to be completed...economic section of waterford city & county council. the rural economic...

Portlaw Village Health Check

Undertaken by Rural Economic Development Section

TO BE COMPLETED (portlaw community forum)

Portlaw Health Check

Table of Contents

Executive Summary

1.0 Introduction.................................................................................................................................. 3

1.1 Background............................................................................................................................... 3

1.2 Scope of Health Check.............................................................................................................. 3

1.3 Study Area…..………………………………………………………………………………………………............................. 3

2.0 Methodological Approach............................................................................................................ 5

2.1 Background Research and Site Visits ................................................................................ ....... 5

2.2 Quantitative Data .................................................................................................... ................ 5

2.3 Community Engagement Workshop........................................................................................ 5

3.0 Case Studies ……………………………….................................................................................................... 7

3.1 Comparative Analysis ..................................................................................................... .......... 7

3.2 Key Lessons …………..................................................................................................................... 8

4.0 Study Analysis............................................................................................................................... 9

4.1 Site Visits.................................................................................................... ............................... 9

4.1.1 Local Place Audit ……………………………................................................................................ 9

4.1.2 Local Place Evaluation…………………………………………………………………………………….….….…....11

4.1.3 SWOT Analysis ..................................................................................................................14

4.2 Quantitative Data…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…...15

4.3 Community Engagement Workshop....................................................................................... 17

5.0 Opportunity Areas.........................................................................................................................21

5.1 Overview………………………………………………………………………………………………………….….……..………..21

5.2 Opportunity Area 1……………………………………………………………………………………….………………......22

5.3 Opportunity Area 2……………………………………………………………………………………..….……………….…23

5.4 Opportunity Area 3…………………………………………………………………………………….……………………...24

5.5 Opportunity Area 4………………………………………………………………………………………………………......25

5.6 Opportunity Area 5……………………………………………………………………………………………………….…..26

5.7 Opportunity Area 6……………………………………………………………………………………………………….…..27

5.7 Opportunity Area 7………………………………………………………………………………………………………......28

Appendices

TO BE COMPLETED

(portlaw community forum)


Executive Summary

Portlaw Village Health Check is carried out by the Portlaw community in conjunction with the Rural

Economic Section of Waterford City & County Council. The rural economic exercise involved data

gathering, engagement and consultation with the local community to result in the development of a

Village Plan of Opportunity Areas that can be used by the local community to shape their own place

and future. The Health Check Opportunity Areas will be in the form of an action plan of evidence

based recommendations with identified priorities, stakeholder responsibility and named funding

source potential.

A number of steps in the Health Check process allowed to better understand Portlaw as a settlement

in mid Waterford. As part of the approach, an honest self-assessment regarding the Village function

and hierarchy and dependency on nearby settlements was explored. The report focuses on the

village’s opportunities and how they could be turned into actions that can be realistically achieved

within the short, medium and long term. The Opportunity Areas originate from the health check

exercise and actions are only recommended that are realistic, achievable and have an appropriate

funding mechanism(s) attributed to their delivery. The Opportunity Areas recommended for action

are:

No. OPPORTUNITY AREA TIMEFRAME

1 ‘Portlaw Marketing and Signage Strategy’

SHORT – TERM

2 ‘Village Community, Culture & Heritage Hub’ SHORT – TERM

3 ‘Integrated Connectivity – Comeragh Uplands SHORT – TERM

4 ‘Festival Creation’ MEDIUM – TERM

5 ‘Portlaw Trail Products ’ MEDIUM – TERM

6 ‘Portlaw Public Realm’ LONG – TERM

7 ‘Portlaw – Sustainable Community’ LONG – TERM

These opportunity areas should significantly contribute to the enhancement of Portlaw village and the

surrounding hinterland once delivered.

TO BE COMPLETED

(portlaw community forum)


1.0 Introduction

1.1 Background

Portlaw Task Force along with other Community Groups recently succeeded in accessing Department of Rural & Community Development funding from the Town & Village Renewal Scheme to be spent on town centre enhancements and connectivity to Coolfin Woods and Curraghmore House. Following on from this, a Health Check was carried out in conjunction with the Rural Economic Section of Waterford City & County Council. This exercise involves data gathering, engagement and consultation with the local community to identify the key concerns, thoughts, opinions and ideas within Portlaw. The rural economic check is normally structured to result in the development of a village plan to be used by the local community to shape their own place and future. However, the health check exercise for Portlaw is being looked at solely to establish the current standing of the village from data analysis and local self evaluation with a view to utilise the findings to inform a collaborative funding bid to the Rural Regeneration Development Fund in 2019. This funding bid development process will be undertaken with the Portlaw Community in partnership with Waterford City & County Council, Waterford LEADER and Waterford Area Partnership.

