02. Core & Settlement Strategy

Note:

Additions are shown in green text.

Deletions are shown in red text with strikrthrough

Proposed Amendment CH 2.1
Section	Heading	Page no.
2.3	Strategic Aims	25

Amend Housing bullet-point within Strategic Aim 2.3 by deleting “and” from first sentence and add the words “and countryside” after villages.

Housing - To facilitate the sustainable growth of all rural areas, towns and villages and countryside throughout the county by seeking to accommodate, as far as possible, all persons in their choices to live in our rural areas, towns and villages; by supporting and strengthening the rural economy to sustain vibrant rural communities and by promoting consolidation and compact development of all urban and rural settlements in an attractive setting that provides a suitable mix of housing with supporting amenities; and by ensuring coordinated investment in infrastructure that will support economic competitiveness and create a high quality living and working environment.

Proposed Amendment CH 2.2
Section	Heading	Page no.
2.3	Strategic Aims	26

Amend Settlements bullet-point within Strategic Aim 2.3 by deleting “and” from first sentence and add the words “and countryside” after villages.

Settlements - To develop Mayo's settlements as a network of attractive, livable towns and villages and countryside in the county with sustainable levels of population, employment activity and enhanced levels of amenity which encourage a high quality of life and well-being and support a sustainable synergy with the rural countryside.

Proposed Amendment CH 2.3
Section	Heading	Page no.
2.3	Strategic Aims	26

Insert map showing the strategic road network in the county as shown below:

New map Strategic Road Network in Mayo

Proposed Amendment CH 2.4
Section	Heading	Page no.
2.3	Strategic Aims	26

Insert additional Strategic Aim in Section 2.3 directly beneath Movement and Transport to read as follows:

Strategic Road Network - To maintain the strategic function, capacity and safety of the national roads network, including planning for future capacity enhancements, and to ensure that the existing extensive transport networks, are maintained to a high level to ensure quality levels of service, safety, accessibility and connectivity to transport users.

Proposed Amendment CH 2.5
Section	Heading	Page no.
2.6	Strategic County Development Objectives	30

Amend the title of SO 9 from:

Appropriate Assessment, Strategic Environmental Assessment and Strategic Flood Risk Assessment

to

Ecological Impact Assessment, Appropriate Assessment, Strategic Environmental Assessment and Strategic Flood Risk Assessment.

 

Proposed Amendment CH 2.6
Section	Heading	Page no.
2.6	Strategic County Development Objectives	30

Amend text in Part b of SO 9 as follows:

b) To require project planning to be fully informed by ecological and environmental constraints at the earliest stage of project development and any necessary assessment to be undertaken, including Ecological Impact Assessments (EcIA) and assessments of disturbance to species protected under the Wildlife Act and/or the Flora Protection Act and of Habitat IV species protected under the Habitats Directive.

Proposed Amendment CH 2.7
Section	Heading	Page no.
2.5.7	Core Strategy Table	35

Amend Core Strategy and HNDA/Housing Strategy of the Draft Plan to accord with the requirements of the Section 28 Ministerial Guidelines, as per Appendix II (Core Strategy) and Appendix IV (HNDA/Housing Strategy) of the CE Report.

Table 2.4 Revised Core Strategy Table

Proposed Amendment CH 2.8
Section	Heading	Page no.
2.7.8	Retail Strategy	35

Amend Core Strategy Table, to quantify, in hectares, existing and proposed residential zoned lands, and lands zoned for a mix of residential and other uses for Tier II settlements and include a combined figure at tier level for Tier III, Tier IV and Tier V town/village centres.

Table 2.4 Revised Core Strategy Table

 

 

Proposed Amendment CH 2.9
Section	Heading	Page no.
2.7.8	Retail Strategy	36

Amend Section 2.7.8 as shown below:

The Mayo County Development Plan recognises a three four tier retail hierarchy in the county (See Table 2.6 below). This retail hierarchy is consistent with the RSES (2020-2020), Section 28 Retail Planning Guidelines (2012) and top three tiers of the Settlement Strategy, and aims to concentrate higher order shopping functions in Castlebar, Ballina and Westport. The sequential approach to development will be applied to proposals for retail development in accordance with the Retail Planning Guidelines for Planning Authorities (DoEHLG 2012). The land use maps for Tiers I to III, inclusive, identifies inner (town centre) and outer (edge of town centre) town centre areas to assist in the applicable of the sequential approach, whilst ensuring edge of-centre sites are within easy walking distance of the identified primary retail area of each town.

