At Sligo County Council’s June meeting, a report was presented outlining the main provisions of the County Development Plan adopted in August 2017. The Plan provides a framework for the physical development of the county allowing for sustainable, coordinated and orderly growth which respects the county’s natural, built and heritage resources.
Orderly growth of County Sligo
Providing for the sustainable and orderly growth of County Sligo
Among the key elements in the report:
- In response to the decline in agricultural employment over several years, the Development Plan includes a range of policies that seek to promote the diversification of the rural economy.
- In providing for the development of rural housing, the Development Plan policy distinguishes between rural areas under urban influence and rural areas in need of regeneration. This approach is consistent with both national and regional policy.
- The rural housing policy seeks to respond to the housing needs of rural communities and of those who make a significant contribution to community life in our rural areas by nature their occupation.
- The Development Plan also recognises the role of the countryside in the County’s economy and in the wellbeing of the residents and visitors in terms of rural tourism potential, scenic amenities and environmental protection.
- An analysis of census figures suggests that it is not a shortage of housing supply that is the cause of population decline in rural areas. It is more likely that a lack of suitable local jobs is a key consideration for younger people who might want to settle in our rural areas.
Sligo County Council