New draft development plan for Tipperary 2022 - 2028

The Tipperary draft County Development Plan 2022 - 2028, called Shaping Our Future, was unveiled at this month’s council meeting.

The plan will be central to the lives of all Tipperary people over the next six years, forming policy on hot topic issues such as rural housing, transport, planning and economic development.

The draft plan was proposed by Cllr Roger Kennedy, and seconded by Cllr Ger Darcy. Councillors praised the huge amount of effort, consultation and background work put into the plan.

Cllr Seamus Morris was the only councillor to oppose the plan, saying it wasn’t “fit for purpose”.
“It’s totally out of kilter. A new census in 2022 will show that massive amounts of people are staying in our region rather than driving to the cities which is what the development plan wants us to do,” said Cllr Morris.

Tipperary CEO Joe MacGrath said the formation of a County Development Plan is, along with the annual budget, the most important decision a county council can take. A decision on adopting the draft plan would allow it to go back out to the public for further amendments and submissions.

“I can say hand on heart that I don’t think there’s ever been a development plan that has involved so much consultation, so much input from the members, so much discussion, and so much listening and understanding what the issues are.”

This is the first time the council has developed a plan for the whole county as one united unit.
Mr MacGrath said “it gives hope in a time of uncertainty,” and singled out executive planner Anne Marie Devaney for her huge effort. “It allows the public to have their final say. That will leave a grand legacy.”

Cllr Seamus Hanafin said the success of the draft plan will determine how our town centres will look in 2028, while Cllr Declan Burgess said housing and environment stand out as the two most important topics.