The review of the existing Cavan County Development Plan 2014-2020 continues as preparations of the next plan to cover the period 2022-2028 are well in train, writes Thomas Lyons.
The new plan will also incorporate a Local Area Plan for Cavan Town and the environs.
The County Development Plan sets out the overall strategy and vision for the proper planning and sustainable development of the county over the six-year plan period. The Development Plan preparation timeframe is approximately two years.
The plan will be prepared in the context of the framework of national and regional strategies and guidelines and must be prepared in accordance with the provisions of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended).
The document consists of a written statement and accompanying maps. The County Development Plan is a material consideration in making decisions on future planning applications.
There are three distinct stages in the plan preparation, with public consultation being undertaken and submissions welcomed at each stage. The Strategic Issues Paper represents the first step in preparing the new County Development Plan.
To initiate Stage 1 of the Plan-making process, Cavan County Council prepared a Strategic Issues Paper booklet to present a broad overview of the main issues for consideration in this review process. The intention of the Issues Paper is to present key questions to prompt debate on the issues facing County Cavan. They do not purport to cover all the issues but simply present some keys topics.
As part of this process, the local authority has held public consultation meetings and is engaged in ongoing additional consultation. Anyone who wishes to discuss strategic planning issues can phone 049-4378300 or email devplan@cavancoco.ie and leave their contact details and a member of the forward planning team will then call them back. The first stage of public consultation ends on August 14, 2020.
The Chief Executive’s Report on the Pre-draft Consultation Phase of the County Development Plan will be issued to Elected Members in the last quarter of this year. This report summarises the submissions and outlines the Chief Executive’s policy recommendations. The elected members consider the report and issue Strategic Direction on the content of the Draft Plan (10 weeks after report submitted to members).
Cavan County Council will prepare a draft Plan, Strategic Environmental Assessment, Housing Needs and Demand Assessment, and Strategic Flood Risk Assessment in spring 2021.
The elected members will consider the Draft Plan and deem it to be a draft plan unless amendments are required.
Stage two sees the publication of the Draft Plan, currently scheduled for April 2021. There will be a public display of the draft plan for further public consultation, with submissions invited, in summer 2021.
A Chief Executive’s Report on submissions received will follow in September 2021.
The Council Members will then consider the report. If the draft development plan is to be amended, then all significant amendments must then go back out on public display. If no material amendments are made, the councillors may then adopt the development plan.
The third stage will see the publication of material amendments for public consultation.