The Jobs Ratio is the ratio between the number of jobs in the County to the number of people in the workforce resident in the County. The National Planning Framework used the Jobs Ratio as an indicator for analysing settlements. The analysis showed that many of the towns within the Dublin city region function mainly as commuter towns with large resident populations and limited employment. The 2016 – 2022 County Development Plan aimed to increase the ‘Jobs Ratio’ from 42% in 2011 to 60% in 2028.

The National Planning Framework recognises that there are critical links between the quality of urban place-making and business investment / job creation. The ability to attract new business to an area is dependent on many factors, the obvious ones being land availability, infrastructure and accessibility. In addition to these elements, the attractiveness of an area and sense of place are increasingly being promoted with a view to realising economic potential and attracting new investment. Wicklow’s towns have a strong sense of place and character which is largely based on their historic streetscapes and scenic settings. It is important to embrace the character of our towns and villages and promote them as locations for new economic development.

The CEDRA Report 2014 – ‘Energising Ireland’s Rural Economy’, recognised that the changing nature of rural areas means that rural economic development is not amenable to single sector strategies but requires new integrated approaches to economic development. The report acknowledges that ‘there is an abundance of natural, physical, human and capital resources and a wide variety of high quality, including dormant assets in many rural communities that could be leveraged to support national economic growth and the development t of these communities’.

Realising our Rural Potential: The Action Plan for Rural Development 2017 aims to unlock the potential of rural areas through a framework of supports at national and local level which will ensure that people who live in rural areas have increased opportunities for employment locally, access to public services and social networks that support a high quality of life.

The County Development Plan will include policy and objectives to ensure that Wicklow’s rural areas capitalise on their potential while protecting the environmental assets that define their character and value. Rural diversification opportunities are vital for sustaining a viable rural economy. However, a balance needs to be maintained between facilitating appropriate forms of rural development and protecting the rural environment.

What do you think?

• What are your views on economic development in County Wicklow? What competitive advantages need to be protected and / or enhanced to sustain and grow economic development?
• What measures can be put in place to ensure Wicklow is viewed as a more attractive employment base?
• How can the Plan promote and facilitate new economic opportunities?
• Where should economic development be located?
• Do you think brownfield sites should be promoted for new economic development?
• Are there new ways of working that should be facilitated in the Plan e.g. co-working hubs, working from home, live-work units,
• How can the County’s rural economy be diversified to sustain rural areas?
• Are there adequate policies in place to protect the countryside from commercial / industrial / economic development?
• What type of economic development is appropriate for rural areas?