2.3.14: Core Strategy Policy Objectives
Actively supporting CLTs and related innovative housing practices will help Galway County Council achieve its Core Strategy Policy Objectives, as outlined in Section 2.3.14:
Galway County Council shall ensure that the future spatial development of Galway is informed by means of a plan led approach, directing residential and employment generating development to locations in accordance with national and regional policy and with environmental carrying capacity, which can support investment in public infrastructure and services and which is sensitive to the physical character of the built and natural environment. This approach is enshrined in several Core Strategy Policy Objectives as below:
Policy Objectives Overarching Core Strategy
- CS 1: Implementation: To secure the implementation of the Core Strategy and the Settlement Hierarchy in so far as practicable, by directing sustainable growth towards the designated settlement.
- CS 2: Compact Growth: To achieve compact growth through the delivery of new homes in urban areas within the existing built up footprint of settlements, by developing infill, brownfield and regeneration sites and prioritising underutilised land in preference to greenfield sites.
- CS 3: Population Growth: To support and manage the self-sufficient sustainable development of all settlements in a planned manner, with population growth and the development of economic, physical and social infrastructure.
- CS 4: Initiatives: Promote measures to reduce vacancy and the underuse of existing building stock and support initiatives that promote the reuse, refurbishment and retrofitting of existing buildings within urban centres and targeted settlements in the County.
- CS 5: Population within Tiers: It is a policy objective of the Council to support the delivery of the population projections within the different settlement tiers of the Core Strategy. Where individual settlements are not progressing to reach their population allocation at the half way point in the lifetime of the plan the population allocation maybe redistributed within the individual tier subject to servicing and the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.
2.5: Policy Objectives of the Housing Strategy
Actively supporting CLTs and related innovative housing practices will help Galway County Council achieve the Policy Objectives of the Housing Strategy, as outlined in Section 2.5:
- HS 1: Housing Requirements: It is the Councils policy objective to facilitate the housing needs of the existing and future population of County Galway through the management of housing development in the county in accordance with the Housing Need Demand Assessment, Core Strategy and Settlement Hierarchy.
- HS 2: Social and Affordable Housing: It is a policy objective of the Council to procure vacant homes to ensure their continued use for residential purposes into the future and develop housing in infill and brownfield sites within town and village centres for social and affordable housing provision.
- HS 3: Monitor Housing Strategy: It is a policy objective of the Council to monitor the effectiveness of the Housing Strategy in meeting and resolving identified housing needs.
- HS 4: Monitor Housing Need Demand Assessment: It is a policy objective of the Council to support the ongoing monitoring and review of the Housing Need Demand Assessment (HNDA) in accordance with a forthcoming HNDA methodology to be issued by Central Government.
- HS 5: Social Housing Stock: It is a policy objective of the Council to increase and effectively manage the stock of social housing within the county in order to meet the long-term housing needs of those households on the local authority housing list.
2.6: Specific Housing Need
Actively supporting CLTs and related innovative housing practices will help Galway County Council achieve the Policy Objectives of Specific Housing Need, as outlined in Section 2.6:
- SH 1: Affordable Housing: Promote the delivery of affordable housing primarily in sustainable locations in towns and villages across County Galway in the first instance in accordance with proper planning and sustainable development.
- SH 2: Homeless Housing: Facilitate the provision of suitable accommodation for the homeless and for those in need of emergency accommodation.
- SH 3: Traveller Accommodation: Support and implement the Traveller Accommodation Programme 2019 – 2024 for County Galway (or any updated/superseding document).
- SH 4: Adaptable Housing: Promote and support the development of sustainable housing for older people and those with disabilities or learning disabilities, the concept of independent living will also be promoted.