Regional Strategies
Regional Assemblies
A significant reform of local government was undertaken in 2014. The most visible effect was the abolition of Urban District Councils and Town Councils. In accordance with the government policy of rationalising local government, the number of regional assemblies was reduced from 8 to 3
The North and Western Regional Assembly comprises Connaught and the counties of Ulster within the Republic of Ireland.
The Southern Regional Assembly consists of Muster together with Carlow Kilkenny and Wexford.
The Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly consists of Leinster other than Carlow Kilkenny and Wexford. The members of the regional assemblies constitute the elected members of the local authorities in that area.
The roles of the Assemblies was enhanced under amendments to planning legislation. They are to make regional spatial and economic strategies. They are involved in the making of development plans.
The Regional Assemblies are divided into strategic planning areas which correspond in broad terms to the former regional authority areas. There is to be a strategic planning area committee which prepares the regional spatial and economic strategies. These equates to the former regional planning guidelines. The members of the committee are assembly members nominated by the local authorities concerned.
Regional Strategies
The regional planning guidelines were designed to provide an overarching strategic planning framework spanning up to 20 years for coordinated and rational development. The development plan and local area plans must be consistent with them. They were to implement the National Spatial Strategy.
The regional spatial and economic strategies replace the planning guidelines after 2015. They are similar in nature. They embrace an economic framework for development and strategic spatial planning. The assemblies ultimately adopt the strategy following completion of the statutory process.
Regional assemblies may make a regional spatial and economic strategy after consultation with the planning authorities within the region. In in the greater Dublin area they must consult with the planning authorities and the National Transport Authority. They may be required to make a regional spatial and economic strategy at the direction of the Minister.
The regional spatial and economic strategy may be made for a whole region or for one or more parts of the region. The Minister may direct one or more regional authorities to make a single spatial and economic strategy in respect of the combined areas or a particular part which lie within the area of those regional assemblies. The Minister may make regulations regarding the making of spatial an economic strategies by regional assemblies.
Making the Regional Strategy
Where the regional assembly intends to make a regional spatial and economic strategy or review an existing strategy, it shall consult with other planning authorities within the region in order to make the necessary arrangements for making the strategy. The planning authority shall assist and cooperate with the regional assembly. This will include financial and human resource assistants. The assistance shall be proportionate to he relative populations.
Regional assemblies must consult with each public body and anybody under the ageis of a public body of relevance for the purpose of making the strategy. The public body shall assist and cooperate and so far as practicable.
Each public body shall consult with the regional assemblies in preparing its own strategies plans and programmes and shall so as to ensure they are consistent as far as practicable with national and regional objectives set out in the National Planning Framework and the regional spatial and economic strategies.
Where the Minister is of the opinion that consultation between a regional assembly and body under the aegis of the public body would be relevant for the purpose of making the strategy or reviewing it the Minister may declare such body to be a public body for such purposes. Public bodies in this context are most government departments and bodies under the Aegis of a public body.
Spatial and Economic Strategy Function
The objective of regional spatial and economic strategies shall be to support the implementation of the National Planning Framework and the economic policies and objectives of the Government by providing a long-term strategic planning and economic framework for the development of the region for which the strategies are prepared which shall be consistent with the National Planning Framework and the economic policies or objectives of the Government.
The planning and economic framework shall consider the future development of the region for which the strategy is prepared for a period of not less than 12 years and not more than 20 years.
The strategy shall apply in accordance with the proper planning and sustainable development and economic policies and objectives of the government. It shall address certain matters including policies and objectives of the government or minister or policies contained in the National Planning Framework in relation to national and regional population targets
The regional economic strategy shall enable conditions for creating and sustaining jobs enhancing economic performance and innovation. It shall identify the regional activities that are essential to enhancing performance including environmental quality physical infrastructure social and community facilities qualities of cities and areas. It shall contain proposals to maintain or increase the attributes above.
