The Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies (RSES) will provide a long-term regional level strategic
planning and economic framework in support of the implementation of the emerging National
Planning Framework (NPF) and the economic policies and objectives of the Government.

The RSES will address more detail at a regional scale, identifying regional assets, opportunities and
pressures, distributing future population growth and development across the region in a balanced
manner. It is essential that the RSES acknowledges a global environment of increasing climate impact
and ecological destruction.

It poses the challenge of accommodating the projected increase in the Region’s population in a way
that ensures that the needs of the region’s current and future population are met (access to high
quality housing, jobs, sustainable modes of transport) and provide for the overall health and wellbeing
and advances the quality of life of the citizens.

It requires clearly stated, implementable and legally enforceable targets to meet these objectives, in
tandem with Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), Appropriate Assessment (AA) and Strategic
Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA).

The RSES should be committed to making the Region’s cities, towns and villages healthy, attractive
and sustainable, and improve the citizens quality of life both now and in the future.

Unlike the Regional Planning Guidelines (RPGs), the RSES will provide for both a spatial strategy and
an economic strategy as well as Metropolitan Area Strategic Plans (MASPs).

The following sections address the key concerns outlined in the Issues Paper that fall within An
Taisce’s remit.

Download the submission here.