Offaly County Council Comhairle Chontae Uibh Fhaili (Redacted Personal Information) (Redacted Personal Information) (Redacted Personal Information) County Development Plan Review, -- � - Council Ti perary County Planning Policy and Projects Units, p RECEIVED Tipperary County Council, 2 3 OCT 2020 Civic Offices, Cs . office· i...Jenag h Nenagh, Ci VIC _. .•..: ·.:..,.. .. �-·.. ·- Co. Tipperary. 2ist October 2020, Re: TipperaryCounty Development Plan Review A Chara, Please find hereunder the comments of Offaly County Council in respect of the review of the existing North and South Tipperary County Development Plans and the preparation of the new Tipperary County Development Plan for the period 2022-2028. Offaly County Council welcomes the opportunity to comment on the process and looks forward to continued co-operation with and between both Authorities; with particular reference to social, cultural and economic development and the protection of the environment. An example of such recent cooperation is in relation to Tipperary County Council having recently received an allocation under the Active Travel fund to provide a cycle route linking the towns of Nenagh and Roscrea with some of the route passing through Co. Offaly. Offaly County Council is currently reviewing its County Development Plan 2014-2020 and preparing a new County Development Plan 2021-2027, with a draft currently on public display until 7th October 2020. Birr County Offaly is located on the Tipperary- Offaly county boundary. Within the Draft Offaly county Development Plan, it should be noted that the proposed settlement typology description for Birr is as a 'Self Sustaining Growth Town'. This type of settlement is described in the Regional Spatial & Economic Strategy for the Eastern & Midlands Region as a settlement which is a sub-county market town that has significant employment and service functions relative to its regional and local catchment, has good regional transport links and has the capacity for continued commensurate growth to become more self-sustaining. The town is earmarked to grow at a sustainable level appropriate to its position in the settlement hierarchy. (Redacted Personal Information) 1ca:) Midlandslreland.ie gateway to growth Riverstown Village is located on the Tipperary - Offaly county boundary. Volume 2 of the draft Offaly County Development Plan includes Riverstown Village Plan. The following objectives in the plan should be considered to be reflected similarly in the Tipperary County Development Plan for the Tipperary side of Riverstown for consistency purposes: SO1 To ensure that future growth is balanced and sustainable and is appropriate to the scale, size and character of the existing village. SO2 To require new development to take cognisance of and to reinforce the existing rural character of the village in terms of scale, layout, detailed design and landscaping. SO5 To encourage local service provision in the village centre to serve the local population and commensurate with the size of the village. SO9 To protect the amenity value and rural character of the village, including the Little Brosna River, mature trees, hedgerows, stone boundary walls and archaeological features. SO10 To protect the carrying capacity, efficiency and road safety of the N52 through Riverstown. Volume 2 of the draft Offaly County Development Plan includes Moneygall Village Plan. tt is noted that located outside the village boundary is the Barack Obama Plaza within Co. Tipperary. Being located outside of the village centre it has had a pull on residents of Moneygall's catchment area, thereby adversely affecting the vitality and vibrancy of Moneygall village. The following objectives of the draft Moneygall Village Plan are designed to encourage the regeneration and appropriate growth of the village. Offaly County Council respectfully requests that careful assessment of any potential future planning applications / uses / policies for the Barack Obama Plaza occur with the health of Moneygall Village being considered. 50L To ensure that future growth is balanced and sustainable and is appropriate to the scale, size and character of the existing village. SO2 To encourage the re-use of vacant buildings, the development of infill sites and the completion of unfinished developments to create a compact, vibrant village. SO7 To capitalise on further tourist related opportunities for the village through the synergy with Barrack Obama Plaza, and to facilitate and develop uses, activities and public infrastructure to support the Village becoming a 'stop-off' destination for visitors to the midlands and south including visitors or tours on 'lreland's Ancient East' trail. Figure 6.13 in Chapter 5 Volume 1 of the Draft Offaly County Development Plan identifies proposed midlands cycle and walking routes. The zoomed in image below identifies in green the proposed indicativeroutesbetweenBirrandRoscreaandalsoBirrandPortumna. ltwouldbewelcomedifthe draft Tipperary County Plan likewise provides for this linkage in the interests of tourism development and to promote increased physical activity levels. The following policies / objectives in the draft Offaly plan are relevant: Policy SMAP-06: lt is an objective of the Council to collaborate with Bord na M6na and Coillte in the development of the 'Major Cycling Destination in the Midlands of lreland - Feasibility Study 2016' and to pursue the development of greenway links to adjoining counties. 2 Policy TRP-16: It is Council policy to supportthe extension of greenways, blueways, peatways and trails within the county and the integration and linkage of them with other existing/ proposed greenways, blueways, peatways and trails both within and outside County Offaly. Objective SO6 in the draft Riverstown Village Plan: It is an objective to support the examination of the proposed Birr to Portumna Greenway. (This route traverses through Riverstown). Offaly County Council respectfully requests that the relevant issues raised above are fully considered in the preparation of the Tipperary County Development Plan. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you require clarification of any issues raised in this submission. Is mise le meas (Redacted Personal Information) 3 .