4.3.1 Kilkenny City (See also Volume 2)

Closed22 Dec, 2020, 9:00am - 12 Mar, 2021, 5:00pm
4.3.1 Kilkenny City (See also Volume 2)

Kilkenny is one of six Key Towns identified in the RSES of very significant population scale and service delivery.  Kilkenny City is the largest of the Key Towns with a 2016 population recorded in excess of 26,000.  In this context Kilkenny is evidenced as a self-sustaining regional driver with a comparable structure to the five regional growth centres identified in the NPF[1]. Under the NPF and the RSES, Kilkenny City has a targeted growth in population of 30% by 2040, to 34,465.  

When considering this 30% growth projection to 2040, it is projected that with linear growth, this equates to a population uplift of 3,641 over the period of this plan to a total of 30,153 by 2027.  In accordance with the NPF and RSES, 30% of new housing growth targeted for the city is to be provided within the built-up footprint, with 70% for new growth areas on the periphery.  These new growth areas are identified as the Breagagh Valley and Loughmacask neighbourhoods which have been subject to Local Area Plans in the past.

A balanced, compact form combined with efficient mobility links between different land uses will facilitate easier circulation and mobility within the City.  The resulting density and scale of population will support a wider range of retail, commercial, social and civic services than would be the case in a more dispersed city.  The provision of a wide range of dwelling types and densities within the City will be critical in providing for the housing needs of the growing population. By providing residential accommodation within a compact city form there are substantial economies of scale to be made in terms of the costs of service provision.

The concept of the ten-minute city is that residents of the city can access the local services they require such as shops, schools, or local parks within 10 minutes, i.e. accessible in short walking and cycle timeframes from homes or accessible by high quality public transport.  In simple terms, Kilkenny is approximately 3km wide and 4.5km long.

Strategic Objective:

4E           To strengthen the role of Kilkenny City as a self-sustaining regional economic driver with a significant zone of influence and a Key Town on Dublin – Carlow-Kilkenny Waterford M9 Road/Rail,

4F           To ensure investment and delivery of comprehensive infrastructure packages to meet growth targets that prioritise compact growth and sustainable mobility as per the NPF,

4G          To achieve a growth of more than 30% in population for Kilkenny City from 2016 to 2040 to 34,500, subject to capacity analysis and sustainable criteria under Section 3.3 of the RSES,

4H          To deliver 30% of that growth within the current built footprint of the city[2],

The Council will support urban regeneration and compact development through investment in the Abbey Quarter & other initiatives to improve the public realm and regenerate underused land in the City.  The Council will also support sustainable enterprise growth, services, physical and social infrastructure investment and the sustainable growth of all communities in the City. 

 

[1] NPF Section 2.5 Building Stronger Regions: Accessible Centres of Scale p27

[2] NPF

Contents

Home