1.2 Scope of Health Check

The purpose of this report is to explore and where applicable identify the opportunities that exist for the

town of Portlaw. As part of this opportunity assessment, the village will be examined under a number of

performance areas to establish priorities for consideration in the Village plan:

• assessment of the existing natural, heritage and built environment as a base for rural enterprise

• extent of sustainable development of a vibrant and attractive village centre

• potential for building on and enhancing any heritage base

• likelihood of fostering economic growth through rural enterprise

• feasibility of harnessing the potential of the surrounding landscape

• scope for rural tourism enterprise

A number of initial steps to help better understand Portlaw was undertaken including local auditing, background research and analysis of Census 2016 in establishing a baseline for the town. This collection of data alongside land use analysis should encourage informed decision making to aid in the Rural Regeneration Development funding bid. As part of the local engagement phase, a local Place Evaluation exercise was undertaken to derive important information and provide an evidence base for future projects and initiatives for the area. This was carried out within a participatory workshop to give key stakeholders the opportunity to discuss, engage and share their thoughts and aspirations on the future vision for Portlaw.

1.3 Study Area

Portlaw, a historic planned town is located in east Waterford and is identified as a District Service

Centre playing an important role in providing services to Portlaw and its hinterland. Portlaw (Port

Cladach – embankment of small stones) is approximately 8km south east of Carrick-on-Suir and 11km

north west of Waterford City. The town is bounded by the River Suir to the North and the Comeragh

Mountains to the West and is at the head of the tidal reaches of the River Clodiagh. The demesne of

Curraghmore House and Estate is located to the west of Portlaw.

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Figure 1 – Portlaw CSO Settlement

Figure 2 – Portlaw Village

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2.0 Methodological Approach

2.1 Background Research and Site Visits

Town and Village Health Checks require, as the name suggests, a check on the health of the location. In attempting to get an overview of how Portlaw town centre was performing - a land use survey was undertaken to collect data on the occupancy of each building/site. The occupancy is recorded against the GOAD classification scheme and helps establish both retail and residential patterns and vacancy rates and also helps understand the town’s function. An assessment of the 2016 CSO data for the Portlaw Settlement helped better understand the current situation with the town and in particular regarding the population profile – a population pyramid generated from 2016 CSO data provided focus for the local community in their engagement workshop. Numerous Site Visits were made to Portlaw to carry out a town audit based on a Scottish model to measure the economic diversity and social value of town centres. The model is designed to help collate locally available data to complement National Census data and other local datasets in order to help communities better understand the function of the towns/villages they live and work in. The audit exercise provided a simple way of capturing data on Portlaw’s performance using individual Key Performance Indicators grouped into seven themes:

• Locality • Accessibility • Local Services • Activities and Events • Development Capacity • Tourism and Visitor Profile • Place and Quality Impression

2.2 Quantitative and Qualitative Data

The data captured from the Local Audit as well as CSO 2016 information was built upon using a Local

Place Evaluation Tool to self assess Portlaw on a number of fronts. The Local Place Evaluation

exercise was undertaken at the Community Engagement workshop to determine the strengths and

assets of the town and to indicate areas in which opportunity areas may arise. The Local Place

Standard Tool is a Scottish model used to evaluate the quality of a place and identify priorities

consisting of a set of questions which cover both the physical and social elements of a place. The

outcome of the exercise is plotted on a compass diagram which provides a place rating and focus for

attention.

Figure 3 Local Place Standard

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2.3 Community Engagement Workshop

A consultative community workshop was also organised as part of this project. This participatory

evening workshop gave key stakeholders the opportunity to actively discuss, engage and share their

thoughts and aspirations on the future vision for Portlaw allowing ideas and key priorities to be

identified for action.

As part of the approach, an honest self-assessment regarding Portlaw’s function and hierarchy and

dependency on nearby settlements was also explored. Whilst towns and villages have their own

unique function, they also have a relative interdependency, independence or dependency on other

towns or villages. The interpretation of all gathered data helped explain the way in which towns and

villages were inter-related and relied on each other for different facilities and services.

