The Office of the Planning Regulator has published a new Practice Note, ‘Planning for Employment Growth – The Development Plan and Employment Lands’.
The OPR with support from MacCabe Durney Barnes have prepared this practice note that seeks to bridge the gap between high-level legislation, policy and practicalities of implementation on the ground. The practice note draws on best practice research and reflects broad stakeholder engagement. It focuses on providing a practical approach for estimating enterprise and employment land-use requirements to inform the development plan preparation.
Key elements of the practice note include:
- an overview of the relevant legislative and policy framework;
- considerations in the development of a sustainable enterprise and employment portfolio;
- an outline of methodologies for the implementation of national and regional economic policy at the local development plan level;
- a step-by-step approach to the process of assessing enterprise and employment land (the Assessment);
- an adaptable framework which planning authorities can tailor to create their own methodologies to fit within a local context; and
- a template site appraisal form.
It is anticipated that the publication of the practice note will promote greater consistency in the approach to estimating the differing zoning requirements for employment uses and support planning authorities in their focus on the spatial components of economic activity.
