VILLAGE PLANS - Offaly County Council

OFFALY COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2009 - 2015
Volume 2 - Settlement Plans
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.
• Create potential for new development in
locations, which avoid compromising the
attractive ‘core’ of the village while attempting to
contain the village and protect it from suburban
spread out along the R420 which has attractive
approaches to Geashill from both the east and
west.
• Contain development in order to enhance the
village and its setting.
• Identify and protect a route corridor for a future
relief route so that in time the village can be
relieved of through traffic to improve safety,
protect its character and enhance the sense of
place.
2.0 SERVICES AND SOCIAL
INFRASTRUCTURE
2.1 Water Supply
A public water supply is available to serve development
within the village. All new developments shall be
connected to the public mains. Where a development
proposal precedes adequate availability of water
supply, special development contributions may apply
to facilitate the necessary improvement works.
2.2 Waste Water
The village is served by a main sewer which runs along
the Geashill-Ballinagar county road from the south to
the north terminating in the waste water treatment
plant. This sewer picks up a number of spurs (3 to the
east and 1 to the west) which serve the adjacent areas.
The current treatment system will require investment in
order to allow developments within the village to
proceed. Plans are progressing to increase capacity of
the treatment plant to 750PE and Geashill is listed
under the Water Services Investment Programme for
2007-2009. Where a development proposal precedes
adequate availability of either network or waste water
treatment capacity special development contributions
may be applied to facilitate the necessary improvement
works.
2.3 Other Services
(a) Social and Community Infrastructure
Geashill has a small base of such facilities serving both
the village and the surrounding area. The following
services/facilities are currently (2007) located within the
plan boundary;
• Church (C.O.I)
• Filling station/shop
• Post office/shop
• Caravan park
• 3 Licensed Premises
• National school
• 2 Public Hall/Community facilities (one being the
former national school)
• Garda Station
The GAA facility is sited to the west of the village and
outside the plan boundary.
(b) Roads
Geashill is situated at a crossroads which includes the
R420, approximately 12 kilometres from Tullamore and
14 kilometres from Portarlington. This road is an
important link in the county/sub regional network. This
route will become busier as the population grows and
this may lead to the requirement for a relief road over
time. A possible route corridor has been identified by
the council’s roads section and should be protected.
New roads, which are necessary to serve in-depth
development in Geashill, will be required to be
designed and constructed to a high standard, in order
to provide an attractive and safe environment. It is
intended that over time, they will evolve into an
integrated network of routes allowing movement
around and through the village. This will require
adjoining landowners/ development interests to
co-operate at an early stage.
(c) Other Features
Geashill has a distinct character and sense of place
which stems from:
• The attractive topographical setting of the village
and associated approaches.
• The esker acting as a backdrop to the north.
• Historical elements such as the castle, church and
planned layout around the green.
February 2009 | Geashill Village Plan | page 93