elphin local area plan 2009 - 2015 - Roscommon County Council

Chapter 5: Economic Development and Employment
resource, it will be necessary to demonstrate that it can be accommodated without damage
to the natural environment and shall not have any adverse effect on the character of the
area
Objective 52
Objective 53
Work in close collaboration with the RCDB and their partnership agencies in the delivery
of an integrated rural enterprise strategy for the area.
Facilitate employment by encouraging industrial and commercial development on
appropriate sites.
5.4 PHYSICAL CONTEXT: RETAIL AND COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Elphin has traditionally had the role of a market town for the surrounding areas and is the centre for the
Diocese of Elphin. The town is a linear development characterised by primarily two storey residential and
commercial buildings. The town core accommodates a number of small scale retailers including a small
supermarket, pharmacy, and drapers. The Bank of Ireland premises is located at the heart of the village
and improves the appearance of the main street.
Elphin has a high vacancy rate with approximately twenty vacant units within the village and only a
limited number of successful retailers such as the pharmacy. The Retail Strategy for County Roscommon
which forms part of the RCDP 2008-2014 states that Elphin lacks any vibrancy or vitality and is in need of
redevelopment. It has the potential to support the surrounding rural areas and improve the quality of life
for residents of the area; however it is currently under-utilised. Elphin has significant potential for retail
expansion by occupying vacant units in the village.
The standard of shop fronts and the townscape is of poor quality and in need of regeneration. It is apparent
from the excessive number of vacant units that there is little market interest in Elphin and it requires
considerable investment. The Retail Strategy for County Roscommon states that Elphin urgently requires
investment with a lack of street activity brought on by an excessive number of vacant units.
In the context of the Retail Planning Guidelines for Planning Authorities published by the Department of
the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (2000), the Roscommon County Retail Strategy
identified four tiers on the Retail Hierarchy within the County. Elphin has been identified as the only third
tier centre, which is Small Towns/Neighbourhood Centres. The purpose of the Retail Hierarchy is to
indicate the role and importance of the various development centres of the county in order to enable the
Council to protect each centre’s overall vitality and viability allowing each centre to perform its overall
function within the county’s Settlement Hierarchy.
5.4.1 Retail and Commercial Development Strategy
The retail and commercial development strategy for Elphin aims to maintain and improve the vitality and
viability of the town centre, to ensure a range and variety of local shopping opportunities and services, to
serve the town and surrounding hinterland. The Council will actively promote the development of
additional office and service uses in the town centre location and in appropriate industrial and commercial
areas.
Policies in relation to Retail and Commercial Development
Policy 54
Policy 55
Ensure that all shop-fronts and advertisements do not visually detract from the quality of
the local environment.
Encourage the retention of traditional shop-fronts and promote the development of
traditional shop-fronts that enhance the local character of the town’s streetscape.
Elphin Local Area Plan 2009-2015 Page 41