Project 2040 choices send mixed messages about evidence-based planning
- Effective evidence-based
planning only possible if supported by legislation and regulation
- Commitment to brownfield
development welcome but resource plan is misaligned
“While Government’s decision to put a National Planning Framework (NPF)
in place side by side with investment in key infrastructure is a positive and
mature step for our nation as it enters its second century of independence,
today’s announcement raises more questions than gives answers about our ability
to learn from our past”
Mr. Joe Corr, President of the Irish Planning Institute (IPI), the
professional body representing planners in Ireland, was speaking as the IPI
responded to publication today (Friday, 16 February, 2018) of ‘Ireland 2040’.
“Good planning is evidence based” he said. “The framework proposed today
sets out four cities and five towns outside Dublin as growth centres. That is
one more than the eight gateway cities in the Spatial Strategy of 2002. The
evidence of the past 15 years is that this didn’t work.”
“We recognise fully the imperative, and indeed responsibility, of public
representatives to address citizens’ concerns. From a professional planning
perspective however, ‘Ireland 2040’ is not following the evidence as we
hoped it would in order to become a robust enabling tool to shape and enable
future investment in the growth of our society and its economy by both public
and private sectors. It presents as a framework for politics following politics
rather development following planning.”
Implementation
Mr Corr called for a priority in the commitment to an independent Office
for Planning Regulation with legislative backing. “A national framework is only
one part of a series of connected measures to guide planning with Regional
Spatial and Economic Strategies (RSESs) and local area development plans to
follow. The biggest danger here is that the grip on evidence as a basis
for planning loosens even further as those further measures are rolled out.
Legislation to control delivery is essential and requires the political
and related stakeholder support to develop and implement sustainable solutions”
Developing on brown rather than green fields
Looking at the detail of the Framework, Mr Corr said that the IPI
welcomes the NPF emphasis on reusing previously developed ‘brownfield’ land in
both an urban and a rural context “Establishing some priority for brownfield
over greenfield use is a positive way to addresses challenges to both economic
and environmental sustainability. It serves to reduce sprawl, to increase the
efficiency of land use and enables a more focused and efficient investment in
infrastructure”
However, he said, the IPI questioned the balance in the proposed funding
support given the requirement to five metropolitan plans where land values are
significantly greater than in rural areas. “Where is the evidence to back up
these figures? We would also like to see assurances that funds for rural
area development go to regeneration of essential physical and social
infrastructure in villages and small towns and not on rural roads which
encourages further one-off housing, for example”.
Climate change
The specific direction of the NPF is of course also critical as a means
of enabling Ireland respond effectively to the challenges of climate change.
It provides a frame for guiding balanced growth and for informed and
cohesive decision making in the future.
Mr Corr said that the IPI and its members look forward now to having an
active role at regional and local level in bring the NPF to life. “We welcome
and endorse the leadership which the NPF provides. As a framework it leaves
ample scope for addressing local needs in an active and informed way. We
believe as a community, in both the private and the public sectors that we have
a lot of insight available to support implementation and will be advocating
strongly for a continued commitment to this thinking from all stakeholders
towards 2040”
Read more from the Irish Planning Institute @ www.ipi.ie
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