<span style="font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><strong>Informing Spatial Planning – Preparing for 2007-2013
26<sup>th</sup> January 2007
Hosted by National Institute for Regional &amp; Spatial Analysis (NIRSA), NUI Maynooth</strong></span>
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</strong></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">In association with the National Institute for Regional and Spatial Analysis (NIRSA), the European Spatial Planning Observatory Network (ESPON), and the International Centre for Local and Regional Development (ICLRD), a one day workshop, <em>Informing Spatial Planning – Preparing for 2007-2013</em>, was held on 26<sup>th</sup> January 2007 in John Hume Building, NUI Maynooth.
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Given that the new <em>National Development Plan 2007-2013</em> for Ireland was published on 23<sup>rd</sup> January, this was a very timely event.&nbsp; This plan firmly established the links between national, regional and local planning policy and, for the first time, planning and funding have been merged.&nbsp; Approximately 65 people, representing government departments, local planning authorities, private planning consultants, regional authorities, state agencies, housing agencies, and universities, attended this event.
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Emphasis was placed throughout the day on the importance of evidence-informed planning policy and joined-up thinking and action in the future development of Ireland.&nbsp; The spatial impacts of planning policies need closer investigation.&nbsp; As noted by Ronan Uhel of the European Environment Agency, Ireland has made many mistakes in the past, particularly in urban development practices, and these should not be repeated.&nbsp; Through discussions on the future of rural and urban Ireland and the role of ‘Gateways’, ‘Hubs’ and ‘Polycentric settlements’, it is clear that there is a need for stronger planning controls and greater cooperation between the periphery and centres.&nbsp;</span>
<p align="center"><img src="http://www.iclrd.ie/ff/images/inf_spt_plng.jpg" alt="" width="576" height="431" border="0"></p>
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><strong>Relevant Documents:</strong></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.iclrd.ie/ff/documents/inf_spat_plng_jan07/00%20-%20Final%20Programme%20-%20Informing%20Spatial%20Planning.pdf">Seminar Programme</a>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;Introduction:</strong>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.iclrd.ie/ff/documents/inf_spat_plng_jan07/01%20-%20Welcome%20Address%20-%20Prof%20Jim%20Walsh.pdf">Welcome Address</a> – Prof. Jim Walsh
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.iclrd.ie/ff/documents/inf_spat_plng_jan07/02%20-%20Informed%20Spatial%20Plg%20%26%20the%20NDP%20-%20Brian%20Kenny.pdf">Moving to Joined-up planning</a> – Brian Kenny
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.iclrd.ie/ff/documents/inf_spat_plng_jan07/03%20-%20ESPON%20%26%20Evidence-Informed%20Plg%20-%20Brendan%20Bartley.pdf">ESPON &amp; Evidence-Informed Planning</a> – Brendan Bartley
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.iclrd.ie/ff/documents/inf_spat_plng_jan07/04%20-%20Spatial%20Plg%20Scenarios%20in%20Europe%20-%20Christian%20Muschwitz.pdf">Spatial Planning Scenarios for Europe</a> – Christian Muschwitz
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><strong>Rural Session:</strong>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.iclrd.ie/ff/documents/inf_spat_plng_jan07/05%20-%20Spatial%20Impacts%20CAP%20%26%20Rural%20Dev%20-%20Prof%20Jim%20Walsh.pdf">Spatial Impacts of CAP &amp; Rural Development Policies</a> – Prof. Jim Walsh
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.iclrd.ie/ff/documents/inf_spat_plng_jan07/06%20-%20Future%20Rural%20Ireland%20-%20David%20Meredith.pdf">The Future of the Rural in Ireland?</a> – David Meredith
<strong>Urban Session:
</strong></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.iclrd.ie/ff/documents/inf_spat_plng_jan07/07%20-%20Urban%20Sprawl%20Lessons%20-%20Ronan%20Uhel.pdf">Learning from Urban Developments in Europe</a> – Ronan Uhel
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.iclrd.ie/ff/documents/inf_spat_plng_jan07/08%20-%20Polycentric%20Urban%20Dev%20-%20Niels%20Boje%20Groth.pdf">Polycentric Urban Development&nbsp; in Planning &amp; Policy</a> – Neils Boje Groth
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.iclrd.ie/ff/documents/inf_spat_plng_jan07/09%20-%20Future%20Urban%20Ireland%20-%20Des%20McCafferty.pdf">The Future of the Urban in Ireland?</a> – Des McCafferty
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><strong>Conclusion:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.iclrd.ie/ff/documents/inf_spat_plng_jan07/10%20-%20Closing%20Comments%20-%20Jeanne%20Meldon.pdf">Closing Comments</a> – Jeanne Meldon</span>