A Bord Pleanala references and KA0011 The Central Access Scheme for the City of Kilkenny. Joint Statement of Evidence By John Mulholland Director of Services and Denis Malone Senior Planner Kilkenny County Council Prepared in respect of an Oral Hearing in December, 2008 My name is John Mulholland, Director of Services, TranSportation, Emergency Planning and Corporate Services, Kilkenny County Council. I am a Chartered Civil Engineer. I also hold post graduate qualifications in Environmental Protection and Project Management. My name is Denis Malone andll am currently employed as a Senior Planner in the Planning Department of Kilkenn County Council. I hold a masters degree in Regional and Urban Planning from University College Dublin and have 23 years experience of planning practice in Irish Local Government and the private sector. I have responsibility for strategic planning for the City and County of Kilkenny and Development Management for Kilkenny City Environs. THE PROPOSED SCHEME. Kilken ny County Council proposes to construct a new central access scheme comprising a suburban relief road, a bridge crossing and a new street in the City of Kilkenny. Together these components are referred to as the Central Access Scheme for the City of Kilkenny and replace the previous definition of the scheme referred to as the Kilkenny Inner Relief Road WIDER POLICY CONTEXT The National Spatial Strategy Kilkenny was identified as a Hub under the National Spatial Strategy and was chosen as a location for regional growth because of its regional and national developmental role, its strategic location and its capacity for growth. The N88 describes Kilkenny as being a centre with a substantial population base, a highly successful tourism sector, improving accessibility due to a location on the national road and rail networks with links to an international seaport, and a strategic location between Dublin and Waterford. Kilkenny also has substantial capacity for development in land and water services and is a centre with both the critical mass and distance from Dublin to be capable of being successful in sustaining itself in employment terms, thereby resisting the tendency towards commuter driven development. The Characteristics of a Hub are: (1) A signi?cant urban population in the range of 20,000 40,000 set in an associated rural hinterland (2) Primary and secondary education facilities with the option of third level or outreach facilities. (3) A mix of local, medium sized and larger businesses serving local, regional and national/international markets. (4) An important local node in transportation and communication terms: on the national road and rail or bus networks, with access to a national or regional airport having adequate, reliable, cost effective and efficient access to port facilities with effective and competitive broadband access. (5) Effective local transport system with facilities for pedestrians and cyclists. (6) Local and/or regional hospital. (7) Wide range of amenity, sporting and cultural facilities including public spaces and parks. (8) Effective water services and waste management arrangements. (9) Strategies for physical, social and economic development. (10) Phased zoning and servicing of land - banks in anticipation of needs associated with growth. (11) Industrial and local business parks. The Regional Planning Guidelines It is the policy of the Regional Planning Guidelines to support the development and combine the of the cities and towns in the region, as envisaged in the National Spatial Strategy. Development of critical mass of the hub locations within the region is a priority. Kilkenny City is one of those locations. Draft Planning Guidelines on Sustainable Residential Development in Urban Areas In February of 2008, the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government launched the above guidelines which will act as a blueprint for the future sustainable development of Irish cities, towns and villages in the coming years. The-guidelines are focused on creating sustainable communities-by incorporating the highest design standards and providinga co-ordinated approach to the delivery of essential infrastructure and services. A key objective of government policy is to prevent unnecessary urban overspill into green field edge of town sites. This is regarded as unsustainable and not in line with the National Spatial Strategy and Regional Planning Guidelines. The latest planning guidelines seek national convergence of policies and practices in consolidating the country?s urban areas by providing for appropriate densities of development in the right locations which are well-serviced in terms of public transport and community facilities and which are built on an economically more efficient basis having regard to the presence of local services. In relation to Cities and Town Centres specifically, the draft guidelines state as follows ?The increase of population Within city or town centres with their range of employment, recreation, educational, commercial and retail uses can help to curtail travel demand; therefore, these locations have the greatest potential for the creation of sustainable patterns of development. Increasing populations in these locations can assist in urban regeneration, make more intensive use of existing infrastructure, support local services and employment, encourage affordable housing pro vision and sustain alternative modes of travel such as walking, cycling and public transport. The infilling of ?gap? sites