boyle local area plan 2012 - 2018 - Roscommon County Council
boyle local area plan 2012 - 2018 - Roscommon County Council
boyle local area plan 2012 - 2018 - Roscommon County Council
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PART II: DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY FOR <strong>2012</strong> – <strong>2018</strong> & BEYOND Chapter 7: Economic Development & Employment<br />
proximity to Lough Key. Retail provision in Boyle is<br />
characterised by disbursed retail provision along Main<br />
Street, Bridge Street and Patrick Street which largely<br />
comprises of small <strong>local</strong> operators. SuperValu is a<br />
dominant presence in the town and provides the<br />
majority of convenience shopping in the town. There<br />
are no other national/international multiples located in<br />
Boyle.<br />
Boyle is well served in terms of convenience retail<br />
provision. The town contains a large Mace supermarket<br />
as well as a purpose built SuperValu Shopping Centre<br />
that has been developed in the town centre. The<br />
SuperValu development has a number of ancillary retail<br />
units including a giftware shop, hair studio, clothes<br />
shop and pharmacy. The retail centre also<br />
accommodates public seating, customer’s toilets and<br />
baby changing facilities. It is a popular retail destination<br />
in the town centre serving both weekly shopping and<br />
top-up needs. Boyle also accommodates a number of<br />
other smaller convenience retailers, for example<br />
Londis.<br />
Comparison provision in the centre is relatively poor<br />
and is predominantly characterised by independent<br />
retailers such as Boles of Boyle, which was opened in<br />
1886. There is a lack of national or international<br />
comparison multiples represented in the town and the<br />
comparison offer is generally limited. This is<br />
predominantly due to the town’s proximity to existing<br />
provision in other competing centres such as Sligo and<br />
Carrick-on-Shannon. Boyle also accommodates a range<br />
of other retail service functions as well as pubs, offices<br />
and other commercial uses. Upper Bridge Street, in<br />
particular, has lost much of its retail function and is<br />
characterised by offices, professional services and<br />
public houses. There are several vacant units in the<br />
town, some of which have a very rundown appearance.<br />
In terms of accessibility, Boyle is readily accessible<br />
due to its location just off the N4 National Route. The<br />
town has adequate car parking although this is primarily<br />
provided by on-street parking, free of charge. The<br />
SuperValu development is also served by an extensive<br />
<strong>area</strong> of car parking and further additional spaces are<br />
also provided in the town square and at the Mace<br />
Supermarket.<br />
Pedestrian accessibility throughout the town is<br />
generally good, there are however a lack of pedestrian<br />
crossings. Pavements are generally of good quality.<br />
Pedestrian linkages are also provided along the River<br />
Boyle, although the physical environment of these <strong>area</strong>s<br />
could be upgraded. The town is served by a bus route<br />
serving Carrick-on-Shannon, <strong>Roscommon</strong> and Dublin.<br />
Boyle has an attractive railway station and is served by<br />
the Main Dublin to Sligo rail route.<br />
Given the limited investment in Boyle in recent years,<br />
the town centre is not considered to be as vibrant as<br />
other towns in the <strong>County</strong>. Although the town is the<br />
third largest centre in <strong>County</strong> <strong>Roscommon</strong>, it offers a<br />
limited range of services and retailing facilities. The<br />
proximity of Carrick-on-Shannon has impacted on the<br />
growth of its retail function. The tight urban grain of the<br />
traditional town centre restricts the development of<br />
larger retail units within the core retail <strong>area</strong>. The<br />
development of larger retail units within the town<br />
centre would therefore require the amalgamation of a<br />
series of units which may prove difficult.<br />
One significant site with development potential in<br />
Boyle is the site located on Patrick Street. It has direct<br />
frontage to the street and currently accommodates an<br />
obsolete and derelict structure. There is a significant<br />
backland <strong>area</strong> to the rear of the structures. Further<br />
potential development sites within the town include, for<br />
example, the old Mill structure and associated ancillary<br />
industrial buildings to the north of Patrick Street and the<br />
vacant derelict lands opposite Mace. See appended<br />
Maps 12, 14a & 14b.<br />
Policies for Retail/Commercial<br />
Policy 65<br />
Strengthen the retail/commercial, residential and<br />
recreational functions of the town centre, retaining<br />
retail uses at the ground floor level.<br />
Policy 66<br />
Seek improvements to the visual quality of Boyle town<br />
centre as part of new development and facilitate the<br />
appropriate development of the town centre subject to<br />
compliance with the development standards where<br />
applicable contained in this LAP as well as the RCDP.<br />
Policy 67<br />
Encourage and facilitate the consolidation and<br />
enhancement of the retail function of Boyle town centre<br />
and its role in the <strong>County</strong> Retail Hierarchy.<br />
Objectives for Retail/Commercial<br />
Objective 99<br />
Assess all retail proposals against the criteria and<br />
recommendations set down in the Retail Planning<br />
Guidelines, and the Retail Strategy for <strong>County</strong><br />
<strong>Roscommon</strong>.<br />
Objective 100<br />
Create a more attractive and safer pedestrian<br />
environment including the provision of pedestrian<br />
crossings, high quality pavements and cycle paths,<br />
street lighting and street furniture in the <strong>area</strong>.<br />
Boyle Local Area Plan <strong>2012</strong>-<strong>2018</strong> Page 94