figure will already have been exceeded in 2000 so that by 2010 the real figure will be 25% above 1990 levels. This, however, is not the real challenge. The real challenge lies in the need to deal with the stronger targets that will be agreed for the post-kyoto period, which implies positioning our economy and society now to support both growth and development within a new framework of sustainability. In terms of greenhouse gas abatement, the largest single hit can be achieved in the energy sector, namely through switching fuels for electricity from peat or coal to gas and other renewable energies such as wind or hydro power. Our commitment to the pursuance of sustainable development, as per the 1997 document Sustainable Development A Strategy for Ireland, influences the spatial manifestation of our settlements, both existing and new, by desisting INDUSTRY & TRANSPORT In the absence of a re-focusing in our planning growth in the use of petrol / diesel will directly lead to an increase in CO2 emissions of 157% in the period. Transport growth is directly linked to our economic growth, both in terms of private car usage and ownership, and in freight traffic. Freight distribution within Ireland is principally dependent on our road infrastructure, 90% is thus distributed, while passenger transport is dominated by the private car especially outside urban areas, 96% of inland passenger traffic is carried by road. Car ownership levels are moving towards the EU average and if current policy is allowed to persist will continue to increase with the combined factors of sustained economic growth and the present pattern of residential sprawl, ex-urban scatter and low density housing solutions. LAND USE PLANNING The implications of our increasing dependence on the private car highlight the necessity of developing both housing and industry along public transport corridors and at public transport nodes, while developing a cheap and integrated public transport system. Additionally, inter-urban connection is the key to regional development across the periphery. A co-ordinated approach to land use planning would also be better able to protect our natural resources from haphazard and injurious development, while protecting our waterways and coastline. Better co-ordination of land use and transport policy is thus necessary to encourage more sustainable forms of development and expansion. Inherent in such a policy are the following recommendations:

22 22 Increase residential densities at transport nodes. Co-ordinate employment location with transport needs. Provide road / rail interchange facilities to help shift long distance travel to rail. Develop not just radial routes in our cities but cross-city public transport routes. SETTLEMENT PATTERNS AND DENSITIES The National Spatial Plan must be considered in the light of the recent Residential Density guidelines, the Bacon Reports on housing and the Strategic Planning Guidelines for the Greater Dublin Area, and the Border, Midland and Western Region and Southern and Eastern Region Development Strategy reports to Our present patterns of urban and residential development can only lead to more unsustainable commuting patterns and increased demand for housing being satisfied by the development of ever-more and ever-distant greenfield sites. The sprawling suburbs of Ireland s principal cities cannot provide the critical mass of population essential to support the efficient operation of public transport, be it for access to residential or employment areas, thus the high dependence on the use of the private car to meet transport needs. Additionally, the high centrality of employment in Dublin city centre, replicated throughout the country in other urban centres, means traffic congestion and increased costs of access to employment. Neither can the problems incurred through this centrality of employment be easily offset by the trend towards the suburban development of business parks. Public transport can support this employment sprawl with its ample free parking provision as little as it can the residential sprawl previously referred to, leading to increased dependence on private car access for inter-suburb travel. Among the factors contributing to increased residential demand are our changing demographics which are leading to increased household formation. In addition to smaller household size generally, this follows a trend that is being experienced throughout Europe. Ireland has experienced a significant growth in population in which brought total population to 3.7 million, the highest since This is due principally to increased levels of net immigration. Our rate of economic growth has also contributed to the demand for housing with a continued yearly GDP growth rate of 5-6%. Increased residential densities satisfy the need to reduce energy consumption and depletion of our natural resources by: Reducing the need for the development of greenfield sites and thus lessening the impact of urban sprawl and ribbon development. Improving access to existing services and facilities, thus reducing the need to travel. Creating more sustainable commuting patterns. Providing for a more economic use of existing infrastructure and serviced land. Ensuring the critical mass of population needed to support an efficient public transport system. Raising housing densities can help in meeting the need for more dwellings and stabilising house prices, as recommended in the Bacon Report on the Study of House Prices. It can also serve to reinforce the demarcation between the built-up area and the open countryside by maximising the potential of the existing urban fabric of our towns. This, of course, requires us all to learn from the mistakes of the 1960s and 70s. Sustainable settlement patterns which exploit existing and under-used infrastructure in towns, together with increased residential densities, concur with the multi-centred spatial development principles advocated in the European Spatial Development Perspective (ESDP). INFORMATION NETWORKS The global development of information networks is likely to lead to important changes locally in the relationship between economic activities, educational and spatial development. Additionally, the 1994 European Commission White Paper, Growth Competitiveness and Employment views the establishment of an information and communication network as a key to the reduction of regional disparities in economic, educational and employment activity both European-wide and nationally. The