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3.0 Case Studies

3.1 Comparative Analysis

As part of Health Check Approach, a comparative analysis of other towns was conducted which

were similar in size, function and shared similar assets and identified as vibrant settlements. Such a

review informed the discussion and provided a strong evidence base as to the type of projects

which would be viable and achievable in a small town such as Portlaw. Two successful case

study examples were selected for comparative analysis purposes: Listowel, Co. Kerry; and Holt,

Wiltshire, UK. The analysis of each case study is synopsised below –

Listowel, Co. Kerry Holt, Wiltshire, UK

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Holt is a village (of similar size to Portlaw) in

Wiltshire, England with a population of 1,757. It

is situated approximately 9 miles from Bath.

The village has a five acre opportunity area on a

former tannery site that has seen major heritage

led regeneration with more being planned and is

the only place within the village where major

development can take place.

The Holt Tannery industrial site is similar to many

sites that have been regenerated as

manufacturing transferred to modern facilities,

leaving behind beautiful, but redundant heritage

buildings no longer fit for purpose.

Much has been made of the success of the Glove

Factory - a complex of workspaces, event spaces

and a vibrant café at the edge of the tannery site.

The village is set to further capitalise on the area’s

industrial past and make the most of the

opportunity area with a collection of 45

sustainable homes proposed with a network of

landscaped routes and spaces to create a safe and

attractive environment for cyclists, pedestrians

and residents.

This has all been achieved amidst many

constraints including localised contamination

within the tannery site and overcoming ecological

and landscape mitigation measures.

Listowel - Lios Tuathail, meaning

"Tuathal's ringfort" is a Heritage town in County

Kerry situated on the River Feale, 28 km from

Tralee.

One of 26 designated Heritage Towns in Ireland,

Listowel displays a myriad of wonderful

architectural features including the world’s first

monorail system, (Lartigue Railway) and has three

interlinking heritage trails, laid out along blue, green

and red routes signposted through the town. The

town has shown that investment in heritage is key

to successful regeneration with a heritage

regeneration strategy in place since 2017.

Listowel is also home to Ireland's most celebrated

and oldest literary festival. Since its inception in

1970 Listowel Writers’ Week has been recognised

as the primary event in Ireland's literary calendar

and a number of internationally known playwrights

and authors have lived there, including Bryan

MacMahon and John B. Keane.

The Writers' Week Festival was established to

celebrate those writers and to provide an

opportunity for other Irish writers to develop their

talents and meet new audiences.

The town is also synonymous with horse racing with

the joint-longest racing festival in Ireland at seven

days, equal in duration to the Galway races, and

second in attendances only to that event.


3.2 Key Lessons

The case studies analysed emphasise the importance of the following key insights from which the

community of Portlaw can build upon to create informed ideas unique to their own Town Plan:

• Marketing and promotion is important to create awareness of a town or village and its assets

• Remains of a place’s past can act as a powerful stimulus for development

• Harnessing industrial heritage potential for local tourism development and rural enterprise is

a must for towns and villages to survive

• Alternative and innovative approaches to environmental remediation of old industrial sites

can provide significant added value

• Development of amenity such as river walks or recreation trails adds value to a town/village

and can motivate rural enterprise development

• Connectivity to nearby amenities/recreation or tourism destinations are key drivers to any

local development

• Conservation of the built and natural heritage can be a catalyst for tourism product

development and sustainable regeneration

• Celebration of iconic local celebrities can provide a significant focus for regeneration activity

• Creation of arts or cultural festivals/events helps give a town/village an identity to build on

• Harnessing the natural environment potential for local tourism development and rural

enterprise is a must for towns/villages to survive

• Improvement of town/village presentation and amenities has a knock-on effect in how

places are viewed by visitors

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4.0 Study Analysis

A number of steps to get a better understanding of Portlaw was undertaken as part of the Health Check approach and included site visits to familiarise with the settlement and also to enable a local auditing exercise and land use analysis through a devised data capture App to be undertaken. Background research and analysis of the Census 2016 data was also interpreted and a self-evaluation of the village from its own community was provided at a community engagement which helped inform opinion.

