2 Housing/Settlement Strategy

A key element of the settlement strategy is the Settlement hierarchy, which sets out the role of the city, and various towns and villages and the services that should be provided in the various categories of centre. The current County Settlement hierarchy is as follows:

Under the current Settlement strategy, a total of 31 settlements have been classified based on their size and range of function, and from a social, economic and community perspective.  A settlement hierarchy is important as it influences the investment programmes of various sections of the Council, such as Roads etc.

In a time of scarce resources, it is important that investment will be targeted in the right places and that it will support and underpin the settlement hierarchy.  As discussed under the Population topic, we have estimated that the County will grow to over 120,000 by 2040. 

Kilkenny has significant capacity to deliver sustainable growth.  For example, the two planned   neighbourhoods of Loughmacask and  the  Western Environs  in Kilkenny  City  have  capacity  for circa 4,800 homes to accommodate circa 12,500 people (a  47%  increase  over    2016    levels).  In addition, the established neighbourhood of Ferrybank, as  an  urban  area  in  the  south  of  the county,  has  significant  capacity  for  population growth  in  the  region  of  12,600  with  improved services  now  supported  by  Local  Infrastructure Housing  Activation  Fund  funding.  The County’s  District  Towns  of  Callan,  Castlecomer, Graiguenamanagh  and  Thomastown,  along  with its smaller towns and villages, have  the  capacity  for planned population growth.

The Development Plan needs to establish, on the basis of average household size, how many units will be required to meet this growth, in each of the settlements.  This must also bear in mind that the Departmental Guidelines on Development Plans recommend providing for an additional 3 years supply.  This amount of units is then translated into an area of zoned land.  Given the tight constraints set down by the Core Strategy, we will need to take an active land management approach. This means that sites will be assessed to ensure that there are no factors preventing any land zoned coming forward for development during the life of the Plan.