Waterways Corridor Study 2004 A study of the area surrounding Lanesborough to Shannonbridge Colin Buchanan and Partners in association with John Cronin & Associates, Fred Hamond, Dr Amanda Browne Waterways Corridor Study 2004 A study of the area surrounding Lanesborough to Shannonbridge Produced by Colin Buchanan and Partners in association with John Cronin & Associates, Fred Hamond, Dr Amanda Browne Final Report: WATERWAYS STUDY lanesborough to shannonbridge ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors would like to thank the following for their contribution to this study: The Steering Group for their commission and direction, ongoing advice and input, and their commitment and enthusiasm to this project: Colin Becker, Ruth Delany, Dr John Keane and Beatrice Kelly, The Heritage Council; Ray Dunne, Niall Moore, Joe O’Sullivan and Michael McKiernan, Waterways Ireland; Marie Mannion, Galway County Council Tony McDonnell, Longford County Council Lisa Henry and Amanda Pedlow, Offaly County Council Frank Flanagan, Eve Harrison and Nollaig McKeon, Roscommon County Council Mark Brindley, Bernie Guest and Muiris Quinn, Westmeath County Council The Project Team for their professionalism and dedication for the subject throughout this project: Paul McTernan, Associate Director, Colin Buchanan and Partners Lisa Grainger, Principal Planner, Colin Buchanan and Partners Mary Hughes, Principal Planner, Colin Buchanan and Partners Guy Bartley, Principal Landscape Architect, Colin Buchanan and Partners Christina Kelly, Graduate Planner, Colin Buchanan and Partners Aoife Curran, Graphic Designer, Colin Buchanan and Partners Phil Gray, Senior Technician, Colin Buchanan and Partners Dr Amanda Browne, Consultant Ecologist Dr Fred Hamond, Consultant Industrial Archaeologist John Cronin, Director, John Cronin & Associates Kate Robb, Senior Archaeologist, John Cronin & Associates A special thanks is accorded to Peter and Brian Quigley of Quigley’s Marina and Sven and Anita Neubert of Waveline Cruisers for their support and assistance, taking the project team out on the water during their busy summer season. The authors also express their gratitude to all of those who participated in workshops and submitted their views of issues of significance, either verbally or through written submission, within the study area. February 2004 2 Final Report: WATERWAYS STUDY lanesborough to shannonbridge of tablecontents INTRODUCTION Background 4 RIVER SUCK 45 Project Brief 5 Environmental Setting 46 Approach and Methodology 5 Landscape and Visual Corridor 47 How to use this document 5 Socio-Economic Corridor 48 Cultural/Historic Corridor 50 PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT OF INLAND WATERWAYS Ecological Corridor 54 Policy Context 6 Planning Context 8 WATERWAYS CORRIDOR - access and user groups 56 Consultation 10 ROBUSTNESS AND SENSITIVITY DEFINING THE WATERWAY CORRIDOR Statement of Heritage Significance 58 Approach 14 Threats to Heritage Significance 63 LOUGH REE 16 ACHIEVING THE VISION Environmental Setting 17 Policies and actions 65 Landscape and Visual Corridor 17 Indicators and monitoring 83 Socio-Economic Corridor 20 Lough Ree Regional Park? 85 Cultural/Historic Corridor 24 Ecological Corridor 27 RIVER SHANNON 32 APPENDICES ON DISC: Environmental Setting 33 APPENDIX 1: PLANNING AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONTEXT APPENDIX 2: ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND BUILT HERITAGE Landscape and Visual Corridor 33 APPENDIX 3: INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE Socio-Economic Corridor 35 APPENDIX 4: NATURAL HERITAGE Cultural/Historic Corridor 39 Ecological Corridor 43 APPENDIX 5: LOUGH REE REGIONAL PARK - FRENCH MODEL 3 Final Report: WATERWAYS STUDY lanesborough to shannonbridge SECTION ONE1 INTRODUCTION The greatest waterway in these islands, the River Shannon attracts thousands of visitors every year. Some are almost permanent inhabitants, others occasional guests; but everyone falls under its spell, determined to return and savour once more its undeniable mystique. Foreword to “By Shannon Shores” - Ruth Delany, 1987 1.1 Background 1.1.1 In 2001, the Heritage Council commissioned a Pilot Waterways Corridor Study (Pilot Study) to examine opportunities for regeneration within a framework of conservation along a stretch of the Lower Shannon taking in the Grand Canal. The context for this study was to recognise, and seek ways to realise, the potential of the waterways as a heritage, amenity and tourism resource. 