will also contribute to the improvement of the architectural form?. The guidelines also refer to the use of brownfield site or sites that were formerly occupied by industrial or other uses. ?Where such signi?cant sitesexist and, in particular, are close to existing or future public transport corridors, the Opportunity for their re-development to higher densities, subject to the safeguards expressed above or in accordance with local area plans, should be promoted.? BROWNFIELD SITES IN. KILKENNY CITY The new guidelines and the policy sentiment expressed therein are particularly appropriate to Kilkenny City at this point in its evolution and continuing development. It is signi?cant that the two largest brownfield sites in the city (Diageo, 11acres and the former Kilkenny Livestock Mart, 13acres) are both dependent 0n the proposed central access scheme as part of the revitalisation of the city centre and in that context, the orderly growth and development of the wider city. in order to serve these sites in a sustainable manner it is necessary that adequate walking, cycling, public transport routes and vehicular access are available to maximize the urban development potential in order to maintain and reinforce the compact nature of Kilkenny City as a whole. The availability of two large parcels of land provides an opportunity to maximise the development potential of the city core into the foreseeable future in accordance with the vision of Kilkenny as a compact city based on sound principles of urban planning. Accordingly, the proposed Kilkenny City Access Scheme makes good planning sense and complies with National Policy which clearly favours focusing on the city centre. Development Strategy Vision for Kilkenny City The development strategy for Kilkenny City Environs underpins the development of a compact urban area for Kilkenny City and Environs. It is designed to? reinforce the City centre as a place for work, shopping, services and living. The City centre will be supported by a series of neighbourhoods. A balanced, compact form facilitating easy walking and cycling, combined with ef?cient public transport links between employment and residential locations will facilitate easier circulation and mobility within the City and Environs. This development strategy is outlined in fig 1. The resulting density and scale of p0pulation 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 and Environs will be critical in counteracting the current trend of leakage of residential development into the surrounding towns and rural areas. 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. A compact, balanced and focused city will place greater emphasis on the role of the central core in maintaining the vitality of the city. This approach is in complete harmony with the economic development role envisaged for Kilkenny in the NSS, not only in terms of its devel0pment as a hub, but also in terms of protecting and maintaining the rural environment which surrounds the city and in terms of reducing the demand for travel by the reduction of commuting. To ful?l its role in the NSS the need to expand city centre activity has been identi?ed through the county Retail Strategy. City Centre Expansion is focused on Bateman Quay, McDonagh Junction IAP site the former Kilkenny Livestock Mart site (Citymart) and in the medium term, the Diagio lands (Smithwick?s brewery). Figure 3.1: Development Strategy Legend Development Boundary Proposed Roads Maln Routes Rail Line Employment Areas Neighbourhoods l0 Planned Expansion I umuw ul ill-hunt Mull "5 Proposed M10 CarlowIDublin .Castle N10 -To Carlow! N75 To Callam?Clonmel . (Cork: -- R700 To Thomastown N10 To Waterford Kilkenny City Environs Development Plan 2008-2014 There is a high degree of ?t between the development plan and the N88 and various planning guidelines e.g. the Retail Planning Guidelines. The Spatial Policy Unit of the Department of the Environment in a submission to the Development Plan process stated'that ?The City Plan fulfils the criteria set out in the Development Plan Guidelines for a good Development Plan with its clear settlement strategy and clear economic and cultural strategy.? It is a speci?c objective of the Kilkenny Borough Council and the Kilkenny County Council to: Reserve frees from development the line of the proposed Central Access Scheme and to complete the Central Access Scheme within the plan period. (R1 on the zoning objectives map, Page 8-2 of the Kilkenny City Environs Plan) Kilkenny has a tradition of good urban planning, building upon its considerable built heritage and natural setting and has achieved a reasonably compact urban form, well served by new infrastructure such as the orbital ring road, the new and renewed rail infrastructure. Kilkenny is a model for other Irish cities and towns. Kilkenny City Centre Local Area Plan 2005 The City Centre Local Area Plan seeks to provide an integrated strategy for the future sustainable development of Kilkenny City Centre in order to ensure its continued vitality and viability, and to strike a balance between preserving its architectural and archaeological heritage and facilitating modern living and enhancing the quality of life for its existing und future residents. Among the principle aims of the Local Area Plan are: To propose traf?c management objectives to improve existing vehicular and pedestrian linkages within the City Centre. - Propose a framework for existing and future car parking requirements. Prepare urban design frameworks and