23 availability of high quality telecommunication services is a major factor underlying the location of direct investment. Recent research has shown that already 61,000 people in the Republic of Ireland are teleworkers in a variety of industries. This rate is significantly above that of most other European states but lags behind that of the USA. Teleworking, or other exploitations of the communications infrastructure, can effect spatial patterns due to differing demands on living standards and physical infrastructure, and can increase economic and social cohesion. Distance learning can potentially make a significant contribution to reducing regional disparities, particularly in peripheral areas, in access to education and thus increase labour force skills in these areas. Main changes in telecommunications infrastructure are dictated by market forces. One of the main constraints, therefore, on the development of advanced telecommunications networks is the need to ensure commercial viability, which tends to reinforce spatial disparities, as returns are highest in the most densely populated areas. WASTE MANAGEMENT The most sustainable waste management strategy possible would centre on waste reduction and well-managed landfill.this could be achieved with the maximum amount of recycling possible at a local level and waste reduction in packaging. Ireland needs to begin the process of separating waste, re-using and recycling. Labour will soon publish proposals to radically improve our recycling rates. However, to initiate such a programme would involve massive investment in managing community recycling and waste reduction programmes. This could be the investment that would otherwise go towards incineration and superdump development. However, the former method of waste management requires a change in the mindset of the population and education on the whole issue of waste.while the NIMBY (not in my back yard) concept is strongest in opposing waste treatment facilities, this opposition needs to be redirected towards claiming responsibility for local waste management. 23

24 SPATIAL PLANNING AGENDA III MAP 6 - BASIC STRATEGY It is suggested that four basic strategies be pursued in the short to medium term, to embrace the whole island. This strategy must satisfy the principal requirements of the National Spatial Plan as previously set out: (i) Conceived on an all-island basis. (ii) Based on a politically agreed set of socio-economic goals. (iii) Framed on sustainable principles. 1. Re-integrate the severed links between the East and North West. The removal of road and rail links between the North West and Border regions from the 1950 s onwards has resulted in a situation where there are inadequate railways, and road links between the main centres are poor quality. 2. Make the West as Wealthy as the Rest - this reflects the policies of the National Development Plan regarding the Border, Midlands and Western regions. 3. Accelerate the development of the Belfast- Dublin Economic Corridor. The rapid improvement of transportation links along the Corridor should be exploited by the identification of employment nodes, new or expanded ports, new tourism outlets, Mournes, Cooley, Wicklow and North Wexford, and consolidated residential locations. 4. Direct tourism pressures away from overheating areas. 5. Overarching all of the above, we must ensure that every household and organisation has access to a broadband communications network. Provision of this can be managed on a regionby-region competitive tender basis. 24

25 MAP 7 - LARGE NATURAL LAND AREAS OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE These generally reflect the national scenic landscapes identified by Bord Failte, Dúchas, and the Northern Ireland Development Plan. These are areas of great natural beauty which demand special management attention. In the Republic, National Parks are located in five of these areas. Appropriate management processes are required not for freezing great tracts of the countryside as tourist reserves but rather recognising the countryside as a functional unit which remains in the ownership of those who live and work in it. It is suggested that in the context of supporting the further development of these areas while enabling them to retain their character, that a balanced approach to curtailing damaging activities and encouraging high quality, high added value activities be adopted: No developments which are referred to in the First Schedule of the European Communities (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 1989 be proposed by State or Local Authorities or permitted if proposed by private individuals. This would exclude, for example: - Waste incinerator - Pig rearing units of more than 1000 units - Peat extraction of 50 hectares or more - Any heavy industry - Industrial estates of more than 15 hectares - Holiday villages of more than 100 dwellings No new development within 1 km of the coastline. 25 Large Natural Land Areas of National Significance

