see attached
Chapter 9 Community Infrastrcuture
Closed10 Oct, 2020, 8:00am - 23 Nov, 2020, 5:00pm
9 Community Infrastructure
Community infrastructure of a social, sporting, educational, and amenity value are crucial to provide opportunities for participation, for health and to attract inward investment. This plan provides for the expansion of existing community infrastructure and development of new services. This plan also puts an emphasis on promoting and developing a stronger cultural dimension in the Southern Environs. Culture plays a key role in ensuring that communities are mixed, sustainable and dynamic. Developing and promoting culture in the Southern Environs will maximise the physical, social and economic benefits of the cultural offer. Promoting cultural development shapes the identity of the area and helps set it apart in terms of its distinctiveness.
9.1 Context
The Limerick Shannon MASP supports ongoing collaboration with regional stakeholders to ensure that social infrastructure such as education, health and community facilities are provided, and opportunities for social as well as physical regeneration are realised.
The creation of sustainable and inclusive communities requires the provision of, and access to education, childcare, health and support services, recreation and leisure facilities and a good quality built environment to create a sense of place. The Local Authority is committed to the provision, upgrade and expansion of community facilities and social infrastructure in conjunction with private, public and voluntary organisations.
Limerick City and County Council established the Local Community Development Committee (LCDC) in 2014. The LCDC performs a role in developing, coordinating and implementing a coherent and integrated approach to local and community development, through the Local Economic and Community Plan 2016 – 2021 (LECP). The LECP is central to promoting economic and local community development in the county over a six-year period and should be read in tandem with this chapter.
9.2 Education and Childcare
The provision of good quality childcare and educational facilities is important to support the development of sustainable communities and facilitate economic development in the Southern Environs.
There are approximately sixteen childcare facilities dispersed in the Southern Environs, including a variety of full day care facilities, sessional services, preschool, crèche, Montessori and after school facilities. The Limerick Childcare Committee have indicated that there are sufficient sessional preschool services to meet demand in Ballycummin. However, additional childcare/afterschool facilities are required in Raheen, aswell as full day-care services in Dooradoyle and Mungret.
With respect to education, there are six primary schools and two secondary schools in the Southern Environs. Two of these primary schools are located on new campuses at Mungret College. Proposals are also underway for a new 1,000-pupil secondary school in Mungret. In addition, the Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board Administration Office is located in Dooradoyle.
The Council has sought to work with schools and the Department of Education and Skills to identify and develop sites for new schools as necessary. In this regard, given the projected population growth to 2031, the plan includes the zoning of land for new schools and expansion of existing educational facilities where necessary in accordance with the requirements of the Department. The requirement for additional primary and secondary educational facilities will be monitored having regard to the development of residential land during the lifetime of the Draft LAP.
Limerick is a recognised World Health Organisation Healthy City affiliated with the National Healthy Cities and Counties Network. The initiative aims to improve health, wellbeing and quality of life by ensuring all sectors are aware of and collaborate to achieve a healthy society.
The University Hospital Limerick is located in the Southern Environs. This is the Model 4 hospital for the region (See Section 6.3.1). There are a number of GPs, health centres, dentists, pharmacies and other health care related facilities dispersed throughout the Environs. There is some clustering of these services in Dooradoyle in proximity to the University Hospital.
The Southern Environs has a range of community facilities including a Branch Library at Dooradoyle.
Figure 16: Dooradoyle Library
There are a wide range of leisure activities in the plan area including approximately nine sports clubs with a range of playing pitches for GAA, rugby and soccer. A golf course is also located at Rathbane.
An 11ha. neighbourhood park with walking routes and a substantial inclusive playground is located at Mungret. An outdoor gym is also located at Mungret Park. A second playground is located at The Crescent Shopping Centre.
As identified in Census 2016, there are a number of different faiths found in the Southern Environs. These faiths are serviced by a number of churches and a Mosque in the plan area.
Limerick City and County Council are committed to the provision, upgrade and expansion of leisure facilities in the Southern Environs in conjunction with private, public and voluntary organisations.
9.5 Age Friendly
Limerick County Council adopted the “Age Friendly Limerick 2015-2020” strategy in 2015. The strategy commits to improving key areas of infrastructure, services, information and an overall social response to older person’s issues. The strategy aims to achieve measurable outcomes for older people that demonstrate improvement in their quality of life. The strategy should be read in tandem with this chapter.
