The National Spatial Strategy

Its Role in Creating Competitive and Sustainable Regions

2002-2009+

Mr Niall CussenSenior Planning Advisor

Department of Environment Heritage and Local Government (RoI)

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Sligo

Dundalk

Dublin

Cork

Waterford

Belfast

Dundalk

Dublin

Mullingar

Athlone

Tullamore

Galway

Cork

Waterford

Belfast

KillarneyTraleeMallow

Ennis

Monaghan

Castlebar

Ballina

KilkennyWexford

Tuam

Limerick/Shannon

Letterkenny

Derry

Cavan

Dundalk

Larne

Newry

Enniskillen

What was it all about in the first place?

Government’s 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/GuidelinesNDP 2007-2013

Towards 2016

Climate Change

Dept/Agency Capital programmes

PlanningGuidelines

Spatial Strategy National

RegionalRegional Planning

Guidelines

Local Plans

DevelopmentPlans

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

Dec

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nP

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Our Planning System

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Government• Cross-cutting issues

• Cabinet Sub-Committee• Minister

Regional / LocalAuthorities, Social

Partners etc.• Reg. planning guide lines

• Monitoring• Interaction

DoELG• Preparing &, reviewing

theNSS approach• Integrating key functions

• Monitoring &evaluation progress

GovernmentDepartments / Agencies

• Embedding policy• Supporting NSS

Research• Updating research

• New research• Links at EU &

other levels

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 2009-2010

• 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 (2000-2006 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 (2003-2006 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 (2000-2005 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 (1.4-1.6% 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…

Region Undeveloped Zoned Serviced Land Ready for Development at 30 June 2008

  haHouse

Potential %Ave

dw/ha

Pop Potential

@ 2.75/dw

% of 2008 Pop

% of 08-16 Increase

(100% of inc in these areas)

Border 3,295 80,833 17.7 24.5 222,291 45.1 369.3

Dublin 2,209 149,020 32.7 67.5 409,805 33.7 285.8

Mid East 1,054 34,065 7.5 32.3 93,679 18.2 117.0

Midland 1,183 32,614 7.2 27.6 89,689 33.6 294.1

Mid West 1,200 30,830 6.8 25.7 84,783 22.8 153.3

South West 2,094 58,402 12.8 27.9 160,606 24.9 173.6

South East 1,674 39,470 8.7 23.6 108,541 22.3 199.5

West 1,248 30,667 6.7 24.6 84,334 19.8 143.9

TOTAL 13,958 455,901 100.0 32.7 1,253,728 28.4 218.0

• 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 CO2 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 CO2 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 ProgressNSS 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 strengthening 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 3rd 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…

niall.cussen@environ.ie 353 1 8882077