Chapter 5 - Sustainable Economic Development - A Strong Economy

Closed18 Jun, 2022, 8:00am - 2 Aug, 2022, 5:00pm

5          Sustainable Economic Development – A Strong Economy

Rathkeale has a proven track-record in sustaining economic development and employment given its’ success in the area of food processing and distribution, engineering and manufacturing, despite the closure of Anderson Ireland in 2013 with the loss of 169 jobs.  The former Anderson Ireland building has been re-developed by Innovate Limerick to accommodate six enterprises including social enterprises and currently is at 90% occupancy.  Rathkeale is also performing well in terms of bulk household goods and construction materials serving a wide hinterland.

Limerick City and County Council is committed to supporting the creation of employment in Rathkeale. This plan provides the appropriate framework for development through the provision of adequately zoned lands and policies, which support economic and appropriate retail development. The Draft Limerick Development Plan 2022 – 2028 sets out the strategic context for economic development of Limerick. The Limerick Local Economic and Community Plan 2016 – 2021 sets out the multi-agency actions needed to support the economic development and community development of Limerick

Part A:             Enterprise and Employment

5.1        Enterprise Context, Profile, Strategy and Availability of Land Zoned

 Together with the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (RSES) for the Southern Region, the NPF places a strong emphasis on compact, smart, sustainable, appropriate and inclusive economic growth in settlements. The RSES recognises the sub-regional dependencies between Newcastle West (a Key Town), Listowel, Rathkeale and Abbeyfeale providing collaborative economic growth for joint projects, such as the development of the Limerick Greenway and initiatives of the Strategic Integrated Framework Plan for the Shannon Estuary. The economic profile of the Rathkeale reflects its strong agricultural hinterland and its strategic location on the National Road and Regional Road networks.  The largest employers are ABP Foods at Holycross, Design Pro in the Rathkeale Enterprise Centre, Tadgh O’Connor Ltd and Coláiste na Trócaire at New Line.

Figure 5: Rathkeale Enterprise Centre

The population of Rathkeale aged 15 or over at work was 37% in the 2016 Census which is well below the State average. Rathkeale is identified as an unemployment blackspot by the CSO with an unemployment rate of 27% according to the same Census.  According to the 2016 Census of Anonymised Records (POWSCAR) the daytime working population working in Rathkeale is 769 persons and of these 622 people (or 80.88%) commute into the town for work.

 

With the opportunities afforded by digitalisation and e-working, this Plan promotes Rathkeale as a suitable location to support remote working, supporting hubs, culture/creative and Smart tech enterprises. This LAP zones 60 hectares for Enterprise and Employment and supports opportunities for employment creation, business and technology development, in accordance with the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy and the Draft Limerick Development Plan.

Economic Development Strategic Policy

To promote, facilitate and enable economic development and employment generating activities in Rathkeale in a sustainable manner in accordance with higher-level spatial plans, including the Draft Limerick Development Plan 2022 – 2028, the National Planning Framework and the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy for the Southern Region.

Objectives: It is an objective of the Council to:

ED O1: Promote a diverse range of employment opportunities by facilitating appropriate development, enhancement of the Rathkeale Enterprise Centre, and promote enterprise development on appropriately zoned Enterprise and Employment lands, subject to compliance with all relevant Development Management Standards of the Draft Limerick Development Plan 2022 – 2028.                                                         

ED O2: Encourage the redevelopment of vacant commercial units, brownfield, derelict, and infill sites for enterprise subject to the normal planning criteria, such as access/egress, associated transport movement, appropriate scale to the respective area, impact on amenity of adjoining occupants, servicing, connectivity (including pedestrian and cycling) with the town centre etc.

ED O3: Require that all Enterprise and Employment development incorporate active travel and sustainable travel measures into the design of proposals/masterplans.

ED O4:  Require the preparation of masterplans for the lands zoned Enterprise and Employment, at Wolfburgess East and Abbeylands.  The masterplans shall include conceptual layout, access arrangements, infrastructure works necessary including sustainable mobility connectivity and phasing details, as appropriate. 

ED O5:   Ensure any future development proposals for the lands zoned Enterprise and Employment will be subject to a Traffic and Transport Assessment to assess the impact of the proposal on the road network.  The costs of the mitigation measures shall be borne by the developer. 

ED O6: Ensure that In the case of development of lands at Abbeylands for Enterprise and Employment any proposals will have due regard to the protective stated status of Protected Structure RPS 1535 Abbeylands House and its curtilage.

 

5.2        Small-scale Business in Residential Areas or associated with a Residence/Home-Working/E-working

The Council acknowledges the increasing importance of home–working/e-working in the modern economy and its many benefits, including flexibility, work-life balance and the reduction of gas emissions as a consequence of reduced commuting to a central base.  Proposals for the use of a home, whether own-door units or apartment schemes as workplaces will be controlled through the development management process based on the scale and nature of operations. Uses which might negatively impact on residential amenity, such as the repair of vehicles, activities involving welding/fabrication, dangerous chemicals, hazardous material will not be permitted in a residential areas. The level of customers/callers will also be taken into account. Any proposals for small-scale businesses in residential areas shall comply with the Development Management Standards of the Draft Limerick Development Plan.

