Carney MiniPlan PreDraft Presentation

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Current land use in and around Coolaney
Survey conducted in Autumn 2005
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Land use (detail) in the core of Coolaney
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Pre-draft public consultation

• Public meeting held on 8 December 2005 in the
  Community Centre in Coolaney.
• Over 60 people attended the meeting.
• From submissions received after the meeting, it
  became apparent that there would be significant
  pressure to zone land for (mostly) residential
  development around Coolaney

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Total area of land subject to zoning requests
158.81 acres (64 ha) of
which 127.05 acres (51.4 ha) residential
uses 22.18 acres (8.98 ha) residential
or mixed uses Subtotal 149.23 acres
(60.4 ha) residential and mixed uses
4.02 acres (1.63 ha) commercial use or
light industry 1.02 acres (0.41 ha)
community uses 4.54 acres (1.84 ha) open
space
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Potential outcomes
The combined footprints of Coolaney and Rockfield
cover 102.65 acres (41.64 ha) of which circa
79.22 acres (32 ha) are in mixed or residential
uses.
If all the requests for residential and mixed use
zoning were to be successful, there would be an
additional 158.81 acres available for such uses.
This would translate into 1500 extra dwellings
(corresponding to a minimum residential
density of 10 units/acre) 4200 new residents
(corresponding to an average
household size of 2.8 persons) between 1500 and
3000 additional cars on the roads
(mainly on the Collooney/Sligo roads)
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Consultation with elected members

• In early March 2006, each Member was sent a
  package containing
• The summary of issues raised in pre-draft
  submissions
• The current land use map
• The map of community/open space requests
• The map of zoning requests
• The map showing the planners recommended
  development limit (DL)
• A clean map on which the Members could suggest
  changes to the DL
• No comments or suggestions were received from the
  Members in relation to the recommended
  development limit for Coolaney-Rockfield.

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Strategic Environmental Assessment

• The Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)
  Directive 2001/42/EC on the assessment of the
  effects of certain plans and programmes on the
  environment was implemented into Irish law two
  years ago in the form of Planning and Development
  (SEA) Regulations 2004.
• Screening of all plans (to determine whether
  their implementation would significantly affect
  the environment) is mandatory in Ireland.
• Screening must be done before a draft plan is
  prepared!
• If significant effects are likely, then full SEA
  must be conducted, resulting in an Environmental
  Report on the potential effects of the draft plan
  and one or two realistic alternatives
• The optimal variant should be selected.

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Consultation with EPA

• Screening for Coolaney-Rockfield was undertaken
  in accordance with SEA Regulations in March 2006.
  The County Council considered that the
  implementation of Coolaney-Rockfield Mini-Plan
  would not result in significant environmental
  effects.
• The Screening Report for Coolaney-Rockfield
  Mini-Plan was sent to the Environmental
  Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of
  Environment, Heritage and Local Government
  (DoEHLG), and the Department of Communications,
  Marine and Natural Resources (DCMNR)
• Only the EPA responded to Councils referral. The
  response emphasised the need to have adequate
  wastewater treatment capacity in place before
  large-scale residential or industrial development
  is permitted in Coolaney-Rockfield.

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Drafting the Mini-Plan

• Pre-draft submissions were duly considered and
  valuable suggestions made by the public were
  incorporated in the draft text and zoning map.
• Recommendations from the EPA were taken on board
  and certain text changes were made accordingly.
• Members made five changes to the zoning map
  before approving it for public display.
• Other minor adjustments of the zoning map were
  made by planners based on updated information.

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What the people said (1) summary of pre-draft
submissions as sent to the Members

• Main community concerns
• Water supply is insufficient and sewerage is
  inadequate.
• All roads, especially Collooney road, should be
  upgraded and resurfaced.
• No more large-scale development should take place
  until infrastructure is upgraded and community
  facilities are provided.

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What the people said (2) summary of pre-draft
submissions as sent to the Members

• Community/sporting facilities
• Community facilities crèche, health care
  centre, playgrounds, library, recreational
  activities, senior citizens centre, Gaelic
  football pitch and other sporting facilities,
  land for future expansion of the school, land for
  future expansion of graveyard should be
  provided.
• New Community Centre with support services should
  be provided (possibly at the Health Centre on
  Rockfield Road).

