Evidence Based Planning: Councillors & Decision Making- the Role of the Evidence Base

Deirdre Scully, BA, MRUP, MA, MIPI

Senior Planner, Dublin City Council

Legislative Framework 2010 Planning Act- framing clear linkages and

integration between national-regional-county-local. Changing content of Development Plan

longer, new guidance to incorporate, greater number of issues addressed, clearer identification of policies and objectives

Increasing new Directives impacting on planning process

SEA, AA, Flooding, Water Framework, Groundwater..

Greater Dublin Area Regional Planning Guidelines - Images

Role of Development Plan Deliver Core Strategy (focussed on housing provision) Set out Retail Strategy Identify key infrastructure investments needed (linkage to

Water Services Investment Programme) Economic Strategy (from regional policy) Transport policy in keeping with NTA Alongside rural housing, environmental targets, landscape

assessment, schools & health policies

The Development Plan coalescences a range of issues impacting on communities and the environment and looks to give spatial expression to these at a local county level.

Swords, Fingal County Council Islandbridge,

Dublin City Council

Where’s the Evidence?

NSS & RPGs- new in Irish planning plan cycle; creating a nationally adopted coordinated approach to planning for new populations

National Development Plan, NTA/T21 & WSIPs- clarity on where infrastructure is/will be going

Designated areas/places for protection- natura, built heritage, protected landscapes

River Basin Management Plans, water source protection plans– Decisions now made within a framework

Key Inputs into Decision Making• Flood risk• SEA• AA• Population demand• Economic Requirements• Government Guidance• Proofing- Rural, Disability,

Poverty, Language…

EU Directives

National Policy

Regional Policy

Community

Councillor

Local BusinessAre we yet costing decisions on zoning and policies fully from an economic, environmental and social cost ?Are all decisions made fully informed?

Are we yet costing decisions on zoning and policies fully from an economic, environmental and social cost ?Are all decisions made fully informed?

Extract of DoEHLG Guidance on Development Plans (page 77)

Councillors & Decision Making

Challenge of focusing limited growth- in era of emigration- can core strategies bite the bullet

Necessity to look at Cost Benefit Analysis approach to achieve sustainable solutions

Role of SEA in plan decision making- is it failing to achieve its primary goal?

How can executive assist councillors both to deliver an “evidence-based” plan and also recognise community issues?

END