4.1 Site Visits

A number of site visits were conducted to garner valuable insights into Portlaw in terms of

its functionality, visual appearance and overall presentation, retail/visitor offering etc. These visits

laid the foundation for the local place audit and local place evaluation to be carried out and involved

day-time and evening-time visits to assess the natural and built environment on approaches and

within the town itself.

4.1.1 Local Place Audit

The Town or Village audit carried out as part of the study analysis is based on a Scottish model to

measure the economic diversity and social value of town centres whilst also providing a common

framework to measure and monitor the performance of towns using a series of Key Performance

Indicators (KPIs). It is designed to help collate locally available data to complement National Census

data and other local datasets in order to help communities better understand the function of the

towns/villages they live and work in. This data will aid communities who are seeking to improve their

towns/villages and will allow the progress of actions to be measured. Users can also compare and

contrast their town/village with others providing useful insights into the strengths and weaknesses of

each place and how these relate to other towns. The Audit assesses the Town/Village under 7 key

themes:

Locality Data KPIs

Accessibility KPIs

Local Services KPIs

Activity & Event KPIs

Development Capacity KPIs

Tourism/Visitor Profile KPIs

Place/Quality Impression KPIs

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Summary of findings

Locality Data

The locality data gathered is a mix of CSO 2016 results for the Portlaw Settlement and also observed

audit data at time of capture regarding levels of housing and commercial activity as well as heritage

assets. The results reflect the district service centre settlement status with a sizeable population base

and significant levels of housing within the settlement. Whilst the land use survey revealed 8 vacant

residential properties, it was not seen as a particular negative for the town- the 7 commercial vacant

units were seen as more of an issue affecting the vibrancy of the town centre and in particular the

proximity of the vacant large Tannery site to the town centre. The complete audit findings can be seen

in Appendix 1.

Accessibility Data

This data captured the connectivity of the location and examined public transport provision, road

connectivity to more significant settlements and infrastructure and parking provision and digital

access. The towns’ rurality is demonstrated through poor transport links to Waterford City with no

direct public transport provision and the closest settlement of significance being 18km away. The

model village design lends itself to large scale on-street car parking ability in Portlaw.

Local Services Data

The town has a varied level of local services as one would expect with a district service centre. The

presence of a library, pharmacy, health centre and community service hub does provide a connection

with smaller/more rural settlements which helps the sustainability of the town. The local sports

clubs and heritage group reflect the leisure/cultural interests within the town.

Activity & Event Data

An array of events and activities are held annually within the town. Potential exists for a Halloween festival to grow to regional importance and the 2018 Altogether Now Festival is already a national fixture. This theme also measures the level of cultural/sports capital within the community and again the local sports clubs owning their own grounds is an important institution for the town.

Development Capacity Data

This measure looks at land use and vacancy and the capacity of local community structures within the town. Community Capacity or Social Capital is strong with a wide range of community groups registered with the Waterford PPN. These issues are also captured within the Local Place Evaluation.

Tourism Data

The town has extremely limited accommodation options to attract and retain visitors though the heritage base has strong potential and Curraghmore House has a community facebook page to keep locals aware of issues though it’s not focused on tourism/marketing activity.

Impressions Data This measure looks at general presentation– the ease of navigation and wayfinding to and around the town is good, the Tannery site impacts on the overall presentation score and this is also captured within the Local Place Evaluation.

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The Local Place Standard Tool is a Scottish model used to evaluate the quality of a place and identify

priorities consisting of a set of questions which cover both the physical and social elements of a

place. Whilst it was modified to fit into an Irish Town/Village context, the premise is the same with

questions or prompts that are presented to the local community to generate discussion regarding

specific physical or social elements relevant to the village. Each of the category areas is scored and

an average rating is agreed and plotted on a compass diagram and all rating plots are joined to result

in an easy to understand matrix that shows at a glance the areas where a place is performing well

and where there is room for improvement. See below agreed Local Place Evaluation results including

matrix and commentary from the Portlaw workshop attendees.

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Accessibility and Transport ● Access to Waterford good with 3 routes a day ● Visitors have limited access to Portlaw from Public Transport ● Accessing Services and Supports restricted due to poor public transport provision ● Access to Carrick On Suir and Dungarvan very poor ● Walk friendly ● Cycle Friendly ● No Public Lighting to key areas of interest e.g path to Curraghmore, Dooly’s Bothereen

Score 3/7

Work and local economy. ● Hemorrhaging of jobs to Waterford City e.g Agora ● Lack of enterprise space for expansion or new business creation ● Access (transport) to upskill, receive training or education limited ● Lack of Awareness of enterprise start-up supports

Score 3/7

Streets and Spaces

Excellent village that is easily walked around.

