National & Regional Development Policy

NATIONAL & REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT POLICY

The development of this Masterplan must be seen in the context of current national and regional development policy towards Limerick and Thurles, as well as the greater Mid-West region. The overarching strategy published by the Irish Government is Project Ireland 2040 – National Planning Framework (NPF).

The NPF will guide high level strategic planning and development for the country over the next two decades. The NPF aims to guide the future development of Ireland taking into account a projected population increase of 1 million people, 660,000 additional jobs and 550,000 homes by 2040. The plan sets out ten national strategy objectives as follows:

• Compact Growth • Enhanced Regional Connectivity • Strengthened Rural Economies and Communities • Sustainable Mobility • A Strong Economy, supported by Enterprise, Innovation and Skills • High Quality International Connectivity • Enhanced Amenity and Heritage • Climate-Resilient Society • Sustainable Management of Water and other Environmental Resources • Access to Quality Childcare, Education and Health Services

Within this framework, Project Ireland 2040 seeks to develop the country’s regional towns and cities as viable urban centres of scale which can act as alternatives and a counterbalance to the continued growth of Dublin and its surrounding region. It is anticipated that by doing so these cities and regional towns will act as drivers of growth for their wider region and rural areas. For example, as part of this strategy, Project Ireland 2040 envisages the population of Limerick City and Suburbs to grow by between 47,000 - 56,000 people (or 50-60%) by 2040. Some of the objectives and projects planned under the NPF for Limerick include:

• An additional 56,000 people in Limerick City and Suburbs by 2040 • 50% of new homes will be within the existing built-up area in Limerick City and Suburbs and 30% in its towns and villages. • City Wide public transport network • Implementation of the Limerick 2030 economic strategy • Sustainable greenfield development • Regeneration of City’s Georgian Quarter • Expansion of third level institutions

In addition to physical developments, the Project Ireland 2040 sets out initiatives that embrace technological developments and the ‘digital revolution’ . It also aligns with global and European targets for climate action.

In addition to the NDF, the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (RSES) for the Southern Region sets out a 12-year strategic development framework for the delivery of the objectives of the National Planning Framework within the Southern Region. The RSES includes a Metropolitan Area Strategic Plan for the Limerick – Shannon Metropolitan Area. A key component of the RSES is to strengthen the settlement structure of the Southern Region. This aims to capitalise on the strength of the region’s cities (Limerick, Cork & Waterford), metropolitan areas, key towns, towns and villages and key networks. The RSES also seeks a revitalised rural area to make it one of Europe’s most creative, innovative, green and liveable regions.

All these initiatives provide the context of the development of the Limerick Campus. As the oldest higher education institution in Limerick and boasting a