1.2 | Spatial Definition
The Waterford Metropolitan Area is located around Waterford Harbour and the River Suir. It is centred on the City of Waterford and its suburbs with an extensive rural area beyond the built-up area which includes a number of small rural settlements such as Passage East, Cheekpoint, and Slieverue.
ThePortofWaterfordis locatedatBelview, approximately 5km east of the City Centre. The Waterford MASP area encompasses an area of 143sq.km of which 85.05sq.km is inWaterford City and County Council and 57.60sq.km is within Kilkenny County Council. The majority of the population (89%) lives in the built- up area of the City and suburbs located mainly on the southern side of the River Suir but also extending to the north side of the river into Co. Kilkenny.
Waterford MASP Policy Objective 1
Waterford Metropolitan Area a. It is an objective to strengthen the role of the Waterford Metropolitan Area as an international location of scale, a complement to Dublin and a primary driver of economic and population growth in the Southern Region. b. It is an objective to promote the Waterford Metropolitan Area as a cohesive metropolitan area with (i) the city centre as the primary location at the heart of themetropolitan area and region (ii) compact growth and regeneration of the Metropolitan Area across the city centre and suburbs, (iii) active land management initiatives to deliver housing and employment locations in a sustainable, infrastructure led manner. c. It is an objective to secure co-ordinated investment and delivery of holistic infrastructure packages
across State Departments and infrastructure delivery agencies as they apply to the Waterford Metropolitan Area and seek further investments to deliver on the Metropolitan Area Goals (See Volume 3). d. Any reference to support for plans, projects, activities and development in the MASP should be considered as referring to ‘sustainable development’that shall be subject to appropriate feasibility studies, best practice site/route selection (to consider environmental constraints), environmental assessment including EcIA to support development management and where required, the completion of statutory SEA, EIA and AA processes as appropriate e. The MASP seeks to protect, manage and, through enhanced ecological connectivity, to improve the coherence of the Natura 2000 Network in the Region.
2.0 | Key Components & Attributes
The Waterford Metropolitan Area recorded a population of 59,854 in the 2016 Census. National Policy Objective 7 states that the strategy for Waterford, Cork, and Limerick is, ‘to accelerate the development of these Cities to grow by at least half, i.e. by 50% to 60% to 2040’. NPO 8 sets out the Minimum Target Population for Waterford City and Suburbs by 2040 of 81,000 44 . This will require targeted growth focused on significant housing and employment locations identified.
44. NPF Table 4.1
Southern Regional Assembly | RSES
310
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker