Waterford City & County Council’s Post

Public Realm Enhancement | The Grand Canal We are partnering with Waterways Ireland to upgrade the public #amenities along the Grand Canal between Leeson Street and Baggot Street bridges. The improvements will include increasing pedestrian accessibility and enhancing public seating. Enhancements to #biodiversity include improving habitats for wildlife, additional native planting schemes, and protection for existing trees so they can continue to thrive. Our Chief Executive, Niall Gaffney said: “Following on from our restoration of the nearby Wilton Park, we are proud to work with Waterways Ireland to upgrade the banks of Dublin’s Grand Canal, providing enhanced amenities for residents, our occupiers, and visitors to the area. We believe this investment will continue to enhance the attractiveness and vibrancy of Dublin’s city centre which we have been investing in for the past 60 years.” Works have commenced and will complete in 2025. For more visit: https://lnkd.in/eYXa3ccX Pictured left to right: John Mc Donagh, CEO at Waterways Ireland, and Niall Gaffney. #shapingourcity Tom Costello, Darragh Martin, Anita O'Rourke

Waterways Ireland and Iput to upgrade Dublin’s Grand Canal Corridor: The public-private partnership will introduce new amenities to the canal’s Northern towpath and Wilton Park to preserve the walkway and to improve accessibility and public amenities https://lnkd.in/e49qjzEP

The Croí Cónaithe scheme is set to provide €450 million to support the increased development of apartments, aiming to deliver approximately 5,000 new apartments across Ireland. Among a number of other regions, Waterford has been mentioned as one of the key locations set to see the apartment construction, with the aid of the scheme 👏 Read the article on this latest news 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dPiutbhi #Apartments #ApartmentDevelopment #Accommodation #Government #GovernmentFunding #Housing #HousingIreland #Property #PropertyDevelopment

NEWS RELEASE: The Danville Office of Economic Development & Tourism has released a parking enforcement strategy to address next steps regarding parking enforcement in the River District. City Manager Ken Larking said that the time is right for a comprehensive parking strategy. “We want to influence parking behavior in ways that will benefit downtown businesses and residents. This is the first of several steps to be taken to continue the positive momentum in the River District.” ➡️ Read the full news release here: https://lnkd.in/eWbeKhG6 #discoverdanville #danvillevirginia #danvilleva

The Australian Government has announced funding for three significant projects in Tasmania under Round 2 of the Growing Regions Program. • City of Launceston project will upgrade the Princess Theatre and construct a new Earl Street Theatre. Enhancements include improved facilities, accessibility features, and the replacement of the Earl Arts Centre with a contemporary youth-focused theatre. • The Flinders Island Airport revitalisation project will deliver upgrades to safety and operational capacity through new infrastructure, advanced lighting systems, and improved power reliability. • The Circular Head Council Community Health and Wellbeing Hub project in Smithton will transform an existing building into a community drop-in space, meeting areas, and health consultation rooms. These projects will enhance community infrastructure, boost local economies, and improve services across Tasmania. For more details, visit: https://lnkd.in/ghiC4eUW Tasmanian Government Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts Regional Australia Institute Visit Northern Tasmania Image by Fred and Hannah

The Port of London Authority is calling on communities in Wandsworth, Barking and Dagenham, and Havering to share their ideas and ambitions for the River Thames in their area. All responses will be used by the PLA to inform its Tidal Thames Masterplan, which seeks to increase the river’s use for communities, businesses and recreation, as well as enhance its natural environment. Mike Atkins, Senior Planner at the PLA, explained: “We’re keen to give local people a chance to voice their opinions to guide future investment decisions that relate to the river in their area. Therefore, we want to encourage people who live in Wandsworth, Barking and Dagenham, and Havering, to consider the Tidal Thames Masterplan and put forward their thoughts and ideas on what should be included. We will also be engaging with the Greater London Authority, the Environment Agency, landowners and river-based businesses.” Learn more and have your say ➡️ https://hubs.la/Q02_LyZd0 #RiverThames #London #Kent #Essex #ThamesEstuary #PortOfLondon #ThamesVision2050 #TradingThames #NaturalThames #DestinationThames

