Cloughjordan Settlement Plan

CLOUGHJORDAN SETTLEMENT PLAN

on large sites to provide an alternative to 1.0 General Introduction and one-off housing in rural locations. Development Context One of the most important developments

in Cloughjordan in recent years has been • Location the progress on Ireland’s first Eco-Village. The market town of Cloughjordan lies The concept of this innovative and unique close to the border with Offaly at the proposal, to develop a community with junction of the R490 and R491 Regional commitments to ecological, social and Roads. The town serves an area which is economic sustainability within a urban renowned for the quality of its agricultural environment, has been recognised land and the food it produces. While the nationally and internally, as being an town is primarily residential in nature, it important pilot for the way future acts as a local centre for services and communities might develop. This new facilities. community, being developed on 67 acres (c.27ha) of farmland, will merge with the • Population existing village of Cloughjordan through a The population fell from 447 in 1996 to new street opposite the Church of Ireland. 431 in 2002 (CSO) which is decline of The development of the Eco-village will 3.6% in the census period. There has been provide a welcomed inflow of people into a further decline to 394 in the 2006 Census the town and has developed (CSO, 2006). Cloughjordan’s image as an eco-town.

• Settlement Form

The Ballyfinboy River intersects the town. The town has a strong historic legacy, and many of the key architectural elements that give the town its character are still intact. Important landmark buildings in the town include the three churches and the Rail Station. The town of Cloughjordan remained relatively unchanged during the Celtic Tiger years with limited investment in employment, retail development, or necessary medium or large-scale The town of Cloughjordan consists of one commercial or industrial development. main street, with three branching side What is evident from the population streets. Halfway down Main Street, is the figures is that the town has suffered from Church Meadow or Town Green, bordered an outflow of population to the rural by a stone wall and mature lime trees; countryside and the larger towns. setting the stage for St. Kieran’s Churchy of Ireland church, built in 1828. To the Much of the private housing in the town is left of the church are the Militia Houses, on stand alone sites, with a few new reputed to have been built as a nineteenth private estates having been constructed. It century army barracks, but never used as is important that this continues through the such. To the right is the modern St. provision of private and affordable Kieran’s hall, standing on the site of the housing to ensure that the town has a first purpose-built school in the town. The healthy mix of private, affordable and Methodist Church, built in 1875 is on social housing. It will therefore, be Main Street, while on Templemore Road, important that a range of housing types is the Catholic Church of SS Michael and proposed as part of new housing schemes. John, built in 1899, creates a dramatic This should include low-density housing vista at that entrance to the town. The oldest and most historically significant domestic building in the town, • To continue to develop the Cloughjordan House, is situated on the concept of Cloughjordan being Shinrone Road. a Eco-town.

3.0 Services and Social Infrastructure

• Water Supply The village is serviced by a public water supply.

• Waste Water The village is serviced by a sewage treatment plant. However, up-grade works may be required to cater for additional development. 2.0 Key aim and objectives

Cloughjordan is identified as being a • Roads and Transport District Service Centre in Chapter 3 of Infrastructure the County Development Plan. The key aim of this settlement plan is to Cloughjordan developed at the provide a framework for the intersection of travel routes between development for appropriate residential Nenagh, Birr and Moneygall. It is a commercial and light industrial district service town located 16km development, to enhance the visual north of Nenagh on the R491. It is character and amenities of the village conveniently located in relation to the and to ensure that Cloughjordan major towns of Nenagh, Roscrea, Birr provides the services and facilities for and Borrisokane. its hinterland. Cloughjordan railway station opened Key Objectives on 5 October 1863. It is connected to the Irish railway network on a branch • To facilitate low density, high from Limerick to Ballybrophy (where quality housing appropriate to it joins the main Cork–Dublin line) and the town and its designation as has a twice-daily service in each a District Service Centre on the direction. Settlement Hierarchy in Chapter 3 of the Plan. There is an extensive network of • To maintain and enhance footpaths within the area. Public social, community and amenity lighting is provided throughout the facilities within the village. settlement.

• To support opportunities for commercial and employment facilities. • To focus development within the development boundary of the settlement. • Social and Community similar materials for new Infrastructure boundaries. •

The town has a broad main street, with 5.0 General Development Objectives a tree-lined square at its mid-point. Main Street is lined by an attractive Proposals for development will be mix of houses and shops, including a assessed in accordance with the post office, a Garda station, a library, policies and objectives of the County ten shops (including a book/coffee Development Plan, 2010-2016 as set shop, a butcher with his own farm, a out in the main text in Volume 1. pharmacy and a cycle shop), a garage, a restaurant, four pubs, a 'chipper', a In addition to general policy fire station, sports clubs, two surgeries, requirements for development, the two schools, three churches (Catholic, Council will seek to implement the Methodist and Church of Ireland) and following objectives: GAA grounds. • The Council will seek to make 4.0 Key Messages for Cloughjordan provision and/or facilitate the

provision of footpaths and • The settlement should be developed in a properly planned public lighting to enhance the and co-ordinated manner in local infrastructure. accordance with the zoning • The Council will seek to foster objectives of the settlement plan. a village identity and definition The picturesque setting shall be of the village by facilitating the retained and enhanced in provision of hard and soft accordance with appropriately landscaping and signage. designed and sensitive • The Council will seek to ensure development. the protection of Protected • Low density rural clustered style Structures and archaeological development is promoted on residential zoned sites. monument (i.e by preservation • The provision of additional in situ or at a minimum passive amenity spaces protection by record). • including playground facilities The Council will seek to should be provided. control ribbon development on the approach roads to preserve • High quality designs, which are particularly reflective of the and consolidate the built predominantly rural character of environment of the village. the area, without precluding high • The Council will seek to ensure quality innovative contemporary hedgerows, trees and any designs. natural stone walls are • The conservation and protection of preserved and maintained in protected structures, recorded any new development monuments and other features of proposals. archaeological and historical merit • The Council will seek to within the settlement. continue to improve the • The conservation and integration approach roads to the village into new development of existing and improve traffic calming. stone walls, trees and native • hedgerows, and promotion of The Council will seek to ensure that development is focused within the village around the • To provide pedestrian linkage core area so as to consolidate as part of new town centre the centre of the village. development. • To provide a new streetscape in the centre of the town on vacant 6.0 Conservation Area: and derelict sites. This includes most of Main Street, part of • To provide a park as part of the South Main Street, part of Station Road planned village expansion north (see map attached)

of Cloughjordan. 7.0 See RPS (Volume III) for list of • To protect and provide access Protected Structures to back lands on the Station Road and to lands north and south of Main Street. • To seek the undergrounding of cables and wirescape on Main Street. • To seek the protection of the architectural conservation area, particularly elements such as coach arches. • To seek the protection of stone boundary walls on the Borrisokane approach road, the Birr approach road and within the Conservation Area. • To seek the protection of trees at the following locations: o Hardwood trees on the Birr Road. o Trees within the grounds of protected structures.

5.1 Transport and Access Improvement Objectives • To reserve land for a future link road between R491 and R490 to the south east of the town. • To provide extended footpaths as part of new development. • To ensure that proposals for new development of lands adjacent to public roads provides access to backlands and land that does not have road frontage. • To preserve rights of way.