It has been recognised in the National Development Plan 2000 – 2006 and the subsequent White Paper on rural development that rural areas need to be able to maintain a fulfilling life for all people living in rural areas and maintain a vibrant sustainable rural community where individuals and families have a real choice as to whether to stay in, leave, or move to rural areas.

Key objectives of the national policy as outlined in the National Development Plan 2000 – 2006 include, the maintenance of the rural population both in aggregate numbers and in a balanced spatial distribution, ensuring the economic and social well being of rural communities and tackling rural poverty providing the conditions for a meaningful and fulfilling life for people in rural areas and the achievement of vibrant rural communities where individuals and families have a choice as to whether to stay in, leave or move to rural Ireland.

The challenges facing rural communities can be viewed in the context of changes in
- Population
- Agriculture
- Employment
- Social deprivation
- The environment

The Council is committed to the overall strategy for rural development as outlined in the National Development Plan and the subsequent White Paper on rural development.

The Council recognises the need to manage rural change and to guide development in order to:

a) Maintain and enhance the existing rural community to ensure vibrant sustainable rural areas.
b) Support the maintenance of a sufficient income and employment opportunities to allow individuals and families to live with dignity;
c) Allow rural communities to participate effectively in the structures and decision making processes affecting them in an inclusive way
d) Maintain the cultural identity of the rural communities
e) Ensure that the rural environment will be respected and that development in rural areas will take place in a sustainable manner.
f) Support initiatives to tackle poverty and social exclusion in rural areas.
g) Achieve a vibrant and sustainable rural community where individuals and families have a choice as to whether to stay in, leave, or move to rural areas.
h) Promote a broad concept of rural development and not one based solely on agriculture or other dominant natural resource.

The framework within which the Council will seek to achieve these goals is through the Government’s National and Regional development strategy. A key element of that strategy is the horizontal integration of programmes for the delivery of services at local level through the County Development Board.

It will be the Council’s policy;

a) To develop an economic social and cultural development strategy for the County through the County Development Board in co operation and partnership with Local Development Bodies the Social Partners and representatives of relevant State Agencies at local level.

b) To continue with the Councils planned transport infrastructure investment in National, Regional and local roads on a phased and planned basis to support rural living and working.

c) To implement the programme for the taking in charge of group water supply schemes and to continue with the Councils investment programme for waste water treatment and water supply schemes in the towns and villages of the County.

d) To improve the attractiveness of the built environment in rural towns and villages as places in which to work and live and as locations for industry, services and tourism investment.

e) To protect areas of high amenity from insensitive development and to provide for the provision of houses for certain categories of people only as outlined in section 7.8.4 of the Plan.

f) To combat isolation and disadvantage by encouraging the use of information technology in education and commerce and in the home.

g) To encourage the sustainable development of resources in rural areas to foster economic development in such sectors as agriculture, tourism including agri tourism, forestry, farm diversification, and renewable energy resources.

h) To continue to prepare town, village, and area plans for various parts of the County in a manner that involves participation through consultation with the local population.

i) To improve the quality of the built environment of the towns and villages of the County through the Village Renewal Programme.

j) To co-operate and facilitate the development of rural tourism in the County and to seek to develop that market from the established and growing tourism base of Kilkenny City.

k) Encourage the utilisation of natural resources to foster economic development by expanding rural tourism, developing renewable sources of energy promoting agri environment measures and the planting of new woodlands.

l) To preserve and retain high quality agricultural land from unsympathetic development.

m) To limit Urban Generated housing in rural areas in accordance with section 7.8.4 of the Plan.

n) To support and facilitate local and community based initiatives to provide rural transport services within the County. This will improve accessibility and promote social inclusion.

Agriculture is an important part of the economic life of the County. It is the predominant land use and a significant source of employment. Over 60% of land within the County is classed as Class 1 and Class 2 soils.

Although agriculture has undergone considerable change under the Common Agricultural Policy it is the dominant natural resource sector in the rural economy and although it has been in decline in economic importance it is still seen as a major economic driver for sustaining, enhancing and maintaining the rural economy and culture. Alternative income generating opportunities for off farm activities are vital if rural populations are to benefit from economic growth.

The Council will support and facilitate agricultural restructuring and diversification in order to integrate the sector more closely with rural development, in pursuit of environmental and social objectives.

The County Council through its policies and objectives will support the measures of the National Development Plan 2000 2006 for Rural Development on investment by;

a) Supporting improvements in the competitiveness of farm structures,
b) Supporting improvements in the quality of product,
c) Support and facilitating the development of organic farming, horticulture, horses and deer farming as alternative enterprises.
d) Supporting improvements in farm waste management,
e) Supporting and facilitating better animal welfare,
f) Supporting the implementation of the Rural Environment Protection schemes
g) the development of alternative income generating opportunities from off farm activities.

