4.5 Economic Clusters, Objective RE O29, Action RE A3
Mirroring the approach taken in the existing Kildare County Development Plan 2017-2023, the concept of Economic Clusters is poorly explained in the Draft Kildare County Development Plan 2023-2029.
It is stated that "economic clusters are also promoted as part of the overall economic strategy. Naas is clustered with Newbridge and Kilcullen while Maynooth is clustered with Leixlip, Celbridge and Kilcock. Clusters are to develop in a mutually dependent way, so that the amenities and economies of the whole cluster are greater than the sum of the individual parts."
There is a single extremely vague objective (RE O29) to "Promote and facilitate an economy of smart specialisation around specific towns and regions within the county." and a single extremely vague action (RE A3) to "Develop a strategy for the lands between the settlements of Naas and Newbridge, to consolidate existing development whilst also preventing the coalescence of these settlements."
There should be more specific objectives and actions. While there is a high-level stratgy for the Dublin MASP in the Regional Spatial & Economic Strategy, Kildare County Council needs to layer its local knowledge and responsibility onto the MASP. It is a serious omission to include an action to develop a strategy for only one of the Economic Clusters (Naas is clustered with Newbridge) whilst failing to do the same for the other (Maynooth is clustered with Leixlip, Celbridge and Kilcock).
The County Development Plan needs to provide a robust framework for how Maynooth as a “Key Town” will influence, support and become the economic driver for north-east Kildare in a manner that is positive and sustainable for residents across all settlements. The interests of residents and employers in all of the settlements in North-East Kildare need to feed into decisions relating to Maynooth. A strategy for sharing or clustering of services/ facilities that relies on residents having to travel between neighbouring towns for things that should be available within a 10-minute walk or cycle is unlikely to be sustainable enough for a credible response to the climate emergency so this needs a rethink.
Policies, Objectives and Actions are required here to demystify what "Clusters are to develop in a mutually dependent way, so that the amenities and economies of the whole cluster are greater than the sum of the individual parts." actually means.