1.1.2 Following the successful completion of the Pilot Study, the Heritage Council, in partnership with Waterways Ireland and Longford, Roscommon, Westmeath, Galway and Offaly County Councils, has now commissioned two further waterways Fishing south of the bridge at Shannonbridge studies taking in the mid-Shannon from Shannonbridge to Lanesborough (also Lanesboro and Béal Átha Liag) and part of the upper Shannon from Lanesborough to Roosky including the Royal Canal. Colin Buchanan and Partners, in association with co-consultants John Cronin, Fred Hamond and Dr Amanda Browne have been awarded the study area comprising Shannonbridge to Lanesborough including Lough Ree in its entirety and a further sub- study taking in the River Suck from the Shannon to Ballinasloe and the line of the old Ballinasloe navigation (formerly part of the Grand Canal, but disused since 1961). Barley Harbour Old Lock House, Shannonbridge Floodplain along River Suck 4 Final Report: WATERWAYS STUDY lanesborough to shannonbridge 1.2 The Project Brief 1.3 Approach and Methodology 1.4 How to use this document 1.2.1 The brief sets out the overall aims of the 1.3.1 This study was advanced through a series 1.4.1 Section One sets out the project brief and study as being: of stages, each forming an independent unit within the overall approach to this study. • To identify ways to manage the waterways the overall body of the project and enabling the 1.4.2 Section Two gives an overview of the Policy corridor environment to the benefit of all, i.e. logical progression of the study from inception and Planning contexts, the latter will be explained heritage, land and water-based users; through to completion. in greater detail in the Planning and Socio- • To improve understanding of the area, and by 1.3.2 The purpose of the first stage was to gain a economic context report that forms Appendix One this understanding, ensure retention of the thorough understanding of the Shannon of the electronic appendices to the final study distinctiveness of a place, while allowing for waterways systems and their wider zone of document. This section will also set out the development and evolution of use for the influence through desktop research,consultation approach to consultation and highlight the key future. and both land and water-based field surveys. issues raised through the consultative process. 1.4.3 The approach to defining the corridor and 1.2.2 The study seeks to ensure the identification 1.3.3 The purpose of the second stage was to an illustration of the corridor area is set out in and assessment of the significance of the assimilate the data gathered in Stage 1 with a Section Three. This section also provides a waterways corridor, and subsequent drafting of view to arriving at a fuller understanding of the descriptive summary of the entire study area from policies to retain and enhance such significance history, heritage and dynamics that influence the its past to present day. It sets out the key points whilst enabling identification of type and location corridor. Building on the research undertaken in in relation to built and natural heritage, which are of projects for the regeneration of the waterway the first stage, a corridor was defined and a notional described in greater detail in the respective corridor. Pragmatic actions are required that can line drawn on a map. This is described in section Appendices - Two-Four. be realised over a 10 year time scale. 3. 1.4.4 Section Four sets out a thorough statement 1.3.4 Taking the corridor as three distinct units: of significance for the waterway and discussion of Lough Ree, the River Shannon and the River Suck vulnerabilities/threats to that significance. the heritage has been assessed and a Statement of Significance drawn. This led to identifying a 1.4.5 The final section, sets out a vision for the vision for the Corridor. The final stage involved waterway corridor and how we can achieve the discussing the vision for the waterway at public vision for the corridor through pragmatic policies consultation events and building up policies and and actions that can be carried forward by the actions that can link in with existing initiatives identified authorities/organisations. within the Waterways Corridor, or alternatively that can be taken forward by the appropriate authorities. 5 Final Report: WATERWAYS STUDY lanesborough to shannonbridge SECTION TWO1 PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT OF INLAND WATERWAYS Heritage is valued by the people of Ireland not only for its intrinsic value but for its economic benefits through tourism; the educational benefits of studying monuments, archives, flora and fauna; and the cultural and recreational benefits of castles, museums, canals and parks. Foreword to the National Heritage Plan 2.1 Policy Context 2.1.1 There are a number of recent policy documents that afford protection to Ireland’s inland waterways, these reflect the volume of statutory bodies that have a remit for protection and/or management of the inland waterways. 2.1.2 As some background to the varying statutory bodies with a measure of jurisdiction over the waterway corridor environment, the water levels in the three lakes (Allen,