7.16 Fáilte Ireland is currently leading the preparation of a Tourism Destination Plan for Cork City and East Cork. It is envisaged that this plan will seek to broaden the appeal of Cork to tourists by enhancing the tourism product and strengthening the existing assets of the city. The plan will also build on the lessons of COVID 19 by, for example, enhancing the attractiveness of outdoor dining and other activities in the City and develop sustainable tourism products and services, building on the strength of the maritime heritage of the City. It is also envisaged that the plan will support the expansion of the night-time economy, particularly for families, by expanding the cultural offering of the city.
Local Plans
7.14 Whilst the City Development Plan will provide an overarching framework for the development of the city, the Cork City Local Community and Economic Plan (LECP) 2016 - 2021 clearly sets out key objectives and actions for the coordinated development of the city. The LECP presents 15 key themes for the development of Cork City. Whilst all interrelated and relevant to economic development, the themes that focus on economic development are: • Theme 5 Social Economy: To ensure the vibrant social economy sector is supported and enhanced. • Theme 6 Education & Learning: Support the culture of learning in Cork and enhance educational levels across the city. • Theme 7 Social Inclusion & Equality: Reduce the marginalisation of specific communities within the city. • Theme 10 Economic Diversity: Support the maintenance of a diverse economic base within the city. • Theme 11 Innovation: Support innovation in the local economy. • Theme 12 Skills and Human Capital: Develop skills within the Cork area to match the needs of existing and future businesses. Provide support services for the unemployed and help maintain and expand businesses in areas of high unemployment. • Theme 14 Quality of Place: Build on Cork’s strong place quality assets and improve the attractiveness of the city for residents and visitors. • Theme 15 Competitiveness Through Strategic Governance: Cooperate with other stakeholders to deliver the strategic governance that ensures that Cork remains a competitive location for economic activity and to maintain the excellent quality of life available in Cork which underpins the city’s competitiveness. 7.15 The LECP is scheduled for review in 2021/2022. This will provide an opportunity to revise these objectives and ensure that there is a collaborative approach to delivering the actions required to underpin the City Development Plan.
Spatial Economic Strategy 7.17 The NPF sets ambitious targets for Cork City to grow by 125,000 by 2040. It is estimated that approximately 31,000 jobs will need to be created in Cork City by 2028. In making provision for sufficient zoned employment land to accommodate this level of jobs growth, the Development Plan adopts a proactive, flexible economic strategy informed by the findings of two evidence base studies: the Cork Strategic Employment Locations Study (2021) and the draft Cork Metropolitan Area Joint Retail Study and Strategy (2021). In addition to quantifying the jobs target and the level of employment land, the Development Plan through the spatial distribution of new employment lands has sought to positively respond to wider challenges that includes targeting neighbourhoods where there are relatively high levels of unemployment, creating inclusive and sustainable communities and anticipating likely market trends over the period to 2028.
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Cork City Draft Development Plan 2022-2028
Volume 1 I Chapter 7
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