land use strategies for key sites. In conjunction with the Kilkenny City and Environs Development Plan 2008 the Kilkenny City Centre Local Area Plan is the main policy document to inform to and regulate development in the area. In overall terms the vision is to provide a practical level of accesSibility for all, regardless 'of age, mobility or availability of mode choice and the network must pragmatically cater for all trips that have an origin or destination in the City Centre. A reduction in dependency on private car travel must be addressed in terms of: 0 Improving, developing and prioritizing pedestrian and cyclist access. - Developing bus services within the City and Environs. - Managing parking provision. - Limiting car access to key road links. Developing a coherent directional and explanatory signage strategy. The Plan identifies the KCAS (formerly lnner Relief Road) as a locally strategic road proposal providing for cycle, pedestrian and vehicular movement around the City Centre (page 17 of the Plan). The proposed scheme is a critical piece of enabling infrastructure allowing other linked objectives and policies to be implemented. For example the Plan contains a suite of interlinked Transport Management and Linkages objectives. Some of these form part of the KCAS, such as objectives: OWG4, OWG5, OWE1, and OPC1 OPCZ Plan Ref Location Objective OWG4 Junction of Abbey Develop as City Centre Gateway. Street and Dean Traf?c Management Considerations: Street Gateway to be developed by considering options for demarking pedestrian crossing such as providing a raised pedestrian crossing across Dean Street to Abbey Street or providing a general change in road surface ?nish. OWG5 Junction of lrishtown Develop as City Centre Gateway. and Dean Street. Traf?c Management Considerations: Gateway to be developed by enhancing the existing pedestrian crossing with a general change in road surface ?nish. OWE1 Dean Street I St Develop as Distributor Road as part of Inner Relief Canice's Place. Traffic Management Consrderations: Removal of all on street parking upon completion of Inner Relief Road. Retention of all off?street parking at St. Ganice's Church. Investigate the potential to develop a new entrance and exit to St Francis Brewery onto the Inner Relief Road opposite the Vicar Street junction. This entrance and exit has the potential to remove almost all heavy goods vehicle traffic associated with the Brewery from lrishtown and the City Centre. OPC1 East Bank of River_ Existing paved link to be retained under Inner Relief Road Bridge to John's Bridge. OPCZ West Bank of River Link to be provided under Inner Relief Road Bridge continuing on the edge of the St Francis Brewery site to Bateman Quay. The proposed scheme will maximise the potential for the following polices in the Plan to be implemented in the future. Without the scheme these policies will not realise their full potential. Plan Ref Location Objective High Street Develop as Pedestrian Thoroughfare (Following completion of Inner Relief Road). Traffic Management Considerations: To be pedestrianised from St. Kieran's Street to Friary Street following opening of Inner Relief Road. Rose Inn Street_ Develop as Pedestrian Thoroughfare. Traffic Management Considerations: Following the opening of the inner Relief Road this link can be considered for designation as bus lane during certain periods of the day. This would effectively pedestrianise the street but permit the two?way movement of taxis and buses. Outside of these periods the street would be open to general traffic. The proposed scheme is in keeping with the policies of the Plan with particular reference to the following urban design policies P. U. D. 9 Facilitate a pedestrian core at the heart of the City Centre that prioritises pedestrian activity and movement and reinforces the Centre as a desirable destination. P. U. D. 1 3 Reinforce access to St.Canice's Cathedral from the City Centre. (By increasing the number and quality of the pedestrian crossing points in Dean Street) P. U. D. 15 Consider the Inner Relief Road within the Local Area Plan boundary as a street with active edges and pedestrian friendly crossings. P. U. D. 16 Minimise the potential barrier of the inner Relief Road to pedestrian movements by implementing the traf?c objectives of this Local Area Plan. O.P.R.9 (page 62) Upon completion of the Inner Relief Road it is a specific objective of the Borough Council to ensure a safe pedestrian priority crossing to St. Canice's Cathedral, to reduce the severance created by the new road. 0. U. D. 4 1 (page 84) Reinforce pedestrian routes by means of controlled shared surface crossings over Inner Relief Street. Loughmacask Local Area Plan 2008 I The Central Access Scheme forms an integral part of the transport infrastructure for future development within the Loughmacask area. During the preparation of the Plan the capacity of the road network of the area was analysed to facilitate the design of that portion of the Central Access Scheme within the Loughmacask area. It was concluded that the full Central Access Scheme is required if the development envisaged for the area is to be fully realised The Central Access Scheme will act as a distributor road for this future urban area. Benefits of the Scheme I Kilkenny contains a considerable stock of natural and built heritage attributes that are well known in the national and international contexts. The integration of theses attributes into the built form of the City is what gives Kilkenny its