Numerous buildings of historical interest.

Village is well laid out with attractive open spaces

Derelict Tannery site is a major let-down for the Village

Signage needed within Village

Opportunity to embrace heritage base and develop rural tourism enterprise potential

Screen off the tannery and lodge site on temporary basis

Environmental report for Tannery site key to any future plans for village Score 4/7

Facilities and Amenities

Recent improvement with regard to cafes/pubs/restaurant.

Well served and used by local community.

Library facility and Day Care Centre are positive services – need for expanded opening hours

Public Toilets needed Score 5/7

Visitor Attractions

Significant attractions for visitors – public transport options to access them are limited

Limited Accommodation options for visitors

Greenway access has great potential

Halloween Festival development should be explored

Heritage Centre is very active

Good range of walking trails and free activities/events

Curraghmore House and “Altogether Now” are significant attractions

Portlaw is the Eastern starting point of Munster Vales Tourism brand Score 4/7

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Natural and Built Environment

There is a very significant natural and built heritage. Very strong industrial heritage base that could be built upon for visitor attraction

Strong local interest in Portlaw Heritage

Need to ensure significant heritage assets are accessible, enhanced and promoted

The whole village is a heritage site - need to have heritage walking trail for the “model” village with appropriate information points

Score 4/7

Local Services

Connectivity to Kilmeaden would enable regular Waterford City access – Portlaw bus?

Access to outside services is restricted owing to transport

Potential for shared services within community facilities

Diverse services being delivered in Portlaw Score 4/7 Sense of Place

Strong sense of place- tight knit community that is underestimated.

Numerous Community Groups

The environment and heritage of area lends itself to a strong sense of place Score 5/7

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4.1.3 SWOT Analysis

STRENGTHS ● A strong Tidy Village group who have delivered a

huge boost to the village aesthetics and held many community events. A group that connects all stakeholders within the community.

● The nearest Village to Coumshingaun lake which is in Portlaw Parish.

● JJ McCarthy designed church of National Importance. (Source: County Plan)

● The “Old School” ● The castle ● The stone bridge ● Extending stone walls ● The old mill ● Beautiful river setting. ● A truly passionate group of people with vision,

willingness to learn and work with the council’s expertise.

● A magnificent history of the first hurley makers in Waterford, a forge, a cooper, a tailor.

● Sean Kelly, cyclist. Hunt brothers international soccer players.

WEAKNESSES ● No marketing about the village, especially

at the lakes ● No Coffee Shop or Tea Rooms ● No positive aesthetic impact ● No Brand to the Village ● No sense of intrigue ● No lighting to enhance structures ● No signage ● No Information stations to arouse curiosity ● No promotion of the assets ● No place to picnic/play ● No activity to engage the passer-by and

make them stop ● It’s a lifeless place instead of the fun-loving

village it could be.

OPPORTUNITIES ● Develop the “Tea Rooms” and grow the economic

potential of Portlaw, increase sales of local crafts and artisan foods

● Direct traffic from Coumshingaun lakes ● Build the “Treasure Hunt” brand for the village ● Engage the passer-by’s conscious and

subconscious, intrigue them to stop ● Treasure hunt observation towers ● Lighting of the bridge, The Old School, the castle,

the church and barrack yard features ● Educate our next generation with the local school ● Flower baskets on the bridge and throughout the

village ● Observation binoculars for visitors to stop and

engage in the area ● A central piece for the village by way of a Tree

Carving ● A place to stop, sit and enjoy Portlaw ● A link from Clonea-Power to Clonea Strand via the

Greenway Develop links with Tramore and Portlaw who have the same church Architect

THREATS ● Without some assistance we could suffer a

loss of momentum that has been built up recently by the community

● A need to “seize the moment” given the positive response by the community to this proposal

● A past sense of disengagement could reoccur

● Further decay of the village ● Loss of interest by the next generation

unless they see what they have. If the next generation don’t see us develop Clonea, they won’t either

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4.2 Quantitative Data

Population Pyramid - Portlaw - CSO2016

Full CSO 2016 data for Portlaw can be found in Appendix 2

15


Land Use Survey Results – Residential and Commercial

16


4.3 Community Engagement Workshop

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18


19


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PORTLAW HEALTH CHECK APPENDIX 1 LOCAL PLACE AUDIT LOCAL PLACE STANDARD

