TII notes that the Proposed Amendments collectively address Rural Housing Objectives in the Development Plan. TII acknowledges that rural areas play an important role in County Mayo and the Authority supports the need to sustain these rural communities.
Having regard to the extensive and largely rural nature of the strategic national road network in Mayo, it is considered that development proposals addressed in the Rural Housing Policies of the Development Plan have the potential to result in a demand for access to the strategic national road network.
The Council will be aware that the National Development Plan, 2021 – 2030, outlines the key sectoral priority of maintaining Ireland’s existing national road network to a robust and safe standard for users. This position is further reflected in the publication of the National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland. The DoECLG Spatial Planning and National Roads Guidelines also emphasis the critical importance of ensuring high standards of road safety on national roads which is addressed by managing access and intensification of access to national roads and guarding against a proliferation of roadside development accessing national roads to which speed limits greater than 50 – 60kph apply.
The creation of new access or intensification of existing direct access to a national road outside 50-60kph urban speed limit locations, in such circumstances, would conflict with the provisions of official policy included in the Section 28 Ministerial Guidelines ‘Spatial Planning and National Roads Guidelines for Planning Authorities’ (DoECLG, 2012).
Therefore, in the interests of clarity, TII would welcome a cross reference included in Section 3.4.8 Rural Single Housing of the Draft Plan referring to Section 6.4.2.1 National Roads and Policy MTP 16 which reflects Government policy and outlines the Councils policy on the management of development access to national roads to which speed limits greater than 50 - 60 kph apply.
TII is if the opinion that such a cross reference would provide clarification and early assistance to applicants in the preparation of any planning application where there may be implications for the strategic national road network in the area and clearly identify, at an early stage, any policy conflicts related to access to national roads for applicants to consider.
Recommendation
TII would welcome consideration by the Council of the following:
▪ Include a cross reference in Section 3.4.8 of the Draft Plan, and associated Policy Objectives, referring to Proposed Policy MTP 16 in the interests of providing clarification and early assistance to applicants in the preparation of any rural housing planning application where there may be implications for the strategic national road network in the area.