Questions Necessary to Consider in Responses to Ireland 2040

The Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government's National Planning Framework Ireland 2040 consultation document is available to read and submit responses.  The amended closing date for receipt of responses is Friday March 31st at 12 Noon.

 

Details of how to submit your responses 

Each chapter of the new National Planning Framework Ireland 2040 consultation paper includes a list of questions (which The Rural Policy Hub has summarised for clarity and brevity) for consideration when submitting responses. .  Below is a list of those questions headed by their corresponding chapter and page numbers. Note: Chapter 1 of the document is an introduction so we begin with Chapter 2.

Chapter 2: Ireland's National Planning Challenges (p.7)

  1. Where will future additional population live?
  2. How will the needs of an ageing population be accommodated?
  3. What types of housing will be necessary?
  4. What sorts of communities will be created?
  5. Where will future jobs be located?
  6. What will those jobs be?
  7. What services and amenities will be necessary to meet people’s needs?
  8. How will people and goods move around? (transport)
  9. What strategic infrastructure will be required?
  10. How will that infrastructure be prioritised?
  11. How can climate change (CC) issues be addressed?

 

Chapter 3: People's Health & Well-being (p.16)

  1. Are we prepared to make changes now so that a ‘healthier places’ legacy can be handed over to the next generation of Ireland’s citizens?
  2. What policies can the NPF include to effect improvements to our general health including physical and mental over the next 20 years?
  3. Are there key priorities that the NPF can identify to ensure better health and wellbeing of people and places?
  4. Are there facilities that the NPF needs to highlight for places in order to enable greater participation in a healthier life-style?

 

Chapter 4: A Place Making Strategy (p.23)

This chapter is split into a number of key sections each having a numer of questions to consider as follows:

Key Questions for Section 1: Urban of Chapter 4 (p.25)

  1. What role should the 5 Irish cities have the NPF?
  2. How can one or more strong regional complements to Dublin be developed – including interactions between settlements?
  3. Should admin/Government structures be reformed to enable alliances/collaborations/actions to build cities and their regions?
  4. How should urban policy be developed to distinguish growth within built-up areas and greenfield development?
  5. How can towns near cities and those further away be distinguished
  6. What measures can be used re the potential densification scenarios that may be applied to existing urban areas?

Key Questions Section 2: Regional (p.30)

  1. What are the levers for effective regional development?
  2. How can human capital be increased in regions?
  3. What is the regional value proposition? (an innovation, service, or combination of measures and approaches)
  4. Should trans-boundary / regional issues be coordinated by the regional assemblies?
  5. What funding opportunities are necessary to support investment?

Key Questions Section 3: Rural Issues (p.34)

  1. How can NPF capture rural resources to support national growth?
  2. What is the solution to maintaining population?
  3. What role should towns/villages in Ireland’s growth?
  4. How can rural areas escape urban sprawl?
  5. What measures are needed for people “…with a genuine need to live in the countryside”?
  6. How can climate change issues be harnessed from rural areas?

Final Questions for Chapter 4 (p.37)

  1. How can the NPF facilitate north south co-ordination and how should it be reflected in the NPF?
  2. What cross-border economic opportunities and clusters can be captured and supported?
  3. What mechanisms are needed for a joined up approach to cross border re infrastructure and investment decisions?
  4. What structures need to be in place to leverage joint financing?
  5. How can cross catchment area environment issues be addressed together?
  6. What is the future for Ireland’s coastline, islands and offshore?
  7. How can coastal and island communities contribute to a national vision for Ireland?
  8. How can the goals of the integrated marine plan be spatially represented in a NPF?
  9. What policies or measures or actions should be taken to enable Ireland marine resources to adapt to climate change issues?
  10. What infrastructure investment should be made to maximise sustainability and potential of our ocean resources?

 

Chapter 5: Ireland's Unique Environment: Sustainability (p.42)

  1. How can a sustainable balance be achieved between the growing population and environmental pressures?
  2. How can low carbon and climate resilient economic growth be planned and what policy measures should be taken?
  3. What strategic energy infrastructure is needed to support the economy and society to meet relevant targets and where should that infrastructure be located?
  4. What other environmental issues should be in the NPF?
  5. What significant issues should be in the SEA, AA and SFA?
  6. What measures should be taken to ensure sustainability of landscape, seascape, and heritage to make Ireland an attractive place in which to live, to visit and to work?

 

Chapter 6: Equipping Ireland for Future Development: Infrastructure (p.47)

  1. What are the nationally important infrastructure projects for Ireland that require delivery over the next twenty years?
  2. What do we need to do to make best use of existing infrastructure?
  3. How can we ensure that the provision of infrastructure can be planned to match future demand and how can the NPF reflect this?
  4. How can capital spending on new infrastructure be sequenced in a way that is affordable and equitable, while taking account of Ireland’s Climate Change obligations?
  5. How do we ensure that existing and new development can be supported by the timely provision of social infrastructure?

 

Chapter 7: Enabling the Vision (p.50)

  1. Are there common goals that can be identified and applied to every place?
  2. What are the barriers to implementation?
  3. How can sustainable outcomes be recognised and rewarded?
  4. What levers are necessary to deliver efficient implementation?
  5. What should the key indicators of success of the NPF be?

 

Note: All of the above questions have been summarised from the point of view of The Rural Policy Hub.  Other organisations/individuals may choose to highlight different elements in a different way.  Access the full Ireland 2040 consultation document