 

Proposed Amendment CH 2.10
Section	Heading	Page no.
2.7.8	Retail Strategy	36

Insert County Retail Hierarchy Table as shown below:

Tiers	Town	RPGs Retail Hierarchy Tiers
Tier I(a) – Key Towns	Ballina and Castlebar	Regional (Tier 2)
Tier I(b) – Strategic Growth Centre	Westport	Sub-Regional/District Centre (Tier 3)
Tier II – Self-Sustaining Growth Centres	Ballinrobe, Ballyhaunis, Belmullet, Claremorris and Swinford	Small Towns and Rural Areas (Tier 4)
Tier III – Self-Sustaining Growth Centres	Balla, Charlestown Crossmolina, Foxford, Knock, Killala, Kiltimagh, Louisburgh and Newport.	Small Towns and Rural Areas (Tier 4)
Tier IV – Rural Settlements	18 no. Rural Settlements	Local Shopping (Tier 5)
Tier V – Rural Villages	37 no. Rural Villages	Local Shopping (Tier 5)

Proposed Amendment CH 2.11
Section	Heading	Page no.
2.7.9	Monitoring & Management	36

Amend text within 2.7.9 Monitoring & Management as below:

With the adoption of specific population targets for the county and each settlement/tier typology, the monitoring of the extent of residential development is required to ensure that development occurs in a coherent, reasoned and evidence-based manner. The delivery of all residential development will be carefully monitored during the lifetime of this Plan to ensure it does not cumulatively result in housing units or population being exceeded. Any new statutory guidelines put in place under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act to assist in this exercise shall be implemented upon publication. within the context of the overall population limits within the county and in accordance with the Core Strategy and S28 Housing Target Guidelines. Furthermore, if the projected population/unit within a particular Key Town, Strategic Growth Town or Tier II settlement is reached during the lifetime of the Plan, it is considered that there should be scope to exceed this target within the settlement, while remaining within the confines of the overall population allocation for the county.

roposed Amendment CH 2.12
Section	Heading	Page no.
2.6.10	Core Strategy Policies	36

Amend CSP 1 by replacing “sustainable” with “all” in first sentence, full stop after county. Delete remainder of Policy.

CSP 1 To promote and facilitate the development of sustainable  all communities in the county. , by managing the level of growth in each settlement to ensure future growth is in accordance with the Core Strategy and County Settlement Hierarchy, in order to deliver sustainable and vibrant rural and urban communities.

Proposed Amendment CH 2.13
Section	Heading	Page no.
2.6.10	Core Strategy Policies	36

Delete CDP 2.

CSP 2 To support the implementation of the Core Strategy for Mayo in a manner that is consistent with policies at a national and regional level, in particular population targets and distribution.

Proposed Amendment CH 2.14
Section	Heading	Page no.
2.6.10	Core Strategy Policies	37

 

Amend CSP 4 by deleting “compact” from the 1^st line. Add “and open countryside” after villages. Full stop after county. Delete remainder of Policy

CSP 4: To support the compact growth of towns and villages and open countryside to ensure that development proceeds sustainably and at an appropriate scale. , density and sequence and in line with the Core Strategy Table.

Proposed Amendment CH 2.15
Section	Heading	Page no.
2.6.10	Core Strategy Objectives	37

 

Amend CSO 4 by adding the words “where available” after “sites” on the 2^ndline. Delete the words “in preference” and replace with “as an alternative”.

CSO 4 To move towards more compact towns by promoting the development of infill and brownfield/consolidation/regeneration sites where available and the redevelopment of underutilised land within and close to the existing built up footprint of existing settlements in preference as an alternative to edge of centre locations.

