According to CSO figures, the population of Naas was approximately 21,000 people in 2016. Naas is one of two key towns identified in County Kildare in the draft Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (RSES) for the Eastern and Midlands Regional Assembly (EMRA) which is currently subject to public consultation.
Once finalised, the strategy is intended to further develop strategic planning policies contained in the National Planning Framework, for the period to 2031. The population of Naas will grow further during this time and the extent of such growth, and how it will be planned for, will be a matter for Kildare County Council to determine, in the context of the County as a whole, subject to final determination of the RSES for the EMRA area.
The current projection underpinning the draft RSES for the EMRA area for County Kildare to 2026, i.e. over the next six-year County Development Plan period, is for an additional 31,500 people above 2016 levels. This is comparable to adding the equivalent of 3-4 entire large towns combined, to the County over a 10-year period. The County Development Plan review process must also ensure that there is capacity for up to a further 25% of the projected population target to 2026, or an additional 8,000 people in Kildare, to accommodate further growth into the future.
This means that the next six-year Kildare County Development Plan must make provision to accommodate almost 40,000 additional people over 2016 levels. This is considered to be a sustainable level of development taking all of the relevant demographic, economic and planning factors into account in a balanced way across all the local authority areas and will allow the provision of infrastructure and services in line with housing development and the achievement of the strategic planning aims of Project Ireland 2040 in securing more compact urban development, including in Kildare in general and Naas town in particular.
There is no evidence to suggest that Naas is being inhibited from availing of the full potential of its existing capital asset base. In determining how best to accommodate a significant level of projected future population growth that takes account of wider national. regional and local drivers, Kildare County Council will take into consideration factors such as employment, transport, infrastructure and services like schools, parks, community and recreational facilities including childcare and healthcare, having regard to the needs of both the existing population and projected future populations.
The Draft RSES for the EMRA area, which includes County Kildare, was published on 5 November 2018 and is available to view online at the following link: www.emra.ie/draft-rses-public-consultation.
The consultation period on the Draft RSES will run until 23 January 2019, by which date it is open to any interested party to make a submission in writing to the Regional Assembly. Following the consultation period, the EMRA will take all submissions received into account in the formulation of the final RSES, adoption of which will require approval by Assembly Members.