26 MAP 8 - COASTAL AND RIVER PROTECTION Ireland s coastline is a national asset which must be protected and improved to continue reaping economic, commercial, social and aesthetic benefits. 60% of the population of Ireland live in coastal areas, the majority of these (75%) being in the urban areas of Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford. Intensification and spread of urban development in coastal areas can increase the negative impacts of rising sea levels and exacerbate coastal erosion. Problems relating to coastal Ireland need to be addressed, such as: 1. Deterioration and loss of coastal habitats due to pressure for development. 2. Degradation of the fisheries and recreation value of natural inlets due to industrialisation and pollution. 3. Eutrophication of estuaries and tidal inlets due mainly to nutrient run-off from intensively farmed land. 4. Extensive development of new holiday homes occupied for short periods of the year. 5. Increased threat of erosion and loss of low-lying land due to global warming and sea-level rise. 6. Litter. 7. Lack of an adequate coast watch. 1 km Zone of Limited Development 26

27 Policy evolution and implementation should consider the dynamic nature of the coastal zone and its ecosystems, in addition to the particular local and regional character of coastal resources and processes. Thus, detailed plans should be prepared for each region. General policy suggested to protect coastal areas is to exclude all new development within 1 km of the shoreline outside of zoned urban areas, other than that exempt under the 1994 Regulations.This is in the interests of maintaining the character of the coastline and to recognise the effects of future global warming. Coastal zone management is heavily connected to estuary management, since rivers carry many kinds of pollutants to estuaries and the sea. As part of spatial planning and land-use schemes, protection of our water reserves should be based on: (a) Defining acquifer renewal areas as vulnerable and sensitive areas (b) Protection zones around areas of groundwater extraction for human consumption, consisting of progressively increasing restrictions on contamination levels (c) The formulation of crisis management plans for each area at risk, particularly focusing on preventative measures The possibility of extending the 1km policy outlined above to the Shannon Waterway system, and other sensitive waterways, might be considered due to the extent of the area of influence into any one river system, as seen here with the Shannon system of tributaries. 27

28 MAP 9 - PROPOSED MOTORWAY / DUAL CARRIAGEWAY NETWORK This suggests the future minimum motorway / dual carriageway network around the island and would include: Letterkenny/Derry to Cork/Rosslare via Enniskillen, Sligo, Galway, Limerick. Derry/Letterkenny Dublin link. Proposed Motorway / Dual Carriageway Network 28

29 MAP 10 - FUTURE RAIL NETWORK Electrified Lines Belfast/Rosslare via Dublin. Dublin/Galway, via Mullingar. Dublin/Cork. New or Re-Opened Lines Dublin/Derry/Letterkenny. New link from upgraded existing or proposed Kingscourt/Dublin via Navan or via Mullingar / Inny Junction. New line between Navan and Cootehill and upgrading and re-opening of previous dismantled line Cootehill/Derry via Enniskillen. Re-open Claremorris/Colloney link to Sligo. Existing Proposed Electrified 29

30 MAP 11 - FUTURE GAS NETWORK The pipeline from the new gas field off the West Coast should be brought to a point on land where it can most efficiently serve the North West and Border regions. Existing Network Suggested Future Network 30

31 MAP 12 - FUTURE ELECTRICITY NETWORK The electricity network needs to be extended to provide those areas in the Western regions with a network strength which can both exploit renewable energy resources and attract industry. 400kv Powerlines 220kv Powerlines Extension of 220kv Line Upgrade Powerline to Harness Renewable Energy Sources (Wind) Towns of 10,000 People or More 31

32 MAP 13 - FUTURE BROADBAND NETWORK The broadband network needs to be strong in precisely those areas which are most peripheral and inaccessible, to exploit new technologies to overcome regional discrepancies in income, employment, and educational skills. 2.5 Gbits / Fibre (SDH) 2.5 Gbits / Fibre (SDH) < 140 Mbits / Fibre (PDH) Upgrading / Extension of Network Towns of 10,000 People or More 32

33 MAP 14 - AIR TRANSPORT There is an extensive existing air transport network. In the context of future development nodes, locations for new or improved local airports might be considered at: Abbeyshrule / Midlands. Kilkenny. Enniskillen (St Angelo). International Airports Regional Airports New or Improved Regional Airports 33