Factors Considered
The regional spatial strategy shall take into account
- the economic dimension,
- the location of employment, industrial and commercial development,
- the location of retail development,
- the location of housing,
- the provision of transportation, including public transportation, water services, energy and communications networks and waste management facilities,
- the provision of educational, healthcare, sports and community facilities,
- the preservation and protection of the environment and its amenities, including the archaeological, architectural and natural heritage,
- landscape, in accordance with relevant policies or objectives for the time being of the Government or any Minister of the Government relating to providing a framework for identification, assessment, protection, management and planning of landscapes and developed having regard to the European Landscape Convention done at Florence on 20 October 2000, and
- the promotion of sustainable settlement and transportation strategies in urban and rural areas, including the promotion of measures to reduce anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions and address the necessity of adaptation to climate change;
The regional spatial and economic strategy is to be consistent with national economic policy National planning policy directives and guidelines issued by the Minister under the Planning and Development Act including in relation to other governmental departments relevant plans and the strategies of public bodies.
Consultation & Review
The regional assembly shall consult with relevant public bodies in such manner as the Minister may direct. It shall seek to coordinate the development of its regional spatial and economic strategy in a manner consistent with the policies of the public bodies.
Where the Minister is of the opinion that the strategy would be inconsistent with government policy then it may direct a regional assembly not to adopt a strategy with those provisions or incorporate appropriate amendments to ensure consistency with the policies and objectives of the government.
Appropriate assessment of a draft regional spatial and economic policy shall be undertaken for the purpose of the EU legislation on assessment of plans and programmes on the environment.
Adoption of Strategy
Procedures apply to the making of the regional spatial and economic strategy. Notice must be given to certain interested parties including the planning regulator and prescribed authorities. Notice of the proposal must be published in a newspaper circulating in the area.
The procedure is similar in broad terms to that applicable to the adoption of a development plan. The draft regional spatial and economic strategy is to include certain statements as to how it addresses particular matters specified in the legislation.
The relevant planning authorities and regional assembly agree procedure for making and preparing the regional spatial an economic strategy. Provision is made for committees to oversee the preparation of the strategy. The making of the regional spatial and economic strategy is a matter for the members of the assembly following consideration of the reports and the report from the committee.
Post Adoption Review and Report
Relevant public bodies and each local authority shall every two years prepare and submit a report to the assembly setting out progress made in supporting objectives relevant to the body of the strategy. Each regional assembly every two years shall prepare a report monitoring progress and implementing the regional spatial and economic strategy.
The regional assembly shall submit its monitoring report to the National Oversight and Audit Commission. The commission may make recommendations to the Minister in relation to measures to further support the strategy concerned.
Not later than six years after the making of the strategy and every six years thereafter the strategy is to be reviewed. The procedures for making the strategy apply to the revised amended or substituted strategy.
Duties of Planning Authorities
Planning authorities must ensure when making the development plan and local area plans that they are consistent with any regional spatial and economic strategy in force for the area. The Minister may give directions requiring compliance. They may require an existing development plan to comply with regional spatial and economic strategies in force.
An order may relate generally to every regional spatial an economic strategy to a particular strategy or to specific elements of the strategy.
Before making of the regional spatial an economic strategy for its area each planning authority (the Council) is to review its existing development planning consider whether any variations necessary to achieve the objectives of the regional spatial an economic strategy.
When a regional assembly receives a notice from a planning authority in respect of its own development plan it to make submissions and observations which in its opinion require consideration by the planning authority concerned in making its development plan.
Report
The report of the regional assembly shall include, but shall not be limited to, recommendations regarding each of the following matters as respects the area to which the development plan relates:
- any policies or objectives for the time being of the Government or any Minister of the Government in relation to national and regional population targets, and the best distribution of residential development and related employment development with a view to — promoting consistency as far as possible, between housing, settlement and economic objectives in the draft development plan and core strategy and the regional spatial and economic strategy, and ) assisting in drafting the core strategy of the draft development plan;
- the objectives of providing physical, economic or social infrastructure in a manner that promotes F155 [ regional development through maximising the potential of the regions
- planning for the best use of land having regard to location, scale and density of new development to benefit from investment of public funds in transport infrastructure and public transport services; and
- collaboration between the planning authority and the regional assembly in respect of integrated planning for transport and land use, in particular in relation to large scale developments and the promotion of sustainable transportation strategies in urban and rural areas, including the promotion of measures to reduce anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions and address the necessity of adaptation to climate change.
Development Plans
The regional assembly has an input into the making and variation of the development plan. It submissions and observations are to include a report stating whether the draft development plan and its core strategy are consistent with the regional spatial an economic strategy enforce.
Where they are not so consistent it shall include recommendations as to what amendments are in the opinion of the regional assembly required to ensure that it is consistent. They are to be sent to the Minister and the office of the planning regulator.