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What the people said (3) summary of pre-draft
submissions as sent to the Members

• Built environment
• Village character should be retained.
• Further sprawl should be prevented and the
  village should be kept between the river and the
  railway.
• Contradictory proposals for Rockfield (1) keep
  it separate (2) consolidate with Coolaney.
• New commercial and retail development should be
  located along the Main Street, integrating new
  residential development into the existing built
  environment.

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What the people said (4) summary of pre-draft
submissions as sent to the Members

• Business, enterprise, industrial development
• A small community enterprise park should be
  provided.
• Commercial/industrial uses should be allowed
  outside the village, on the Collooney side.
• Tourism-related enterprise should be supported.
• Public open space
• The River Walk should be extended to Rockfield
  (on both sides of the river) and to Woodstream.
• A suitable place should be identified for a new
  village square.

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What the people said (5) summary of pre-draft
submissions as sent to the Members

• Landscape and natural heritage
• A wildlife corridor should be established along
  the Owenbeg River, on both sides.
• Significant trees and other vegetation should be
  protected.
• A recreational/picnic/fishing area should be
  developed at the lower end of Coolaney, along
  the river.
• Views of the Ox Mountains from the River Walk
  should be preserved/unobstructed.

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What the people said (6) summary of pre-draft
submissions as sent to the Members

• Traffic, circulation, parking, public transport
• The junctions at the old post office and at
  Coolaney Bridge should be realigned.
• Traffic calming installations should be
  constructed, specifically at Rockfield/Rathbarron
  roads junction, as well as pedestrian crossing at
  the Community Park entrance and a roundabout at
  the Rockfield end of Coolaney.
• Footpaths should be provided between Coolaney and
  Rockfield.
• The old train station should be retained and
  park-an-ride facilities should be provided.
• The commuter bus service should be extended to
  Saturdays.

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Landscape, natural heritage, open space key
objectives

• Retain the existing river walk as a public
  amenity and provide improved/extended access to
  the river, pedestrian walkways along its course
  (e.g. from Coolaney to Rockfield) and pedestrian
  connections to the villages Main Street.
• Support the provision of a picnic and fishing
  area along the river, at the north-eastern edge
  of the village.
• Develop a landscaped public park within the area
  zoned for open space in Rockfield.

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Built heritage, Streetscape, building design
key objectives

• The zoning map identifies key sites or structures
  that should be developed, redeveloped or
  renovated with particular care having regard to
  their location, so that they enhance the
  streetscape and act as focal points or landmarks.
• The old mill building along the river walk should
  be sensitively restored for new use, preferably
  mixed uses, which might include a
  tourist/heritage facility.

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Transport, Circulation and parking key
objectives

• Realign two junctions and extend footpaths
  within/between Coolaney and Rockfield.
• Construct new roads/streets and pedestrian
  connections as indicated on the Zoning Map.
• Reserve land for a new train station with
  adequate vehicular access and park-and-ride
  facilities.

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Mixed-use zones key objectives

• Promote the creation of a distinctive streetscape
  and ensure that new development is consistent in
  form and character with the existing traditional
  buildings along the Main Street.
• Make provision for a secondary commercial nucleus
  within the mixed-use zone located on the southern
  side of the Rockfield Road, adjoining the new
  residential area, the business/enterprise park
  and the town park.

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Community facilities key objectives

• Reserve land for the possible future expansion of
  the primary school.
• Facilitate the relocation of the Community Centre
  to a more suitable location (i.e. near the
  proposed town park).

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Buffer Zone key objectives

• Establish a buffer zone around the village with
  a view to
• consolidating and containing Coolaney and
  Rockfield within a single development limit
• safeguarding land for future expansion
• minimising the potential for flood damage
• preserve the listed views from scenic routes
• protecting archaeological sites and monuments

• Reserve the buffer zone principally for
  agricultural uses.
• The next planned expansion of the village shall
  be to the north-west, as opposed to a
  south-easterly direction.

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Make a submission!

• Submissions may be made up to
• 5 p.m. on Friday 14 July 2006
• (late submissions will not be considered)
• Any person is entitled to make a submission
• Submissions should
• be in writing (hard copy or e-mail)
• be clear, simple and concise
• relate to Mini-Plan objectives and zoning
• state if you are writing as an individual or
• on behalf of a group/organisation
• include a map (A4 or A3 size) if you refer
• to particular lands, features or locations