Proposed Amendment CH 2.16
Section	Heading	Page no.
2.6.10	Core Strategy Objectives	37

 

Delete CSO 5 text and replace with “To encourage where possible the delivery of 30% of new homes in urban areas within the existing built up footprint of settlement.”

CSO 5 To deliver at least 30% of all new homes in urban areas within the existing built up footprint of settlements.

CSO 5 To encourage where possible the delivery of 30% of new homes in urban areas within the existing built up footprint of settlement.

Proposed Amendment CH 2.17
Section	Heading	Page no.
2.6.10	Core Strategy Objectives	37

Amend Objective CSO 6 to read as follows:

To deliver at least 20% of all new homes in the rural area on suitable brownfield sites, including rural towns, villages and the open countryside within the existing built up footprint of settlements. For the purpose of clarity, rural towns/villages are settlements with population levels less than 1,500 persons.

Proposed Amendment CH 2.18
Section	Heading	Page no.
2.6.10	Core Strategy Objectives	37

 

Delete CSO 7.

CSO 7 To implement all land use planning policies and objectives in a manner which takes account of and is consistent with the Core Strategy, in order to accelerate a transition to a greener, low carbon and climate resilient county with a focus on reduced travel demand through the promotion of sustainable settlement patterns.

Proposed Amendment CH 2.19
Section	Heading	Page no.
2.6.10	Core Strategy Policies	37

 

Insert new policy after CSP 4 as shown below:

CSP: To facilitate, if necessary, an increase in the housing unit allocation within a particular Key Town, Strategic Growth or Tier II settlement, should the allocated housing target for that settlement be reached within the lifetime of the Plan, while remaining within the confines of the overall population target for the county, as reflected in the Core Strategy.

Proposed Amendment CH 2.20
Section	Heading	Page no.
2.6.10	Core Strategy Policies	37

 

Insert new policy after CSP 4 as shown below:

CSP: It is a Policy the Council to examine the feasibility and where practical, seek to facilitate serviced sites on council acquired land, at affordable prices within the footprint of existing settlements, predominantly aimed at Tier II and Tier III settlements. These serviced sites would be developed and master planned by Mayo County Council and made available for sale to persons who meet a defined range of criteria to be established in consultation with the Housing SPC and/or national guidelines.

Proposed Amendment CH 2.21
Section	Heading	Page no.
2.6.10	Core Strategy Objectives	38

 

Delete CSO 8.

CSO 8 To monitor development for compliance with the objectives of the Core Strategy and adjust, where necessary, the approach taken to the consideration of development proposals, in order to ensure effective and reasonable alignment with national and regional policy and objectives.

Proposed Amendment CH 2.22
Section	Heading	Page no.
2.8	Settlement Strategy	38

Amend Settlement Strategy as below:

The settlement strategy will continue to provide the framework for the sustainable development of the county by continuing to balance balancing the distribution of Mayo’s population at current ratio levels – rural to urban to the ratio of 60:40 Rural to Urban by ensuring development is targeted in a manner that revitalises Mayo’s rural population without compromising the growth of either. its urban areas. The aim is to provide a sustainable synergy between both through the settlement hierarchy.

Table 2.4 Revised Core Strategy Table

Proposed Amendment CH 2.23
Section	Heading	Page no.
2.8	Settlement Strategy	38

Amend Figure 2.2 (Synergy Between Rural and Urban through Settlement Hierarchy (Figure 2.2) and add Key Towns above Strategic Growth Town as illustrated below.

Proposed Amendment CH 2.24
Section	Heading	Page no.
2.8.1	Settlement Hierarchy Table	39

Amend Table 2.5 (Settlement Hierarchy) and add Key Towns above Strategic Growth Town as illustrated below:

Proposed Amendment CH 2.25
Section	Heading	Page no.
2.8.1.1	Rural Countryside	41

 

Amend 2.8.1.1 by deleting the word “avoiding inappropriate development from urban areas” as below:

The rural countryside is and will continue to be a living and lived-in landscape focusing on the requirements of rural economies and communities, while at the same time avoiding inappropriate development from urban areas and protecting environmental assets. The Council will ensure that development of the unserviced rural areas takes place in a manner that is compatible with the protection of key economic, environmental, biodiversity and cultural/heritage assets such as the road network, water quality and important landscapes.

