What is a Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (RSES)?
The RSES will identify the Eastern and Midland region’s key strategic assets, opportunities and challenges and set out policy responses to ensure that people’s needs – such as access to housing, jobs, ease of travel and overall well-being – are met, up to 2030 and beyond.
The RSES provides a:
- Spatial Strategy – to manage future growth and ensure the creation of healthy and attractive places to live, work, study, visit and invest in.
- Economic Strategy – that builds on our strengths to sustain a strong economy and support the creation of quality jobs that ensure a good living standard for all.
- Metropolitan Plan – to ensure a supply of strategic development areas for the sustainable growth and continued sucess and competitiveness of the Dublin metropolitan area.
- Investment Framework – to prioritise the delivery of key enabling infrastructure and services by government and state agencies.
- Climate Action Strategy – to accelerate climate action, ensure a clean and healthy environment and to promote sustainable transport and strategic green infrastructure.
The RSES will be informed by:
- Project Ireland 2040 – the National Planning Framework and the National Development Plan, economic and other relevant policies of the government, including climate change plans and the ten-year capital investment plan.
- Consultation process – Initial Public and stakeholder consultation process with an issues paper and 171 submission received.
- Engagement process – Engagement and collaboration with key stakeholders in the Region thorough Technical Working Groups and Senior Officials Advisory Group.
- Socio- Economic Profile – a Regional Profile and Map Viewer was prepared for the Region in collaboration with the All Island Research Observatory (AIRO) in Maynooth University, as part of our commitment to evidence informed policy making and evaluation.
- Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) – a parallel SEA, Appropriate Assessment (AA) and Flood Risk Assessment (RFRA) process informs each stage in the making of the RSES.
The Assembly has prepared a Draft RSES and the Public consultation on the Draft RSES and associated documents has commenced.
Stages in the RSES process
STAGE 1 Issues Paper –1st Consultation
Local authorities, public and private agencies, interest groups and any interested member of the public were invited to make submissions between 20th November, 2017 until 5pm on 16th February, 2018. 171 submissions were received during the consultation process and a Director’s Report on the submissions was prepared. The evidence gathered during this period, and the comments received, was assessed and incorporated into the making of the draft RSES
STAGE 2 Draft RSES – 2nd Consultation
Submissions to the Issues paper will be taken into consideration by the Assembly during the preparation of the Draft RSES for the region. The Eastern and Midlands Regional Assembly has published a Draft RSES and associated environmental reports for public consultation between 5th November 2018 and 5pm on the 23rd January 2019 during which time submissions and observations will again be invited.
STAGE 3 Material Amendments- 3rd Consultation
Following consideration of observations on the Draft RSES, the Regional Assembly will consider appropriate amendments and will subject the Draft and any proposed amendments to a rigorous environmental assessment process.
PUBLICATION OF FINAL RSES AND ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTS
Once all of these steps have been taken, the 38 members of the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly will adopt and publish a Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy for the Eastern and Midland Region, in 2019.
Once the RSES is adopted by, each planning authority and public body within the region will be obliged to review their plans and programmes and consider any variations to those plans and programmes as is necessary in order to achieve the objectives of the RSES.
Process to date
The Assembly commenced the process with an Issues Paper that was made available for public comment between 20th November 2017 and 16th February 2018. It sought submissions on relevant strategic planning and economic development matters. 171 submissions were received during the consultation process and a Director’s Report on the submissions was prepared.
The evidence gathered during this period, and the comments received, was assessed and incorporated into the making of the draft RSES.
A series of consultations were undertaken during the process including meetings with Local Authorities, State Agencies and other public bodies. Five Technical Working Groups were set up under the four themes and in relation to the Dublin Metropolitan Area (MASP) and a series of workshops were held with relevant stakeholders.
The Assembly is also arranged into three Strategic Planning Area (SPA) Committees consisting of elected members, which feed into the RSES process. There is also a Senior Officials Advisory Group, made up of representatives from Local Authorities, Government Departments and public agencies that provides a strategic advisory role during the process.
At the meeting of the 19th October 2018, the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly (EMRA) prepared a draft Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy for the Eastern and Midland Region period 2019-2031, as required under section 24(4) of the Planning and Development Acts 2000-2018.
The Assembly gave notice that a draft Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy was available for Public Consultation, and that submissions are invited from interested parties from the 5th November 2018 to the 23rd January 2019 inclusive. 315 submissions were received during this public consultation process, as well as 2 late submissions.
A Director’s report on the submissions was prepared for the members of the Assembly and was issued to the members on 13th February and presented at the Assembly meeting of the 15th February. The members then submitted 29 no. valid motions for proposed amendments to the draft RSES by the 25th February. A Director’s report in response to these motions was issued on the 27th February. At the Assembly meeting of 1st March 2019, as required under section 24(8) of the Planning and Development Acts 2000-2018, the members considered the motions, then the Director’s Report and recommendations, except where it was superseded by the agreed motions.
At this meeting the members of the Assembly agreed to make the regional spatial and economic strategy subject to the amendments agreed at the meeting. It was deemed that a number of these amendments were material and as such, would be subject to a further public display period in accordance with the requirements of section 24(8) of the Planning and Development Acts 2000-2018. To note it is only these proposed material amendments that are being placed on display and to which submissions can relate.
