General Council of County Council, Ireland

The National Spatial Strategy: A Planner's Response Hendrik W van der Kamp

Paper presented at the Conference of the General Council of County Councils Nenagh, 8 February 2003

Hendrik W van der Kamp Head of Department Planning and Development Dublin Institute of Technology, Bolton Street Tel 01 402 3745, e-mail: henk.vanderkamp@dit.ie

1 Introduction and the Main Features

The NSS is: national, spatial and strategic (p.10) It will: …guide in policies and public investment decisions with strong spatial dimension, …inform regional planning guidelines, county and city development plans, …inform strategic investment, transport and other infrastructure policy decisions, …promote certain strategically located places …set out general principles of good spatial planning practice to help to develop ways in which the location of people and employment and the use of environmental resources can best serve national competitiveness, sustainability and a high quality of life. (p. 12/13)

This paper examines a number of spatial planning principles of the NSS as well as examines the NSS in terms of its guidance for decisionmaking at local level on projects that are of national strategic significance.

2 Spatial Planning Principles

The concept of 'Balanced Regional Development' is an underlying principle. This was introduced in the National Development Plan but interpreted in the NSS. Also, the NSS includes three clear principles of spatial development: polycentric urban development, urban-rural partnership, and the gateways and hubs designation.

2.1 Polycentric Urban Development

This principle was first expressed in the European Spatial Development Perspective as a network of internationally accessible metropolitan regions and linked hinterlands.

Urban networks: …"highly urbanised zones that take on the form of a network of larger and smaller compact cities, each with its own character and profile within that network."

The concept of urban networks suggests complementarity instead of competition. It also suggests functional specialisation of towns and cities.

Three important urban networks in the NSS: · Dublin-Belfast Corridor · Network of four cities plus hinterlands: Waterford-Cork-Limerick/Shannon-Galway (p45). Also reference to Waterford to Derry Arc (p.49). · Midlands network: Athlone-Mullingar-Tullamore

2.2 Urban/Rural Partnership

This is the idea of rural and urban areas working in partnership rather than in competition (p36) This is new because in the past separate planning policies were drawn up for towns and their hinterlands. It is also relevant for the debate on one-off rural housing: towns and villages as part of the rural area rather than the urban area.

Most highlighted element of NSS. List of settlements with either gateway or hub status. See table 1. Gateways and Hubs are also proposed in the context of a polycentric settlement system. See table 2.

Policy principles: · Balanced regional development means need to develop critical mass at gateways and hubs for enterprises · Regions can realise added value over and above what would happen if individual places go separate ways in promotion and development · Integrated spatial planning frameworks, incl. land use and transportation elements for gateways and hubs · Developing strategies for the towns in the urban network · Allocate particular development roles to particular towns · Develop policies for appropriate land uses in the areas between towns.

3 The NSS and Strategic Infrastructure Projects

3.1 The Problem of National vs Local Interests

Table 3 illustrates the type of projects that have been delayed or may be delayed. Often local objection campaigns. NIMBY phenomenon. Also often: lack of advance announcement, or lack of agreement regarding need or technology. Local elected representatives must often weigh interests of their local area with the regional or national interests.

NSS states to be national spatial and strategic. One might therefore expect it to provide guidance on strategic infrastructure projects of national significance. One might expect NSS to say something about: · Nature of projects where national interest must be taken into account · Locations of projects of national significance · Designation of 'no go areas'. · Guidelines for site selection

3.2 The NSS and Guidance on Strategic Infrastructure Planning

There are a number of references in the NSS to strategic projects: · Ports and airports and access to these facilities · Central spine and role of Portlaoise as key national transport node · Shannon Airport · Electricity power stations near Cork and Limerick city · Gas pipeline to the West and potential extension to the north west · Wind energy for the midlands

However, no reference to potential sites or search areas for: · National toxic waste incinerators · Large landfill waste facilities · Gas terminals · Relocation of Dublin Port (vague reference only) · Strategic expansion of railway network (left to strategic rail study) · Wind energy sites (other than midlands references) · Strategic industrial development zones (apart from reference on page 98) · Appropriate locations for a National Sports Stadium or a National Conference Centre

No identification of key sites or search areas (e.g. land with deep water access), no site selection criteria (e.g. a windfarm should be at least two kms from a high amenity area), no identification of areas that are unsuitable for certain facilities ('no-go areas').

Policies are identified at regional level in section 4. Eight regions (Dublin and Mid East regions combined). Significance of designations on the maps not explained in the text. Area designations are given but these are not specific to the regions involved (see table 4) and convey little in terms of guidance for location of controversial infrastructure projects.

3.3 The Need for Integration

Impact of NSS on decision making on strategic infrastructure projects is limited. NSS does not help local authorities in weighing up conflicting demands. Example: Silvermines. No site selection criteria. It is possible that further guidance will be provided in the form of planning guidelines on specific forms of development (e.g. similar to wind energy, telecommunication masts, housing density etc.) No guidelines announced other than on rural housing. Also risk of sectoral approach whereas the need for integration is of critical importance.

Three types of infrastructure, all of regional or national strategic significance with three different sites:

· National Sports Stadium: Abbotstown Site · National Conference Centre: Spencer Docks site · Thermal Waste Treatment Plant: Poolbeg site

Have we considered the location of all three facilities on the same site? Potential Advantages: · Use of shared support facilities (e.g. hotels, car parking, public transport access) · Positive benefit for a local community to compensate for the location of a locally unwanted land use. · Treatment of thermal treatment plant as a positive 'flagship' project rather than an unwanted, but necessary, facility.

Example illustrates the need for creative thinking in spatial planning and the need for integrative approaches to large infrastructure projects. The concept of design and integration. Reviewing the National Spatial Strategy suggests that there is still some way to go.

Table 1 - Gateways and Hubs in the National Spatial Strategy

Table 2 - Gateways and Hubs in Urban Networks

Table 4 - Regional Designations

Note: the policies for these areas are set out on pages 75-76 of the NSS document