distinctive character and attractiveness for cultural, social and economic activity and investment. Kilkenny is a winner of the European Great Town Award presented by the Academy of Urbanism 2007 10 Key points of built and cultural heritage interest lie in relatively close proximity to the proposed scheme as it crosses through the built up area of the city. The most prominent of these are the 12th century St Canice's Cathedral, St Francis Abbey, Rothe House, St Mary?s Church of Ireland to name but a few. The design of the proposed scheme seeks to meet the objectives of maintaining and preserving heritage and to avoid any con?ict in this regard along the selected route. A key design challenge in the western approach to the new bridge centred around facilitating access to the current Brewery operations, while also not prejudicing future development of the Brewery site should it be redeveloped in the future for mixed city centre uses. In my opinion the current design meets these objectives. A 4.5m underpass is included on the west bank of the Nore, which will facilitate access to current Brewery operations and could also be used to enhance the permeability of the site in the future. This added permeability gives rise to additional opportunity in the future for improved connectivity between the City's heritage points of interest. For example, the concept of the ?medieval mile? can be replicated and extended to at least two additional desire lines including a new walking route on the west bank of the Nore through the Diageo Brewery site taking in the historic St Francis Abbey. Another route on the east side of the river with new enhanced connectivity via the proposed Nore Bridge crossing would also be viable. Connectivitleegeneration The scheme provides for vehicular, pedestrian and cycle connections between the east and west sides of the City. It provides a direct link to a major brown field site on the east side of the river and facilitates its regeneration. It provides a direct link to a major brownfield site on the west bank of the river immediately adjacent to the Retail Core Area of the City Centre thereby facilitating its regeneration. Traffic Management, The scheme allows the potential for a series of identified future traffic management objectives to be maximised in and around the City such as: - Partial or full pedestrianisation of High street - Making John?s Street and Rose Street one way and facilitating a more pedestrian friendly environment in the core city centre area. 11 Current De?ciencies in Kilkenny City Road Network Footpath quality and footpath widths in many parts of the centre city are considered hostile to the needs of pedestrians and persons with mobility impairments. Examples include John Street, Rose Inn Street, and High Street at its junction with James Street, Vicar Street and Greens Bridge. The two existing bridges across the River More in the city centre are narrow in comparison to current standards and limit the traffic ?ows across the river. Greens Bridge, in particular, is critically deficient in width. For example, two trucks cannot pass on the bridge and emergency vehicles travelling to and from the county's main hospital frequently ?nd their way obstructed. The Council intends to restore this bridge and ban heavy goods vehicles if the proposed scheme is approved. Roads and streets in the predominantly residential areas around Stephen Street, Dominic Street, St. Rioch?s Street and Old Callan Road are subjected to heavy volumes of traf?c. A new link to the west of the city is urgently required to take traffic away from this area and to connect with the western environs road development scheme. On completion the proposed access scheme will provide relief to communities along congested roads in the western side of the city. The Council has commissioned reports indicating that signi?cant levels of traf?c growth will occur in the period up to 2014 and 2020. This growth will results from three distinct elements: there will be an increase in global or background traf?c that occurs from changes in socio-economic indicators, such as population and employment levels and car ownership. Secondly, there will be traf?c growth resulting from an intensi?cation of existing development within Kilkenny and Thirdly, there will be traf?c growth resulting from the signi?cant amount of new development that is proposed for Kilkenny in the immediate future. 12 Mobility Management in Kilkenny. The proposed road development will have footpaths and cycle lanes along its entire length. These have been designed to interlink with the proposed footpath and cycle lane network for Kilkenny City, as outlined in the City Centre Local Area Plan. Therefore, the proposed road development will improve access within Kilkenny City for pedestrians and cyclists. Furthermore the proposed River Nore bridge crossing will serve to increase the connectivity between communities on Wolfe Tone St. Michael St. and those near Dean St. and further to the west. The proposed development will also have a positive impact as it will serve to reduce traf?c volumes in existing residential areas within Kilkenny City Centre as mentioned earlier. The scheme on completion will facilitate more effective plan led policies such as alternatives to private car transport to be implemented in the city. Removing the current volumes of traf?c from the core city centre streets can only be achieved through the promotion of cycle routes, the promotion of walking through improved pedestrian