Town/Village Audit KPI Framework

Location Portlaw

Review Date Jan-19

Auditor VOS

Next Review Date Jan-20

Completion Guide This framework collects data on the performance of the town/village, using a limited range of KPI indicators. It is recommended that the auditor undertakes a walk-around of the town/village centre to gather data on the occupier for each property - name and use. To understand change over time, it is recommended that the audit is undertaken annually

There are 7 KPI themes:

Locality Data Population, Businesses, Housing, Heritage Properties/landmarks

Accessibility Public Transport, Road Connectivity, Parking and Digital Connectivity

Local Services Retail, Personal/Business Services, Leisure Services, Public Services, Cultural and Evening Economy

Activities and Events Community, Commercial, Sporting and Cultural

Development Capacity Vacant Buildings and Land, Planning Applications, Local Plan

Tourism/Visitor Profile Accommodation, Attractions, Marketing and Social Media

Place/Quality Impression Cleanliness, Ped/Cycle Friendly, Pavements/Streets, Furniture

KPI 1: Locality Data

Current Year

Town/Village

Socio-Economics

Current Population (CSO 2016) 1742

Total Number of Business Units 43

Number of Vacant Commercial Units 7

Housing

Total number of houses 648

Number of Local Authority Houses 107

% Houses Owned 66%

% Houses Rented 30%

Number of Vacant Units 8

Average House Price (June 2017-2018) €105,725

Heritage Properties

Total Number of Listed Buildings 19

Total Number of Heritage Landmarks 8

KPI 2: Accessibility

Number

Transport

Number of Public Transport Services 0

Number of Private Transport Services 1

Road Connectivity

Distance to National Primary Route 10km

Distance to Settlement of 10,000 Plus 18km

Parking

Number of Off-Street Car Parks 1

Number of Off-Street Spaces 28

Number of On-Street Spaces 500

Digital

Number of premises with Free WiFi 1

Broadband Speed

KPI 3: Local Services

Retail Operators

Total Number of Retail Businesses 3

% convenience 66%

% comparision 34%

% Independents (5 or less) 100%

Property, Finance & Business Services

Total number of Service Businesses 1

Leisure Services

Total number of leisure services 1

Public Services

Number of public services 1

Cultural Services

Number of cultural services 1

Community Services

Number of community services 1

Evening Economy

Total Number of Outlets 5

KPI 4: Activities and Events

Community Events

Number of Regular Events (Festivals, Parades etc) 6

Number of One-Off Events in Past Year 2

Commercial Events

Number of Regular Events (Farmers Market, Craft Fair, etc) 2


Sporting Events

Number of 'Home' Teams with Local Ground 3

Cultural Events

Number of Regular Events ( Open Day, Carnival, etc) 2


KPI 5: Development Capacity

Vacant Retail

Number of Vacant Units

Vacant Land

Number of Sites

Vacant Buildings (ex Retail)

Number of Units

Planning

Number of Applications 2017-2018 21

Local Groups + Partnerships

Number of Business / Trader Associations 0

Community Council/Structure Yes

Number of groups registered with PPN 25

Number of Community Groups 22

Strategy Planning

Town/Village Action Plan - Yes/No No*

* Local Area Plan - 2014-2020

KPI 6: Tourism/Visitor Profile

Accommodation

Total Number of Rooms (All Types) 7

Number of Hotels 0

Number of Bed & Breakfast 0

Number of other accommodation type e.g self catering 4

Attractions

Number of Tourist/Visitor Attractions 5

Marketing

Town/Village Website for Visitors (Y/N) N

Social Media

Number of Outlets 1

Medium Used (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram) Facebook

KPI 7: Place/Quality Impressions

Cleanliness

General Presentation (0=poor, 10=very good) 5

Amount of litter present (0 = lots, 10 = none) 5

Pedestrian/Cycle Friendliness

Traffic speed at key crossing points (0 = v. unsafe, 10 = v. safe) 6

Are pedestrian footways sufficient/appropriate/safe (0 = def not, 10 = def yes) 5

Pavements and Streets

Are Streets/Pavements Cluttered or Clear? (0 = def not, 10 = def yes) 5

Ease of Navigation/ Appropriate Signage (foot, cycle, cars) (0 = v.difficult, 10 = v.easy) 4

Are there flower displays/hanging baskets (0 = none, 10 = lots) 4

Furniture

How many seats/resting places? (0 = none, 10 = lots) 4

Safety and Security

Is street lighting white or sodium? (0 = all sodium, 10 = all white) 0

Place

Standard

Rural Economic Development

Place Standard

The Place Standard is a tool to evaluate the quality of a place and can also help users to identify their

priorities. The tool is simple and free to use. It consists of a set of questions which cover both the

physical and social elements of a place. Prompts are provided to help users answer the questions.

