To whom it may concern, Newcastle Community and biodiversity group welcome the opportunity to contribute to the County Development Plan 2021-2027. Our submission is contained within the attached document.
Retail and Employment
Newcastle has a total population of 924 recorded in the 2016 census. According to the Newcastle Village Health Check Report carried out in July 2019, a public consultation via a survey of the residents in the village found that:
“Many residents welcomed the idea of new retail opportunities and saw it as a potential component of a holistic approach to development and ensuring residents’ wellbeing. However, excessive retail development was also mentioned when it came to concerns about development.”
Currently the village centre contains a shop and petrol station, a hairdresser, a public house, and a storage unit company.There is one existing commercial unit on the market, located on the main street. However, it has been vacant for a significant number of years.
According to the Newcastle Village Health Check Report carried out in July 2019, an improved after-school care is also sought for Newcastle from its residents. Increasing the housing stock in the village, as per the Wicklow County Development Plan’s objective for Newcastle, will inevitably see an increase in the number of family households.
Action: We request that the Wicklow County Council supportthe development for a crèche in the village, thus creating “people” intensive local employment and fulfilling a social service that is badly needed.
According to the Newcastle Village Health Check Report, with relation to residents in Newcastle:
• 54% of persons at work are involved either in commerce and trade or professional services
• 56% of the population aged 15 years or older are at work
• 2 is the most common number of cars owned by households in Newcastle, as opposed to 1 being the most common nationally
• 3% of the population aged 5 or over walk to school, work, or college. Opposed to 13% nationally
• 82% of people have internet access, with 77% of households having a personal computer
It is clear from this report that there is a need for residents to commute daily in order to get to school, work, or college; the number of cars each household owns also emphasizes this. With a large section of the workforce involved commerce and trade or professional services and a significant percentage of people with internet access and a personal computer; there is an opportunity for village residents to commute less frequently to work and instead work from the village more often.
Action: We request that the development plan for Newcastleput a strong emphasis on the encouragement and facilitation of a remote working hub for the village. We request the inclusion of a live-work unit as part of the mixed-use development currently proposed in Development Zone section NC1. This would facilitate both home-working and innovative forms of working. This would reduce the need for residents to commute as frequently, but would be subordinate to the main residential use of homes and would not result in a disamenity in the village. This would also meet the economic development objectives set out in the Wicklow County Development Plan for level 6 small towns.
Flood Risk Management
According to a 2019 Newcastle Village Health Check Report, a public consultation with residents found that a dominant theme emerged consisting of several environment concerns. The report found that there is a strong environmental concern surrounding the threat of flooding in the village, considering the vulnerability of Sea Road and the village in this regard. Heavy flooding did occur in 2015 in some low-lying areas in the village. However, some sections in the village are prone to frequent flooding.
Flooding on R761 north of village in February 2021.
Flooding on Sea Road between Hunters’ Leap and the boat repair yard in February 2021.
Action: The Newcastle River 10N01 needs to be managed and protected due to a history of flooding on the Sea road. The current climate change crisis means that it will only get worse if action is not taken.
We request the implementation of recommendations in the OPW Flood Risk Management Plans (FRMPs), including planned investment measures for managing and reducing flood risk. That support and facilitation of flood management activities, projects or programmes is provided, that each flood risk management activity be examined to determine actions required to embed and provide for effective climate change adaptation as set out in the Climate Change Sectoral Adaptation Plan for Flood Risk Management.
We request that the natural coastal defences adjacent to the village - Newcastle beach, Breeches salt marsh and estuary lands are protected and to ensure that their flood defence/management function is not put at risk by inappropriate works or development.
We request an update on the existing county indicative flooding zone for the village to include areas prone to flooding to the north of the village along the R761 as indicated:
We request that the zoning of land that has been identified as being at a high or moderate probability of flooding (flood zones A or B) be in accordance with the requirements of the Flood Risk Management Guidelines and in particular the ‘justification test for development plans”. Those applications for new developments or significant alterations/extension to existing developments in an area at risk of flooding follow the ‘sequential approach’ as set out in the Flood Risk Management Guidelines. That an appropriately detailed flood risk/drainage impact assessment is required with all planning applications, to ensure that the development itself is not at risk of flooding and the development does not increase the flood risk in the relevant catchment (both up and down stream of the application site), taking into account all sources of flooding.
Where flood risk may be an issue for any proposed development, a flood risk assessment be carried out that is appropriate to the scale and nature of the development and the risks arising. We request that development be prohibited in river flood plains or other areas known to provide natural attenuation for floodwaters. Furthermore, with regard to development we request that Wicklow County Council ensure the implementation of Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) in accordance with the Wicklow County Council SuDS Policy to ensure surface water runoff is managed for maximum benefit. In particular, we request that proposed developments meet the design criteria of each of the four pillars of SuDS design - Water Quality, Water Quantity, Amenity and Biodiversity.
We request the promotion of the use of green infrastructure as landscape features in new developments to provide storm/surface runoff storage and reduce pollutants, as well as habitat, recreation and aesthetic functions. For developments adjacent to the river, we request that any structures (including hard landscaping) must be set back from the edge of the watercourse in accordance with the guidelines in ‘Planning for Watercourses in the Urban Environment’ by Inland Fisheries Ireland.