areas (for example John Street and High Street) and reliable public transport in the form of a city centre bus service. The proposed development provides more ?exibility and greater opportunities to provide these alternatives. It is important that the Kilkenny Central Access Scheme not be considered in isolation or decoupled from key developments in modal shift and improved mobility management in the core City Centre area. Non Statutory Public Consultation. As an integral part of the planning of the proposed scheme, Kilkenny Local Authorities undertook a number of consultations with stakeholders and members of the public alike. A number of discussions also took place with representatives of different organisational and voluntary groups both at local level in Kilkenny and at National level. Following these consultations the scheme as originally designed was significantly rationalised and revised to take into account the concerns of stakeholders and members of the public. The most noteworthy changes that have taken place in the original design-are: . Avoidance of Garrison House (a building of regional architectural heritage importance) at John?s Green and avoidance of Wolfe tone Street. . Elimination of proposed link to rear of Irishtown in vicinity of Bull Inn Wall and old city walls. 13 Elimination of proposed reundabout at St. Canice's Place. Avoidance of interference with buildings on Vicar Street. In addition the Council, having regard to community groups and other interested parties, proposes the following in addition to the proposed scheme. The provision of new playing pitches on the Tullaroan Road. The development of the River Bregagh Linear Park. The refurbishment of the historic Greens Bridge, including strengthening, stone replacement and profile lighting. The provision of improved pedestrian crossing facilities, including a raised table, in Dean Street. the inclusion of heritage ?points of interest? on the new road most notably those opening up new views and vantage points of ?Evans Turret?, ?St. Francis Abbey?, the ?Bull Inn Wall" and the old river mill. l4 I Conclusion The Council?s objectives in providing the proposed scheme are: To build a uni?ed city centre with the River More at its heart, with strong connectivity between High Street, the expanded city centre activities on the former Mart, and McDonagh Junction sites and the Diageo site. a To improve access to the city centre and provide for economic and cultural development; . To reduce the impact of road traf?c and private car domination on the city centre and facilitate partial pedestrianisation of John's Street and High Street. . To improve accessibility for emergency services and access to health facilities and hospitals; and, . To make provision for planned residential development on the west side of the city. In our opinion the design for the Kilkenny Central Access Scheme has not alone achieved the objective of avoiding impact on the City?s heritage but in so doing will open up opportunities for accessibility to new points of interest which have, to date, not been available to the general public and the local community. Irish cities and towns are undergoing a remarkable process of transformation and development that will continue for some time to come. Kilkenny also has undergone signi?cant developments. However, the continuing pressure to accommodate new developments coupled to the policy preference for city and town centre locations and the emergence of competing opportunity sites both in the centre of Kilkenny and at its edge mean that the city faces a strategic choice. This choice is whether to build further on the success of the City centre or whether the City should look elsewhere for strategic development opportunities with the implications that might have for Kilkenny?s unique urban character and attractiveness. National planning policy would clearly favour focusing on the city centre. The Kilkenny City and Environs DeveIOpment plan has recognised and anticipated the issues outlined above and included an objective for an additional crossing of the River More and associated new streets and roads, designed to address the issues outlined above. The local authorities are of the view that the Central Access Scheme is a development that needs to be put in place and managed to achieve the best possible outcome taking into account all of the issues that have come through as 15 part of the consultations exercises and the preparation of the EIS for the project. The benefits that the Central access Scheme will bring in terms of overall traf?c management for the historic core and the retail core area are manifest. The new bridge crossing will open up new views north and south along the river of Green?s bridge, John?s bridge, the Castle and other historic sites of the City thereby allowing revised, new and different interpretations of the historic sites. The proposal in front of the board represents the single most important locally strategic planning decision to be made in Kilkenny City for a considerable time. It is a decision that will affect the future of the city for generations tocome. in our opinion the proposed development to which the CPO relates facilitates and gives effect to the provisions of the Development Plan and accords with the pr0per planning and sustainable development of the area. John Mulholland Director of Services. Transportation, Corporate Affairs and Emergency Planning. Kilkenn County Council. Denis Malone Senior Planner Kilkenny County Council 16