To ask the Minister for Infrastructure what consideration he has given to developing up to date infrastructure plans for areas that experience high numbers of tourists in the summer months.

The planning system has a key role in managing tourism related development through planning policies and in integrating tourism provision with necessary infrastructure. Seasonal impacts of high numbers of tourists on areas are likely to be limited to specific towns and attractions and are likely to be limited to roads and parking issues rather than other impacts.

Due to these localised impacts Local Development Plans (LDPs), prepared by councils, are best placed to set out planning policy in respect of new tourist development. The preparation of an LDP provides the opportunity to assess the transport needs, problems and opportunities within the plan area and to ensure that appropriate consideration is given to transportation issues in the allocation of land for future development. The preparation of local transport studies by councils will assist in this process.

The Department is in the process of developing a new suite of Transport Plans alongside the councils’ Local Development Plans (LDPs) that will set out the framework for transport policy and investment decisions up until 2035. The Transport Plans will take account of transport needs across the region and will reflect councils’ ambitions in their LDPs, including as it relates to tourism. Furthermore the Transport Plans will facilitate engagement with other stakeholders to ensure that a wide range of views are taken into account as they are developed. As the Transport Plans are being produced alongside the councils’ Local Development Plans their timescales will reflect that of the councils’ plans.