elphin local area plan 2009 - 2015 - Roscommon County Council

Chapter 6: Built and Natural Heritage
6. BUILT AND NATURAL HERITAGE
6.1 INTRODUCTION AND CONTEXT
The quality of the environment is an important factor in determining where people choose to live and in
attracting investment into the town. Roscommon County Council recognizes the importance of continuing
to improve the environment of Elphin and raising environmental awareness. Environmental
enhancements, appropriate landscaping, tree planting, car parking, and traffic circulation improvements
will assist in creating an improved environment for Elphin and stimulate the development of tourism in
the town.
The Council will seek to preserve the layout characteristics and built environment by encouraging
recognition of the urban context and a high standard of design form for new development proposals.
Developers will be required to explain the reasoning behind a particular design solution on important or
sensitive sites.
Elphin is located near several fishing lakes, and the River Shannon is situated within close proximity to
the town. Carrick-on-Shannon, which is one of the main cruiser bases on the River Shannon, is located
approximately sixteen kilometres to the northeast of Elphin. Wildfowl and wildlife sanctuaries occupy the
Shannon callows and inner lakes, and the flora is remarkably varied and colourful.
6.2 BUILT HERITAGE
6.2.1 Architectural Heritage
Our built heritage is a unique resource, an irreplaceable expression of the richness and diversity of our
past and of the generations who have gone before us. Structures and places have over time acquired
character and ‘special interest’ through their continued existence and familiarity. The built heritage of
County Roscommon includes not only works of great artistic and structural achievement but also everyday
items; it includes all types of manmade structures and features of the landscape - houses, bridges, towns,
demesnes, kerbing and stone walls. It is a non-renewable resource, once lost it cannot be replaced, so it is
important that we appreciate what we have and provide adequate protection for it. Awareness of the social
and economic benefits of conserving this part of our common inheritance, and of the place of conservation
in policies of sustainable development, has gathered increased recognition in recent years. The Elphin
LAP will seek to protect the archaeological, natural and built heritage of the village and the conservation
of existing dwellings of heritage value or the replacement of buildings where appropriate. Please see Maps
3a and 3b – Built Heritage in Elphin, at the end of this chapter.
Policy Context
Ireland has ratified a range of International Agreements in relation to our archaeological and built
heritage. Such Agreements place legal obligations on the State in relation to the conservation and
management of our archaeological and built heritage, which are given effect through the National
Monuments Acts 1930-2004 and the Planning and Development Acts 2000-2006.
The Planning and Development Acts 2000-2006 consolidate all previous Planning Acts and are strategic
in the approach towards the protection of our built heritage. Part IV of the 2000 Act deals specifically with
architectural heritage; it introduced the concept of the ‘protected structure’ which is a structure that is
considered to be of ‘special interest’ from an architectural, historical, archaeological, artistic, cultural,
scientific, social or technical point of view. Every planning authority is obliged to have a Record of
Protected Structures (RPS) that includes structures of special interest in its functional area. The Acts place
obligations on both Planning Authorities and on the owners/ occupiers of Protected Structures.
Elphin Local Area Plan 2009-2015 Page 45