COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, March 12, 2018

QUESTION NO.5b)

QUESTION: Councillor P. Foley

Could a copy of the Chief Executive submission to the EMRA's Regional Spatial & Economic Strategy be provided to all Councillors and can he make a statement on the matter?

REPLY:

The purpose of a Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (RSES) is to implement the National Planning Framework (NPF) “Our Plan 2040”. The Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly (EMRA) has commenced work on the preparation of a RSES for Eastern and Midland Region. South Dublin County Council (SDCC) is part of the Dublin Strategic Planning Area (SPA). The Eastern and Midland Region RSES includes the Dublin SPA.

The RSES will replace and supersede the Regional Planning Guidelines for the Greater Dublin Area 2010 - 2022.

The RSES will identify the key strategic assets, opportunities and challenges and set out policy responses in relation to housing, employment, transportation, and amenity issues up to 2030 and beyond.

Content

The RSES will consist of three elements:

  1. A spatial strategy for the future location of employment, housing and retail development along with supporting infrastructure and services, to consolidate cities and towns and protects environmental quality and mitigates the impacts of climate change.
  2. An economic strategy with policies to boost and support economic competitiveness and create high-quality sustainable employment.
  3. A Dublin Metropolitan Area Strategic Plan (MASP) to plan for the future sustainable growth of Dublin city region.

The RSES will be informed by:

  1. The NPF, National Investment Plan (NIP), economic and other relevant policies of the government, including climate change plans.
  2. A Socio- Economic Profile for the region.
  3. A Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), Appropriate Assessment (AA) and Flood Risk Assessment (FRA).

Stages in the RSES process

The formulation of the RSES has now begun with Public Consultation on the pre-Draft Issues Paper completed.

 From 20 November 2017 until 16 February 2018 at 5pm local authorities, public and private agencies, interest groups and any interested member of the public could make submissions. These submissions will be taken into consideration in the preparation of the Draft RSES.

SDCC submission on the EMRA RSES Issues Paper is attached.

In Q2 2018, the Draft RSES and associated environmental reports will be placed on public display for at least ten (10) weeks during which time submissions and observations will again be invited.

Following consideration of observations on the Draft RSES, the EMRA will consider appropriate amendments and any proposed amendments will be subject to environmental assessment.

The thirty eight (38) members of the EMRA will adopt the RSES by the end of 2018.

Conclusion

Once the RSES is adopted by, each planning authority and public body within the region will be obliged to review their plans and programmes and consider any variations to those plans and programmes as is necessary in order to achieve the objectives of the RSES.