34 MAP 15 - PORTS As an external trading nation and the only country in the EU without a fixed road link to its partners, Ireland s port policy is of paramount importance. The provision of good quality access to the principal gateway ports and their smooth and continued operation is essential. In particular, the position of Dublin as the most significant port having a throughput of 34% of foreign trade requires support. The possibility of creating new ports on the East Coast, particularly proximate to the Dublin-Belfast economic corridor should be considered. The proposal for developing the Shannon Estuary as a deep water transhipment port should be further investigated. Existing Ports Ports Cork Derry Drogheda / Mornington Dublin Fenit Galway Greencastle / Greenore Killybegs Larne New / Expanded Arklow Belfast Limerick / Foynes Loughshinney Rosslare Sligo Waterford / Belview Existing Ports Potential New or Expanded Ports 34

35 MAP 16 - WATERWAY NETWORK New links might be added to the present network to add to its tourism potential and in particular to provide shorter loops which would permit the exploration of areas presently unvisited by tourists: Providing a Portrush/Limerick link via the reopened Ulster Canal. Providing a Grand Canal/Royal Canal loop via a re-opened Kilbeggan branch, link to Brosna and thence via Lough Ennel to Mullingar. Providing a link from the Shannon to the Royal Canal via the Bilkinny River near Ballymahon. A link via the Erne to Lough Oughter. Existing Network Suggested Links 35

36 MAP 17 - RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES Ireland has considerable renewable energy potential, well-distributed and dominated by wind energy. Local energy production is more efficient than transporting energy over long distances to remote and peripheral areas. Ease of connection to the electricity grid is a problem with the network being weakest in those areas where the sources of renewable energy and the potential of local energy production are strongest. Wind power can be used in association with hydropower, solar and photovoltaic power in the electrification of isolated rural areas in order to apply the most efficient energy source to each area. Even if one source of energy is not very effective, the combined sources could meet the energy needs of the users. Local skills in renewable energy could be developed to create self-sustaining communities in terms of energy needs thus strengthening the rural infrastructure economically and socially and contributing to regional cohesion. Coastal and upland areas which offer the highest wind speeds are often marked by a high occurrence of nationally designated areas prohibiting, or at the least, limiting wind farm development. For this reason, other locations, perhaps with lower wind speeds but offering different advantages could be considered. (a) Peatlands Commercial peatlands in the Midlands lend themselves to the development of wind energy for a number of reasons. Firstly, the development of large scale wind energy projects on former industrial peatlands would be a natural progression from one source of energy production to another. Additionally, many of the old industrial peat stations are still connected to the electricity grid thus allowing the use of existing grid connections. The peatlands are characterised by large, flat exposed sites with little protection cover thus maximising the less than optimal wind speeds. Wind 6 and Greater * * Existing Wind Farms Existing ESB Hydro Stations Possible Windfarm Development in Peatland Areas Possible Windfarm Development in Harbour Areas * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 36 * * *

37 (b) Urban Harbour Areas With over 60% of the population of Ireland living in urban areas, it seems appropriate to consider renewable energy production in precisely those areas where there is ease of access to the electricity grid and where impact on designated sites and visual impact are negligible. Harbour areas are used extensively in Northern England, The Netherlands and Denmark for windfarm development. As our main urban areas lie on the coast, the opportunity exists to reach the maximum amount of people over a short distance with wind energy development thus located. 37

38 MAP 18 - CITY NETWORKS STRATEGY To counter-balance the dominant effect of Dublin and to reduce regional disparities, it is imperative that smaller towns and cities nationwide seek co-operation and strategic alliances with nearby cities and towns in the formation of city networks. This co-operation can take place at the local level, where smaller towns and villages around the larger urban centres are inter-linked to maximise the use of existing infrastructure and capitalise on strengths, and at the broader county/regional level where larger towns can develop mutually beneficial support structures to build on their specialisations. Co-operation in analysing and preparing common comprehensive spatial development perspectives and joint marketing for their geographic area which complement rather than create competition between the towns, can increase the national and international potential of the entire area. There is a need to address the critical mass of population needed to support a range of services to develop a self-sustaining town. Here, the focus is on towns of 10,000+ population as an indicator. Certainly these are the towns which can be most easily made attractive to investors and potential inhabitants due to the existing range of services and possibility for their expansion. In areas lacking this criterion, networks between smaller towns are even more important to compensate for the lack of an urban driver. The dominance of towns of 10,000+ population can be clearly seen in the East of the country.this needs to be counter-balanced by developing a synergy between the major urban centres in the West, in addition to the city networks that should develop. Towns of 10,000 People or More Potential City Networks 38