🌍 Reflecting on World Town Planning Day! Yesterday, I had the opportunity to attend four thought-provoking RTPI events, diving into the crucial role of sustainable planning in shaping resilient communities. 🏠 Small Second Dwellings (SSDs) in Victoria, Australia: Simplifying planning for affordable housing, this policy could add 13% to Melbourne’s housing stock, helping meet the growing demand for affordable, flexible living options. 🌱 Rural Challenges in Norway and Scotland: Tackling housing and service delivery in remote areas while ensuring sustainability. 🏡 Community-Led Housing: Projects like Maple Gardens and Ripple Co-Housing emphasize the power of Community Land Trusts and innovative, eco-friendly design in promoting affordable housing. 📈 Victoria’s Housing Crisis: Policy reforms, including streamlined planning and rental legislation changes, are key to addressing the housing shortage. A big thank you to the Royal Town Planning Institute for facilitating these discussions and for the opportunity to engage with professionals in the field. Let’s continue building inclusive, sustainable communities! #WorldTownPlanningDay #UrbanPlanning #AffordableHousing #SustainableCities #RTPI #CommunityPlanning #RuralDevelopment #Sustainability

Yesterday the Liberal Party of Australia (Victorian Division) announced a new policy to streamline parts of the #planning system. The announcement focuses on creating more certainty around cultural heritage matters and Melbourne Water - two potential blockers for #development around #Victoria. The policy would: ✅ Establish clear timelines and costs for cultural heritage processes, with a Schedule of Fees to be released annually. ✅ Mandate approval timeframes for cultural heritage where undefined timeframes exist (except the initial 14-day timeframe for response to a notice of intent by a Registered Indigenous Party). ✅ Commit to an annual, published audit of cultural heritage approvals linked to housing development. ✅ Establish clear timelines, costs, and institute annual performance audits for Melbourne Water in its approval authority role. The experience is mixed for landowners in Victoria who deal with cultural heritage approvals. Some Registered Aboriginal Parties (RAPs) are well-resourced, organised and progress things in good time. And there are other groups which don't deal with applications and site processes in a timely fashion. I disagree with those who rushed to call this a dog-whistle; those people have clearly never dealt with the Cultural Heritage Management Plan (CHMP) approval process. It's an honest conversation we need to have about an area which isn't working well to anyone's benefit - most are too afraid to discuss it for fear of retribution. There are statutory timeframes for initial responses to a Notice of Intent, and for issuing the final approval of a resolved CHMPs. There are no specified timeframes for anything in between (such site works and attendance, receiving feedback to reports, negotiating and finalising the agree CHMP), nor any certainty on costs. The process can be a few months, or it can take years, and it can cost $thousands or in some cases $millions.   🤔Why is this so important? An approved CHMP is a prerequisite for any other planning approval on a mapped site. No CHMP = no permits. I don't see this diminishing the role of cultural heritage assessments; it seems targeted on giving all stakeholders more certainty on timeframes and costs. ❓Do you read it differently? As for Melbourne Water - yep, they absolutely need to be pulled into line. Industry needs reasonable and clear timeframes for enquiries, and for receiving offers from all servicing authorities. ❓Many other #authorities and processes need similar timeframe attention - what else should be considered? ❓Will the Victorian Government consider and adopt these or similar reforms as part of their "levers" to unlock #housingsupply? UDIA Victoria Department of Transport and Planning Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council John Pesutto James Newbury #redtape #affordability #planningreform  #culturalheritage

Future Planning for Heritage Neighbourhoods Webinar: December 11 Register: https://bit.ly/3D3nHUb Heritage BC will be exploring what future planning looks like in heritage neighbourhoods through dedicated webinar discussions. What role can historic neighbourhoods play in meeting the demand for increased housing? How do we keep the unique character and sense of place that makes them special and ensure they are welcoming and affordable for residents new and old?

The Port of London Authority is calling on communities in Wandsworth to share their ideas and ambitions for the River Thames in their area. All responses will be used by the PLA to inform its Tidal Thames Masterplan, which seeks to increase the river’s use for communities, businesses and recreation, as well as enhance its natural environment. The Tidal Thames Masterplan, once complete, aims to become an essential guide for investment across all the 22 local authority areas along the river’s banks. Aligned with the three core themes of the PLA’s Thames Vision 2050, Trading Thames, Destination Thames and Natural Thames, the consultation results will document the scope for maximising the economic, environmental and social potential of the river at a local level. Learn more and have your say ➡️ https://hubs.la/Q02_Lyj40 #RiverThames #London #Kent #Essex #ThamesEstuary #PortOfLondon #ThamesVision2050 #TradingThames #NaturalThames #DestinationThames