VILLAGE PLANS - Offaly County Council

OFFALY COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2009 - 2015
Volume 2 - Settlement Plans
WALSH ISLAND VILLAGE PLAN
1.0 GENERAL INTRODUCTION AND
DEVELOPMENT CONTEXT
The settlement plans stem directly from the policies
and objectives contained in the County Development
Plan with particular reference to Chapters 4,
“Settlement Strategy” and 18, “Land Use and Zoning”.
This is to facilitate the growth of a hierarchy of wellplanned,
sustainable and complementary settlements
throughout the county presented in a consistent
manner to allow ease of interpretation and
implementation.
Walsh Island has been designated as a village within
Offaly’s settlement hierarchy, as set out in Chapter 4 of
the County Development Plan 2009-2015. This
settlement plan along with the zoning map is seen as a
specific view of the village so that development
pressures can be focused and properly managed in
order that the settlement can fulfill this role effectively.
1.1 Location
Walsh Island is located 20kms east of Tullamore and
12kms north of Portarlington. The settlement straddles
the boundary of the Rathfeston and Raheenakeeran
DEDs and the 2006 Census states these areas
populations as 381 and 388 persons respectively.
However, it is estimated that the population within the
village boundary (see plan) is approximately 450 with a
further 50 in the immediate environs.
Walsh Island is the local services centre for the
residential community of the village itself and its
surrounding rural hinterland. Pressures from the
Greater Dublin Area and overspill from Edenderry have
seen an increase in development pressure within this
area since 2000.
1.2 Settlement Form
The original settlement was basically “ribbon
development” alongside the road with the Church
approximately in the middle. Later development,
mainly housing, while continuing this linear style also
created a number of “culs-de-sac” accessed from the
existing road. There has also been some growth around
the Church, school, shop, public house and this could be
described as the centre of the settlement. In the main,
development is low rise and low density with a number
of different building styles in evidence.
1.3 Context
Walsh Island has been designated as a village within
Offaly’s settlement hierarchy, as set out in the County
Development Plan 2009-2015. A development
boundary has been identified for Walsh Island and is
shown on the accompanying map. It is intended that
the area delineated will: -
• Foster the creation of a more coherent
settlement with adequate critical mass to
maintain / improve local service provision.
• Cater for a number of small in-depth housing
schemes and also commercial development,
which is appropriate in terms of scale, use and
location within the village.
• Contain development in order to bring some
form to the settlement and engender a sense of
place.
2.0 SERVICES & SOCIAL
INFRASTRUCTURE
2.1 Water Supply
Walsh Island is serviced by a public water supply the
source for which is at the northern end of the
settlement. All new developments shall be connected
to the public mains. Where a development proposal
precedes adequate availability of water supply, special
development contributions will apply to facilitate the
necessary improvement works. Walsh Island is in the
Water Services Investment Programme (2007-2009).
2.2 Waste Water
The village is served by a main sewer running along the
road through the village, which picks up the
development on either side, and terminates in the
waste water treatment plant at the north east of the
February 2009 | Walsh Island Village Plan | page 172