Proposed Amendment CH 2.26
Section	Heading	Page no.
2.8.1.5	Self-Sustaining Growth Towns (Tier II)	43

Amend Section 2.8.1.5 paragraph two below to read as follows:

On an individual level, it is considered that Swinford also merits inclusion based on its strategic location on the N5, along the Atlantic Economic Corridor and in close proximity to Ireland West Airport Knock and the Strategic Growth Centres Key Towns of Ballina and Castlebar. Béal an Mhuirthead also merits inclusion being an important Gaeltacht Service Town along the Coastal Zone and Wild Atlantic Way. The town plays a key role in the delivering services and supporting employment for the northwest region of Mayo which is at a remove from other growth towns.

Proposed Amendment CH 2.27
Section	Heading	Page no.
2.8.1.6	Self-Sustaining Growth Towns (Tier II)	43

Amend paragraph one of Section 2.8.1.6 below to read as follows:

2.8.1.6 Keys Towns and Strategic Growth Towns (Tier I)

The towns included in Tier I of the settlement strategy are described as Tier 1(a) Key Towns and a Tier I (b) Strategic Growth Towns. These towns are the main urban centres of scale in the county. The RSES designates Castlebar and Ballina as Key Towns. Key Towns are defined as regionally, strategic employment centres of significant scale that can act as regional drivers that complement and support the higher-order urban areas within the settlement hierarchy. Westport, a Strategic Growth Town in the settlement hierarchy, is identified in the RSES as an urban centre with strategic development potential, which and seeks to build on the strong physical, economic and social intrinsic links with between Castlebar and Westport. The future growth of Castlebar and Westport is best achieved by building on these intrinsic links to grow in tandem as a driver of economic development for the county and region.

Proposed Amendment CH 2.28
Section	Heading	Page no.
2.8.1.6	Settlement Strategy Objectives	45

 

 Delete wording for SSO 1 and replace with new SSO 1 wording as below:

SSO 1 To facilitate the appropriate growth of the Rural Countryside by offering a sustainable choice for people to live in order to maintain vibrant Rural Communities.

SSO 1 To promote rural sustainability by facilitating people who wish to live in the rural countryside.

Proposed Amendment CH 2.29
Section	Heading	Page no.
2.8.1.6	Settlement Strategy Objectives	46

 

Amend Objective SSO 9 to read as follows:

SSO 9: To ensure that all applications for retail developments are appropriate to the retail role, function and capacity of settlements within the settlement hierarchy and County Retail Hierarchy (Table 2.6) and have regard to the Retail Planning Guidelines for Planning Authorities (DoEHLG 2012, as amended or superseded).

Proposed Amendment CH 2.30
Section	Heading	Page no.
2.8.1.6	Settlement Strategy Objectives	46

 

Insert new objectives after Objective SSO 12 in Chapter 2 of the Draft Plan to read as follows:

SSO: The land use zoning provisions of the existing town and environs development plans for Ballina, Castlebar and Westport shall continue to be implemented on an interim basis until such time as local area plans are adopted for these towns, whilst also having regard to any draft local area plan, and subject to compliance with the provisions of the Mayo County Development Plan, including the Core Strategy population/housing targets.

SSO: Development proposals in Ballina, Castlebar and Westport shall be assessed on an interim basis taking account of the principles of proper planning and sustainable development inter alia traffic safety, residential amenity, flood risk, cultural, natural and built heritage, and in accordance with the provisions of the Mayo County Development Plan, including the Core Strategy population/housing targets.

SSO: To support and facilitate the achievement of the key priorities identified for the Key Towns of Ballina and Castlebar to maximise opportunities of regional scale, as set out in Section 3.8 of the RSES (2020-2032).

SSO: To identify and facilitate higher and increased building heights for appropriate uses at suitable locations in the Tier I (a) Key Towns of Ballina and Castlebar consistent with SPPRs 1-4 of the Urban Development and Building Heights Guidelines for Planning Authorities’ (2018).