Objective: It is an objective of the Council to:

SSB O1:  Support home based economic activities secondary to the main residential use, and which can be accommodated without adverse impacts on the amenities of adjoining residential property, by reason of traffic, noise or other planning criteria.

 

Part B:             Retail and Supporting the Town Centre

5.3        Retail Context and Strategy

The Proposed Retail Strategy for Limerick Shannon Metropolitan Area and County Limerick designates Rathkeale as a Level 3 Retail Centre on par with Adare and Kilmallock.  These centres are important locations for convenience goods and retail services to meet the day-to-day needs of their population.  They have quality convenience outlets capable of supporting the weekly grocery shopping trip. 

The Council supports the ‘town centre approach’ as promoted by Government policy and higher-level spatial plans, when assessing planning applications in relation to retail development.  Development proposed on the ground floor in the town centre will be restricted to commercial and related services with active frontages to address the street.   Out-of-centre locations for retail business and services are generally not permitted in efforts to consolidate the existing retail centre and encourage re-use of vacant units in the town centre.  The Proposed LAP anticipates that additional retail development in the Rathkeale will be achieved through the redevelopment of vacant commercial units in the first instance. All retail development will be subject to compliance with the Draft Retail Strategy 2022 – 2028.

Retail Strategic Policy 

To support the sustainable long-term retail growth of Rathkeale as a Level 3 Town Centre, in accordance with the Draft Limerick Development Plan 2022 – 2028 and the Draft Retail Strategy for Limerick – Shannon Metropolitan Area and County Limerick 2022 – 2028. 

Objectives: It is an objective of the Council to:

R O1: Ensure proposals which would undermine the vitality and viability of Rathkeale town centre will not be permitted. The sequential approach to retail development set out in the “Retail Planning – Guidelines for Planning Authorities, 2012” will be applied when assessing planning applications for retail development.

 R O2: Prohibit the proliferation of uses in the town centre which would detract from the amenities, or the vitality and viability of the area such as fast food outlets, amusement arcades, off-licences, bookmakers and other non-retail uses.  Storage use is not permitted as the primary use of ground floor units.

R O3: Encourage the refurbishment of existing retail units and the maintenance of original shopfronts, or the reinstatement of traditional shopfronts, where poor replacements have been installed, and discourage the use of external roller shutters, internally illuminated signs or inappropriate projecting signs.

R O4: Encourage the use of upper floors of retail units for commercial or residential use, particularly ‘Living-Over-the Shop’ which contributes positively to regeneration of the town centre.

 

Part C:             Tourism and Supporting the Town Centre

5.4        Tourism Context, Strategy and Objectives

Tourism is a proven economic driver, and can play a significant role in the overall development of Rathkeale, sustaining employment and providing opportunities for new business and services.  The Limerick Greenway has already stimulated business growth in Rathkeale.  Other tourism assets in the town, include its rich built heritage (pre-historic, medieval, Gothic, Georgian and Edwardian influences on many fine buildings and structures in the town), the blue-way opportunities of the River Deel, Castlematrix and the riverside walk linking to the Limerick Greenway.  Rathkeale also benefits from the well-established hotel in the town which is in close proximity to the Limerick Greenway.  Access to the N21 also strengthens Rathkeale’s tourism potential.  The Limerick Tourism Development Strategy 2019 – 2023 sees Rathkeale as a heritage hub in a cluster of towns themed for the purposes of tourism promotion as ‘Limerick’s Connected Heartlands – The Medieval Strongholds of Abbeyfeale, Newcastle West, Rathkeale and Adare’.   Rathkeale has the additional advantage of the 44km Limerick Greenway extending to North Kerry with potential connection to Fenit/Tralee, and to Adare and Patrickswell as supported by the Draft Limerick Development Plan. Rathkeale has the potential to offer a more robust tourism package on the Limerick Greenway, access onto the river, interesting historical and built heritage, and could capitalise on the delivery of the Ryder Cup in Adare in 2027 having regard to Rathkeale’s proximity to Adare.

Tourism Strategic Policy 

To support the long-term sustainable growth of appropriate tourism opportunities in Rathkeale.

Objective T01- Tourism - It is the objective of the Council to:

  1. Support growth in the tourism sector in Rathkeale throughout the town by facilitating connections between complementary sites and attractions, and ensuring visitors can avail of Rathkeale’s services attracting visitors from the Limerick Greenway into the town centre, and enabling them to do so with ease. New tourist projects in the town are encouraged to foster synergy with the services and retail business located in the town.
  1. Extend the Limerick Greenway to Adare, Limerick City and beyond subject to any environmental constraints.
  1. Support Rathkeale’s role in the Limerick Tourism Development Strategy 2019 - 2023 and any subsequent replacement document.
  1. Require tourism projects to adhere to appropriate environmental and ecological assessment to mitigate any adverse environmental, biodiversity, ecological, archaeological, built heritage impacts.