It will be the policy of the Council to:

a) liaise with Teagasc in order to prevent pollution from farm activities.
b) Facilitate farm development to meet market and environmental requirements.
c) Require a high standard of design and maintenance in all developments in rural areas.
d) Support and facilitate the work of Teagasc within the County in promotion of the rural economy, including agriculture development and rural diversification.
e) Co operate and be proactive with regard to proposals from the Rural Development Programme and Rural Development Fund in generating opportunities for off farm employment.
f) To foster and facilitate rural community projects particularly related to rural diversification

In assessing planning applications for development in rural areas the Council will have regard to the following documents:

- “Rural Environment Protection Scheme” Agri-Environmental Specifications January 1999 published by the Department of Agriculture and Food.
- “Guidelines and Recommendations on the control of Pollution from farmyard Wastes” published by the Department of Agriculture and Food,
- the Council’s policy on the protection of aquifers as detailed in section 4.3 of the Plan
- and other appropriate guidelines which may be published from time to time.

Ireland has a low percentage of its land under forestry. This is reflected at County level also. Forestry has direct benefits for the local communities through the establishment of plantations, in spin off effects in support services, through industries ranging from woodcraft to industrial processing, to rural tourism, and enhancing the environment through acting as carbon sinks thereby assisting in meeting the CO2 obligations under the Kyoto Protocol.

The Government’s strategy for the development of forestry is to substantially increase the land area under forestry during the period of the National Development Plan 2000 – 2006.

It is the policy of the Council to promote the sustainable development and management of forests and forest lands in a way that maintains their biodiversity, productivity, regeneration capacity, vitality and their potential to fulfil now and in the future, relevant ecological, economic and social functions, at local national and global levels and that does not cause damage to other ecosystems.

It is the Council’s objective that Kilkenny participates to the fullest extent in the projected national growth of the forestry sector particularly in the development of locally based value added activities. The Council recognises the importance of forestry its value added potential, and the opportunities it offers for on farm diversification. To this end farm forestry which strengthens the local rural economy will be encouraged.

In order to address the spatial implications of such a policy the Council will prepare an indicative forestry strategy for the County over the period of the Plan. The strategy will identify areas of opportunity for the creation of new forests and areas environmentally sensitive to afforestation. It will provide the context within which consultations on forestry applications will be assessed.

In the interim, the Council will have regard to “Forestry Development – Draft Guidelines for Planning Authorities” published by the Department of the Environment and Local Government.

It will be the policy of the Council:

a) To prepare an indicative forestry strategy for the County and to have regard to this strategy in exercising its development control functions.
b) To encourage a diversity of species in afforestation proposals and in particular to require a proportion of all new forestry development to consist of native hardwood species in order to extend the range of potential end uses and to reduce the potential for adverse impact on the landscape resulting from monoculture.
c) To encourage the development of farm forestry as a means of promoting rural diversity and strengthening the rural economy.
d) To encourage public access to forests for amenity and recreation purposes and the development of amenity forestry projects of local social, economic and tourism benefit.

The Barrow, Nore and Suir are historically renowned as premier salmon and coarse fishing rivers in Ireland. The Kings river is also an important fishing river. Fishing remains as an important natural resource for the county which has potential for development in its own right and as a resource for tourism development. Fishing as a resource can assist in the development of tourism within the county and in rural diversification.

It will be the policy of the Council to;

a) liaise with the Southern Fisheries Board and with Angling Clubs and to facilitate the Board within the limits of its powers as Planning Authority in its development programme.
b) To encourage and support initiatives to investigate and improve the fisheries in co-operation with the Department of the Marine, the Southern Fisheries Board, community organisations and other relevant bodies.
c) Require that adequate provisions are made to accommodate free upstream and downstream migration of all fish in development proposals.
d) Continue to take measures to protect streams and rivers from pollution and will encourage appropriate angling-related tourism, fish farming and mariculture in the County’s waters. Protection of water quality will be a consideration in relation to development proposals.

The County has a large lead –zinc deposit at Galmoy which was developed during the period of the last Development Plan. In addition there are numerous sand and gravel and stone resources within the County currently in operation.

The Council recognises the importance of extractive industries to the local and national economy as valuable sources of raw material for industry in general and the construction industry in particular and as an important source of employment. The products are the essential building materials for the provision of housing and infrastructural projects.

The industry is therefore essential to the continued development of the county and the achievement of the objectives in the National development Plan. However the industry can have serious detrimental impacts on the landscape and amenities generally. It can create conflicts with other land uses such as agriculture and can cause damage to the public road network.

a) In general it will be the policy of the Council to encourage the development of extractive industries where it is compatible with the protection of the landscape, the continued operation of agriculture and the preservation of amenities generally.

b) It will be the policy of the Council to ensure that all existing and new extractive industrial development shall be administered and completed in a manner which will minimise long term environmental damage to the environment.

c) It will be the policy of the Council to ensure that all existing workings shall be rehabilitated to suitable land uses and that all future extraction activities will allow for the rehabilitation of pits and proper land use management.

The Council will seek to co-operate with the various publics and private agencies who are transport providers within the County in the provision of and co ordination of new services and supporting infrastructure. In particular the Council will support initiatives in rural areas which will help to improve communications and reduce isolation.