Key issues for large urban area in Kilkenny raised ahead of Local Area Plan
A total of 116 submissions were made to Kilkenny County Council
A total of 116 submissions were made to Kilkenny County Council in relation to the planned new Local Area Plan for Ferrybank/Belview 2025-2031.
The submissions were made during the pre-draft consultation phase of the LAP, which has since ended.
Elected members of Piltown Municipal District were briefed on the LAP at the most recent district meeting.
Director of Services at Kilkenny County Council, Denis Malone, stated that “the majority of submissions were in relation to the drop off situation around the (St Mary’s Boys’ National) school in Ferrybank.”
Other submissions made since that meeting have focused on issues including infrastructure concerns on the Newrath Road, land zoning in various areas, traffic concerns, and more.
Malone assured elected members that progress on the LAP is ‘going good’ and that the aim is for Kilkenny County Council to adopt the plan before May of next year, but the local authority are ‘hoping for shorter than that’.
Malone also stated that a workshop with senior staff at Waterford City and County Council was ‘very productive’ and that the local authority were hoping to continue this level of cooperation with Waterford.
Elected members raised their own points for consideration during the meeting.
Cllr Fidelis Doherty asked about the possibility of providing a new retirement village in the area.
Cllr Ger Frisby focused heavily on traffic concerns in the area and the need to consider them as part of the drafting of the plan.
Cllr Tomás Breathnach emphasised the ‘need for a heart for Ferrybank’, further adding that the new link road planned for the area ‘will require a different imagining of what Ferrybank is’.
Another big topic of interest for councillors was the Waterford Metropolitan Area Strategic Plan and the need for continued engagement between both local authorities on same.
The Chief Executive’s report on the submissions is expected back in September, and it is hoped that the draft plan will go on public display for a further period of consultation in September or October.
The LAP will set out a land use strategy for the area and will consist of a written statement and maps indicating objectives for zoning of land, active travel and transport, residential and economic development, community infrastructure, built and natural heritage, open space and recreation, environmental protection and climate change.