Proposed Variation No.1 - Limerick Development Plan 2022 - 2028

Proposed Variation No. 1 to the Limerick Development Plan 2022 - 2028

Dúnta18 Már, 2023, 8:00am - 17 Aib, 2023, 5:00pm

The proposed variation to the Limerick Development Plan 2022 – 2028 is to provide clarification of text in Chapter 7 regarding access to substandard roads.

How to read the proposed Variation No. 1 to the Limerick Development Plan 2022 – 2028.

The variation to the County Development Plan includes the following documents:

Written statement indicating Proposed Variation (this document)
Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Screening Report
Appropriate Assessment Screening Report.

This document sets out the Proposed Variation to the Development Plan. The existing text of the Development Plan is shown in normal font. Proposed deletions are indicated as red strike through text, for example ~~Strikethrough text~~. Proposed amendments/additions are shown as green and underlined text, for example green and underlined text. On adoption all green underlined text will revert to normal text and red strikethrough text will be deleted.

The Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Screening Report and the Appropriate Assessment Screening Report are included as separate documents.

Note: This variation document shows only the relevant section of the Development Plan, which it is proposed to change, not the entire plan. Therefore, it is advisable that this variation be read in conjunction with the current Development Plan.

2.0 Schedule of Proposed Variation

Chapter 7:

Proposed text changes to Section 7.9 Protection of Road Hierarchy:

The road network also plays a vital part of Limerick’s transport infrastructure to support economic development as well as for social journeys. Proper management of use, maintenance of roads and improvements to the network is vital. A hierarchy of roads exist in Limerick, including sections of motorway, national roads, regional roads, local roads and urban roadways. There has been significant investment in road infrastructure and therefore it is important to protect and maintain the carrying capacity of the road network within Limerick.

Policy TR P11 Road Safety and Carrying Capacity of the Road Network

It is a policy of the Council to seek improvements to road safety and enhance carrying capacity of the road network throughout Limerick, through minimising existing traffic hazards, including access onto roads, which are substandard in terms of width and alignment and preventing the creation of additional or new traffic hazards in the road network, maintaining the carrying capacity and securing appropriate signage. It is a policy of the Council to safeguard the carrying capacity and safety of the road network throughout Limerick.

In implementing the above policy, the Council will have regard to the following objectives:

Objective TR O37 Land Uses and Access Standards ~~onto All Roads~~

It is an objective of the Council to

(a) ensure that any development involving a new access to a public road, or the intensification of use of an existing access onto a public road, ~~that would compromise the safety and capacity of the road network, will not be permitted unless the new or existing access~~ meets the appropriate design and safety standards.

(b) Ensure that on roads that are sub-standard, either in terms of their width, (less than 3m), alignment, surface condition or junction with the nearest main road, development will only be considered in exceptional circumstances. This includes applicants who have a demonstrable social need to live on the particular road, where no alternative site is available, or where the only alternative access available is onto a strategic regional road as designated in the Development Plan.

3.0 Making written submissions/observations

The Proposed Variation, the Strategic Environmental Assessment Screening Report and Appropriate Assessment Screening Report will be on public display from Saturday 18^th March 2023 to Monday 17^th April 2023 inclusive. Any submissions or observations with respect to the Proposed Variation to the Plan or associated environmental screening assessments made in writing, to the Forward Planning Section, Economic Development and Enterprise Directorate, Merchants Quay, Limerick City and County Council, Limerick, emailed to forwardplanning@limerick.ie or uploaded to https://mypoint.limerick.ie and received by close of business on Monday 17^th April 2023 will be taken into consideration before any decision to vary the Development Plan is made.