When all questions have been completed, the results are shown in a simple diagram.

accessibility & transport

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

natural & built environment

Why Place is important

Research shows that the places where we spend our time have an important impact on our lives.

The way a place looks, functions and feels can influence our health and wellbeing, and the

opportunities we have access to. Improving the quality of places can help to tackle inequalities.

Understanding the existing and potential strengths of a place can inform good decision making,

allowing resources to be targeted to where they are most needed. This approach can deliver better

results over the long term. The tool can also support the design and delivery of successful places,

creating quality development where people want to live.

Area

The tool allows different sizes and types of places to be assessed. This can include whole towns or

villages in urban or rural locations. The tool can be used to assess existing places as well as places

that are still being planned. Whatever the place, the area to be evaluated should be agreed in

advance by those involved.

How to Use

You can either complete the tool on paper at an event or it can be done online.

• Record who you are, noting if you are an individual or representing a group, and agree the area you are going to assess.

• Answer each question by recording a rating on a scale from 1 to 7. Some prompts are provided as a starting point for discussion. The rating should be agreed amongst the group carrying out the assessment. Space is provided to record the reasons for your answers.

• When you have answered all the questions, plot each rating on the ‘compass diagram’. In this example (below) the “visitor attractions” question was rated as ‘2’. The next question, ’natural & built environment’, was rated a “7”. A line should be drawn between each point.

• After completing the diagram, you can reflect on the results by agreeing priorities and actions. Space is provided for you to list the main issues.

Output

The diagram that is produced is easy to understand. It shows at a glance the areas where a place is

performing well and where there is room for improvement. Where a place has been assessed as

good, the shape will be fuller, reaching towards the edge of the circle (in the example below:

’natural & built environment). Where it is viewed as performing poorly the shape will be smaller,

remaining towards the centre (eg: visitor attractions).

There is no benchmark or minimum standard. The tool is used to determine the strengths and assets

of a place and to indicate areas in which action may be taken.

When to use

The place standard tool can help you to achieve a number of aims. Communities can use the tool to

assess what works about their place and where it needs to improve. This may be part of a wider

discussion about the regeneration of an area, or it might be to inform a new place or development

which is planned nearby.

Local authorities and Local Development Companies can use the tool to help plan their activities and

prioritise appropriate action and create good places where people want to live.

What happens next

The place standard tool is part of a process, not the end of a process. In considering what you do

next, you should think about opportunities to develop and build upon the conversations and

relationships the tool has initiated.

The method allows assessment to be consistent and comparable over time to see if improvement

has been made. In order to get the most out the tool you will want to record the qualities of the

place and the reasons for your rating. This will be useful for people to set the ambition for their

place.

Accessibility & Transport

The design and layout of a place can encourage walking and cycling by providing pleasant and safe

routes that connect people to where they want to go. Access to a reliable and well-connected public

transport service is also important for communities in any place.

Now consider the question:

Can I easily walk and cycle around the town/village and does public transport meet my

needs?

Next, rate your place on a scale from 1 to 7 where 1 means there is a lot of room for improvement

and 7 means there is very little room for improvement. Record your rating on the compass.

You might want to think about the following:

• Do routes provide obvious and direct links with the places that people want to go, such as schools, shops, services and public transport?

• Are routes of good quality, in an attractive environment and pleasant to use?

• Do routes feel safe to use all year round and at different times of the day?

• Are public transport services frequent and reliable? Do they take people to the places they need to go?

• Is public transport accessible for all regardless of age, mobility or disability?

• If you wish, note why you rated your answer the way you did below:-

Work & Local Economy

Good quality work can offer important benefits through the income, activity, social networks and

sense of identity and satisfaction that it can bring. A thriving local economy can provide work

opportunities and help create lively and attractive places where people want to spend time.


