Planning bodies 'ignored' National Spatial Strategy

PROPERTY DEVELOPERS and planning authorities largely ignored the National Spatial Strategy in the four years to 2006, a review of the strategy has found.

The National Spatial Strategy Update and Outlook Reportrevealed housing development and population increases were not directed primarily at nine major growth "gateways", as planned in the strategy.

Instead the strongest growth between 2002 and 2006 took place away from existing cities or identified gateways, in smaller satellite towns.

The Dublin commuter belt – but not the city – saw the strongest growth of 5.2 per cent per annum. Similarly, the commuter belt around Galway saw annual growth of 3.6 per cent, while in the Cork commuter belt the growth rate was 3.5 per cent per annum.

According to Dave Walsh, head of spatial planning at the Department of Environment, almost half of all national growth in the first four years of the Government’s strategy took place in the commuter belts of Dublin, Cork and Galway, while the cities themselves – to where growth should have been prioritised – grew by only 4 per cent.

Launched in November 2002 the National Spatial Strategy (NSS) identified Dublin and the regional cities as well as four new “gateways” – the towns of Dundalk and Sligo and the linked gateways of Letterkenny/Derry and the midland towns of Athlone/Tullamore/Mullingar – as the preferred place for growth.

The centres were to also be earmarked for Government spending on services such as schools, health care and transport links. These nine major gateways were to be supported by a further nine “hubs” which would help channel growth to the regions.

The Government said a hierarchy of regional spatial plans, county development plans, and even local area plans would support the strategy.

But Mr Walsh told the Oireachtas Committee on the Environment that in fact the central area of Cork lost population over the initial years of the 20-year strategy.

He said the pattern resulted in “longer journeys to work or school/college and greater use of the car, as opposed to more sustainable modes of transport.

“Such a settlement pattern also runs counter to the NSS objective of building up critical mass within the gateways and hubs,” he said.

Responding to questions from the committee, Niall Cussen, a senior planning adviser with the spatial planning unit, said issues such as the retention of the Waterford to Rosslare railway line could be supported by planning for growth along the public transport corridor.

He cited the example of the reopening of the Cork to Midleton railway as evidence of how the Government had invested €100 million in the line because the Cork local authorities had earmarked the catchment area for population growth.

Mr Cussen also confirmed the department’s spatial planning unit was working closely with the National Roads Authority to protect the investment in new motorways by having a coherent strategy for development.

Mr Cussen and Mr Walsh said there needed to be a renewed focus by planning authorities over the next five years to improve implementation of the strategy. But they said its principles “remain robust and valid”.