39 MAP 19 - SUGGESTED SPATIAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY The key to this spatial development strategy is to recognise the importance to the economy of our ports of entry and of the opportunities created by developing growth centres outside the East region and Dublin. Following the three principles of (i) an all-island basis (ii) agreed socio-economic goals and (iii) sustainable development outlined earlier, the strategy focuses on: Development and strengthening of the basic infrastructure network of roads, rail and air links. Realising and maximising the potential of the growth centres. Exploiting the opportunities resulting from crossborder links and the re-integration of severed catchments. Gateway Cities Existing/Expanding Towns/Cities New Cities Principal Arterial Roads Rail Routes International Airports Regional Airports New or Improved Regional Airports 39

40 SPATIAL PLANNING AGENDA IV AN ALTERNATIVE MODEL OF URBAN / RURAL DEVELOPMENT STUDY I - ATHLONE AND ITS CATCHMENT Settlement Strategy It is suggested that the expansion of Athlone should be based on the polycentric model. The optimum direction of expansion for topographical reasons is northwards towards Lough Ree, beyond the N6. However, rather than a radical expansion of the town itself, the existing settlements - particularly those which have higher order facilities such as Moate, Clara, Ferbane and Ballinasloe - should be expanded based on improved public transport. Roads and Public Transport Major Arterial Roads The N6 should be improved to dual carriageway standard and a new causeway bypass provided south of Athlone between Cornafulla and Farnagh. The N55, N61 and N62 should be improved to national roads standards. Rail The suggested reactivation of the Mullingar- Athlone line as part of an electrified Dublin- Galway line would provide easy access from Moate and Ballinasloe. New settlements (subject to drainage availability) at Corraree and Streamstown might be considered in order to maximise the use of a local rail system between Ballinasloe and Mullingar, serving Athlone. The present Dublin-Galway line via Clara might be utilised to provide a new settlement at Bolyconor, south west of Moate and possibly another at Kilgarvan close to Athlone. The villages of Lecarrow, Knockroghery and Kiltoom might be locations for settlements on the railway line to Westport. Bus Three circular rural bus routes might be provided: Southwards serving Ballynahown, Ferbane, Belmont and Shannon Bridge. This would also serve as a tourist route serving the Blackwater Bog railway and Clonmacnoise, which are national tourist destination sites. Westwards to Curraghboy, Ballyforan, Ahascragh, Ballinasloe and Ballydangan. This route would permit the expansion of Ballyforan. Eastwards via Ballykeeran, Ballymahon, Ballymore, Streamstown, Moate and Mount Temple. This would also serve the tourist route on the eastern side of Lough Ree via Glassan and the Goldsmith country. Air Transport Air facilities at Abbeyshrule and Athlone, should be expanded and consolidated and connected to the national road network. Amenities and Tourism The potential of the Shannon, the Royal and Grand Canals should be further exploited. Two links should be examined: From the Royal Canal to the Shannon via the Bilberry River near Ballymahon. The re-opening of the link to Kilbeggan and from there to the River Brosna and via Lough Ennell to Lacy s Canal and Mullingar. These two linkages would give shorter circular routes which might promote more tourism traffic. All development, other than those on zoned land, would be prohibited within the identified maximum flood plain of the Shannon and Suck systems. 40

41 MAP 20 - ATHLONE CATCHMENT STUDY Athlone Expansion Rail Line Village/Towns Expansion Electrified Rail Line New Settlements Arterial Routes Major Tourist Destination Bus Routes Significant Natural Land Areas Canals Upgraded Regional Airports New Canal Link 41

42 MAP 21 - WATERFORD CATCHMENT STUDY Village/Towns Expansion Arterial Routes New Settlements Bus Routes Major Tourist Destination Significant Natural Land Areas Regional Airport 42 Waterf ord Expansi Rail Line