Is there an active local economy and the opportunity to access work?



Here are some things that you might want to think about as you consider your rating:

• Is there an active local economy that helps to create a thriving place?

• Are there job opportunities that are available and accessible to local people?

• Are effective services that help people to find and keep work available locally?

• Are there opportunities for people to gain skills for work such as education, training and volunteering?

• Are there opportunities and spaces for local businesses to start up and grow?


Streets & Spaces

Buildings, landmarks, greenery, views and natural landscape can all help to create an attractive, distinctive place that people enjoy being in. These features can also help people to find their way around.


Do buildings, streets and public spaces create an attractive place that is easy to get around?




• Are there positive features such as local landmarks, historic buildings, public squares or natural features that make the place feel distinctive?

• Are there distinctive features and routes that help you to find your way around?

• Do buildings, features and public spaces look interesting and attractive?

• Are there negative features such as derelict buildings or vacant land? Does the design of the area help to lessen their impact?

• Is the experience of the place positive both day and night and in different seasons or weather conditions?


Facilities & Amenities

Facilities and amenities are the things that we need to live and enjoy life; this can include local

shops, schools, services, libraries, GPs and places to eat, drink and meet friends. Access to good

quality facilities and amenities is important in supporting people to lead healthy, fulfilling lives.


Do facilities and amenities meet my needs?




• Is there a range of facilities and amenities available to meet a variety of different needs?

• Do the available facilities and amenities help to support a healthy lifestyle? • Are they within a reasonable distance and easily accessible by walking, cycling or public

transport?

• Are facilities and amenities good quality and well maintained? • Are the available facilities and amenities being used to their full potential? Will they

continue to meet people’s needs in the future?


Visitor Attractions

Visitor attractions, whether free or fee-paying, are an important part of the allure to visitors and add to the positive experience enjoyed by tourists. Tourist attractions can contribute to local economies, provide employment and stimulate infrastructure investment.


Are there attractions to entice visitors to the town/village?




• Is there a range of attractions and amenities available to meet a variety of visitor’s needs?

• Is there an adequate suite of facilities available to support visitor attractions? • Are attractions within a reasonable distance and easily accessible by walking, cycling or

public transport?

• Is there a good supply of accommodation options?

• Are the visitor attractions promoted and marketed to best effect?


Natural & Built Environment

The natural and built environment within a town/village or its hinterland can have a variety of

meanings and can include items such as monuments, archaeological objects, heritage objects,

architectural heritage, flora, fauna, wildlife habitats, landscape, seascapes, geology, heritage gardens

and parks and inland waterways. The protection and enhancement of these assets help safeguard

the local character and distinctiveness of towns/villages and its environs, providing local economic,

social and environmental benefits.


Does the Town/village conserve its natural, built and cultural heritage whilst maximising its

economic potential?




• Is there a range of natural and built environment assets within the area and are they recorded?

• Are there adequate conservation measures in place to maintain/enhance the natural/built

environment asset base? • Are heritage and amenity assets within a reasonable distance and easily accessible by

walking, cycling or public transport?

• Is there adequate signage/parking ?

• Are the heritage assets promoted and marketed to best effect?


Local Services

Understanding the town’s or village’s function is important as many towns and villages rely on each

other for different facilities and services. Assessing the relationship with nearby towns/villages

would prove useful to help shape how local services can be effectively delivered in the greater local

area.


Are local services within the Town/village meeting local need and is there potential to link

with other areas to enable more services to be provided?




• Is there a range of local services that cater for different ages and abilities located in the town/village or nearby?

• Is there potential for service providers to share facilities to deliver their services?

• Are local services if not within a reasonable distance easily accessible by public transport?

• Is there adequate PR and awareness of the local services provided?


Sense of Place

How people feel about a place can be influenced by many factors, including how the place looks;

how other people view the place; and the place’s culture and history. Places with a positive identity,

and where people feel they belong, can help to build strong communities.


Does this place have a strong identity and do I feel I belong?




• Do people perceive the place positively?

• Do people feel connected to their neighbours and the community?

• Are the things that make the “sense of place” of the town/village apparent and celebrated?

• Are people positively engaged in their community? Are there groups and networks that help strengthen a sense of place?


PORTLAW HEALTH CHECK APPENDIX 2 CENSUS 2016 DATA

to be completed...economic section of waterford city & county council. the rural economic...

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