Community Infrastructure: Strategic Policy:
To deliver, facilitate and support the provision of a broad range of high quality community, educational and healthcare facilities and infrastructure to meet the needs of the existing and projected population.
Objectives: It is an Objective of the Council to:
CI O1: Ensure provision of sufficient zoned lands to allow for expansion of existing and provision of new education, healthcare facilities and community infrastructure in appropriate and accessible locations.
CI O2: Ensure all developments in relation to community infrastructure, education, childcare, healthcare, open space and recreation facilities comply with the requirements and Development Management Standards of the Limerick County Development Plan 2010 – 2016 (as extended), and any replacement thereof.
CI O3: Continue to work with schools and the Department of Education and Skills to ensure the timely delivery of new and extended primary and secondary schools in the Southern Environs.
CI O4: Ensure that there are sufficient educational places to meet the needs generated by proposed developments, by requiring the completion of a Sustainability Statement and Social Infrastructure Assessment for residential developments of 5 or more dwellings.
CI O5: Ensure that childcare, primary and secondary education facilities are provided in tandem with new residential areas, at accessible locations which maximise opportunities for walking, cycling and use of public transport.
CI O6: Facilitate the development of third-level outreach, vocational and lifelong learning facilities and digital capacity for distance learning including fourth level education, lifelong learning and up-skilling generally.
CI O7: Require all large residential developments to include provision of one childcare facility (equivalent to a minimum of 20 child places) for every 75 dwelling units, unless it can be satisfactorily demonstrated that there is already adequate childcare provision in the area. The provision of the childcare facilities shall be in accordance with the “Childcare Facilities Guidelines for Planning Authorities” (2001) and the Development Management Standards of the County Development Plan 2010 – 2016 (as extended), or any replacement thereof.
CI O8: Support and facilitate the delivery of projects for improvement of the public realm.
CI O9: Seek delivery of the actions and stakeholder initiatives of the Local Economic Community Plan to strengthen community infrastructure and promote social inclusion for all members of society.
CI O10: Support and facilitate sports clubs, schools, cultural groups and community organisations in the provision, improvement and expansion of community services, sports and recreation amenities, multi-purpose spaces and children’s play facilities including playgrounds at appropriate locations to cater for all members of society.
CI O11: Promote optimum use of community and social infrastructure facilities and encourage the co- location of existing and future facilities including community centres, schools, childcare facilities, healthcare services, playgrounds and amenity spaces.
CI O12: Develop in partnership with other agencies opportunities for multi and co-use active and passive recreational amenities including sports and recreational facilities, playgrounds and outdoor gym equipment within existing areas of open space.
CI O13: Facilitate the development of walkways in co-operation with local interested parties including the private, voluntary and public sector. Any proposed development adjacent to such walkways must incorporate connecting pathways into the designated walkway in their design. Developments shall be designed to ensure that properties overlook proposed walkways.
CI O14: Develop greenway/ blueway walking and cycling routes and examine the feasibility of a riverside walk between Tervoe Creek and Ballinacurra Creek, subject to adequate ecological assessment including Strategic Environmental Assessment and Appropriate Assessment (SEA / AA).
CI O15: Protect existing open space by not permitting development which encroaches on such open space, and protect semi-natural open space from inappropriate development.
CI O16: Ensure new residential development provides high quality public open space and play-lots proportional to the number of residential units, having cognisance to accessibility, safety, permeability, place-making and the Open Space Hierarchy requirements set out under Table 3 of Chapter 7 Housing of this LAP.
CI O17: Facilitate and support the provision of allotments or community gardens at appropriate locations.
CI O18: Support and facilitate development and expansion of health service infrastructure by the Health Services Executive, statutory and voluntary agencies and private healthcare providers at appropriate locations, including at but not limited to, the University Hospital Limerick, District and Local Centres.
CI O19: Support the Healthy Limerick initiatives to deliver recreation, environmental improvements, active travel and health services infrastructure.
CI O20: Support and facilitate implementation of the Age Friendly Limerick 2015-2020 strategy.
CI O21: Facilitate a good standard of health for the local population through ensuring high quality residential, recreational and working environments.
Contents
Observations
Observations
This submission is on behalf of some residents of Oakfield, Fr. Russell Road
see attached