Local Economic and Community Plans LECP | Guidelines 2021
Our Rural Future Our Rural Future represents the Irish Government’s blueprint for a post-COVID-19 recovery and development of rural Ireland over the next five years. It provides the framework to achieve the vision of transforming the quality of life and opportunity for people living in rural areas. Of particular relevance to the LECP is the focus in Our Rural Future on place- based approaches to sustainable rural development that encourages and supports rural communities to develop cohesive and integrated plans to meet the long-term needs of their own particular areas. The LECP is an important framework that will support the achievement of the objectives set out in Our Rural Future and in this context consideration of Our Rural Future objectives in the LECP Framework and its constituent Implementation Plans where relevant, is critical. Town Centre First’ (forthcoming) Our Rural Future also commits to the development of a Town Centre First approach which seeks to align policies and target available resources to deliver the best outcomes for our towns and villages. This approach encourages Government Departments, Local Authorities, businesses and communities to put town centres at the heart of decision-making where appropriate. Town Centre First will develop a framework for stakeholders in each town to work collectively to identify their own plan-led approach and it will support the delivery of these plans through the provision of financial and technical resources. Town Regeneration Officers will play an important role in Town Centre First. The LECP should support the development and delivery of the Town Centre First Approach. LEADER The LEADER element of the Rural Development Programme, which is co-funded by the EU and the Irish Exchequer, supports private enterprises and community groups to improve quality of life and economic activity in rural areas. In areas where LEADER supports are provided, actions should be included in the LECP Implementation Plan that support the relevant objectives in the LECP framework. The LECP Implementation Plan will work alongside the LEADER Local Development Strategies (LDS) required to support the implementation of the LEADER funding at a local level. As the LECP should reflect all actions that support the sustainable economic and community development of the area, LEADER actions should be reflected in the LECP Implementation Plan where appropriate and of significant importance.
Some of the relevant policy areas are detailed below. This is not an exhaustive list but provides some direction with regard to the treatment of the policy/programme that may be relevant to the Implementation Plan. This should be considered in conjunction with the framework LECP, identified priorities, local contexts and the relevant lists provided at Appendix 6. General Project Ireland 2040 – National Planning Framework & National Development Plan The National Development Plan that is currently under review sets out the investment priorities that will underpin the implementation of the national planning framework. There are a number of funding instruments under this plan that relate to Rural and Urban development as well as Climate Action and an innovation fund. Funding opportunities under these funds will be important tools to support sustainable development at a regional and local level and as such should be built into the LECP Implementation Plans as appropriate. Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies The RSES is the statutory link between the National Planning Framework, the City and County Development Plans and the Local Economic and Community Plans. Each RSES provides a high- level statutory development framework and economic strategy for each region that supports the implementation of the National Planning Framework (NPF) and the relevant economic policies and objectives of Government. In line with section 44 of the Local Government Reform Act 2014 (66B)(4)(b) all LECPs shall be consistent with the relevant Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (RSES). SICAP The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) is a multi-annual programme that is implemented through an annual planning process. This process should be built into the LECP Implementation Plan. SICAP actions should be used to deliver on any relevant social inclusion objectives identified and prioritised in the LECP framework.
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