Chapter 4: Enterprise and Employment

Section 4.0           Introduction

(Amendment No. 21)   Insert additional text in green to Section 4.0 ‘Introduction’ (page 71), as follows:

Planning shapes the environment in which people live and work and it plays a key role in supporting the wider national economic, employment and enterprise objectives. With the establishment of the Local Enterprise Office under the Local Government Reform Act 2014, Carlow County Council has a more direct role in supporting economic development and employment opportunities by the preparation of a Local Economic and Community Plan, providing and supporting the delivery of infrastructure, implementing urban and rural economic initiatives with associated economic supports, by the zoning of appropriate lands for employment purposes and by ensuring that planning policy and objectives are supportive of business.

It is recognised that the opportunities for economic growth and investment in the immediate future are impacted arising from the Covid 19 Pandemic. The Council will seek to build economic resilience by supporting an inherent part of the economic strategy for the Southern Region which focuses on building capacity while being responsive to emerging challenges. It acknowledges the need to ensure sufficient capacity is available in the Southern Region to bid for and win competitive bids for funding and to be ready to address potential risks to the economy. A key focus for the Council will be to develop and strengthen its bidding capacity, to identify infrastructure deficits and opportunities, to prepare strong business cases, to identify funding sources, to bid, and successfully attract competitive funding in accordance with RPO 70.

Notwithstanding same, The Council’s Economic Strategy is aligned with proactive planning and will seek to co-ordinate investment with economic growth, making the County an attractive location for new business development. While the strategic role of Carlow Town is recognised for the future development of the County and Region it is important that enterprise development and economic growth can be facilitated throughout the County thereby seeking to achieve balanced and sustainable growth across County Carlow. The importance of rural development and the role of the rural economy in County Carlow is addressed in detail in Chapter 14.

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Section 4.4           Enterprise and Employment 

(Amendment No. 22) Insert additional Policy to Section 4.4.1 ‘Locations for Economic Development - Policies’  (page 78), new text in green as follows:

ED P3: To drive economic growth arising from opportunities within Carlow due to its strategic location and connectivity on the Waterford-Kilkenny-Carlow-Dublin M9/Rail Network, to support collaboration and growth with strategic settlements on this route and to support the creation of Inter Urban Networks of Collaboration and Growth in accordance with RPO 30.

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Section 4.4.3       Education and Skills

(Amendment No. 23) Insert additional text to Section 4.4.3 ‘Education and Skills’  (page 85), new text in green as follows:

The RSES also recognises that lifelong learning and access to a variety of opportunities beyond school, is increasingly important. The role of employers in the development and provision of learning to ensure its relevance to the needs of the workforce is also supported.
 

(Amendment No. 24) Insert additional Policy to Section 4.4.3 ‘Education and Skills-Policies’  (page 85), new text in green as follows:

ES P6: Support the development of the Southern Region as a Learning Region in support of RPO 186 and RPO 190 in partnership with the Regional Assembly, Local Authorities and other agencies as appropriate. 

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Section 4.7.3       Floorspace Requirements and Strategic Guidance on the Distribution of Floor space

(Amendment No. 25) Amend Section 4.7.3 ‘Floorspace Requirements and Strategic Guidance on the Distribution of Floor Space’ (page 92):- deleted text in red, new text in green, as follows:

4.7.3      Floorspace Requirements and Strategic Guidance on the Distribution of Floorspace

The floorspace potential for convenience and non-bulky comparison up to 2028  and distribution between the individual centres is identified in Table 4.6. The figures set out are a guide for the scale of new floorspace required to meet the needs of existing and future population of the County. A number of potential opportunity sites for the development of convenience and comparison retailing in Carlow Town, Tullow and Muine Bheag are identified in Appendix 1 of the Retail Strategy (Appendix V)

The lack of capacity for bulky comparison floorspace has been identified in the Retail Strategy. Additional floorspace has not been allocated for bulky comparison goods. However, this should not preclude bulky comparison floorspace (i.e. retail warehousing)  in instances where it can be can demonstrated that there will be a contribution to town centre vitality and viability due to its location, quality, accessibility and retail offer. The quantitative assessment of the Retail Strategy has highlighted the lack of capacity for bulky comparison floorspace. However, a capacity assessment does not deal with the quality of floorspace which in the case of Carlow is quite poor in places and poorly located. In this context, it is not considered appropriate to make any floorspace allocation as part of this Retail Strategy. However, this should not preclude bulky comparison floorspace (i.e. retail warehousing) in instances where it can be demonstrated that there will be a contribution to town centre vitality and viability due to its location, quality, accessibility and retail offer. There should also be an evidenced based approach to any new bulky comparison floorspace and all planning applications should include a full retail impact statement which addresses existing bulky comparison provision in the town including as appropriate any change of use of existing retail bulky comparison premises elsewhere within the town to other non-retail uses since the making of this Retail Strategy. There are some issues with respect to the existing bulky comparison floorspace in terms of quality and location. Therefore, there will be opportunities to transition this floorspace to other non-retail uses over time and this will begin to address the capacity issue and support the case for more conforming bulky comparison floorspace at appropriate locations.

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Section 4.8           Retail Policies

(Amendment No. 26) Insert additional Policy to Section 4.8 ‘Retail Policies’  (page 96), new text in green as follows:

RT P14: There will be a general presumption against large out-of-town retail centres in particular those located adjacent or close to existing, new or planned national roads/motorways, in accordance with the provisions of  Retail Planning Guidelines for Planning Authorities, 2012.

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