Cavan County Development Plan 2022–2028 — Chapter 2

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   Core Strategy 47 Settlement Strategy Table 2.2 Fact Table – Cavan Town Position in Settlement Hierarchy Key Town 2016 Population * 10,914 2011 Population 10,205 Population Change 2011-2016* 14% (366) Housing Supply Target 2022-2028 829 Population Projection 2028 12,674 Resident Workers 2016 3,913 Total Jobs 2016 5,432 Jobs-Workforce Ratio 2016 1,388 Position in Settlement Hierarchy Key Town Education (2020- 2021 Enrolment) Primary Cavan No. 1 School (65 pupils) Farnham NS (227 pupils) St Felims NS (247 pupils) Gaelscoil (102 pupils) St Clare’s, Ard Mhuire (516 pupils) Post Primary St Patricks College (739 pupils) Royal School (209 pupils) Loreto College (734 pupils) Breifne College (798 pupils) *Census Boundary change between 2011 and 2016 so comparison not advised

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   CTG 01 CTG 02 CTG 03 CTG 06 CTG 07 CTI 01 CTI 02 CTI 03 CTI 04 CTI 05 Cavan Town General Development Objectives It is a development objective of Cavan County Council to: Promote the development of Cavan Town as a driver of economic growth and fulfil its role as a designated Key Town. Engage with the community and relevant stakeholders to promote and support the regeneration of Cavan town through identification of significant regeneration projects along with associated funding streams including Urban Regeneration and Development Fund. Provide for the creation of sustainable communities in Cavan Town by identifying sufficient land for new development, in particular housing, enterprise and employment, community, recreational and tourism uses. Support the expansion of a range of services and facilities available to residents and the wider rural hinterland. Encourage and foster the creation of attractive, mixed use, sustainable communities that include a suitable mix of housing types and tenures with supporting facilities, amenities and services that meet the needs of the entire community and accord with the principles of universal design and Age Friendly standards. Encourage developments and activities in Cavan Town area that create a more sustainable future for its residents. 2.2.6 Physical Infrastructure Cavan Town is served by an existing wastewater treatment plant which has sufficient capacity. Water supply is from Lough Acanon. A local link serves the town with three routes to Ballinagh, Butlersbridge, Redhills and Ballyhaise to various Cavan town locations including Cavan Institute, Cavan General Hospital and Farnham Estate. Within one year of the adoption of the Local Area Plan, a Local Transport Plan will be commenced for Cavan town and Environs Area. In the interim, the Cavan Town and Environs Transportation Plan 2007 will be used to prioritise links and guide traffic movements into, out of and around the town. Green infrastructure is essential to delivering the Town’s economic competitiveness, an improved quality of life and improved social inclusion. Increased development pressure will inevitably lead to an increase in traffic levels. It is essential that traffic is managed so as to minimise future congestion. This plan aims to achieve a more balanced and sustainable pattern of movement in Cavan Town and Environs and undertake to facilitate the provision of a greater choice of transport modes. Cavan town has a number of significant landmarks that are of local and national importance, most of which are contained within its central town core or within a 10-minute walk/cycle of the towns core. The entire core of Cavan Town and its surrounding uses can be accessed within a 10-minute walk from its Main Street, making Cavan town a walkable town. Cavan Town Physical Infrastructure Development Objectives It is a development objective of Cavan County Council to: Support the delivery of the infrastructure that Cavan Town requires to grow to a Key Town. Support the development of green infrastructure, river walkways and access from amenities, residential areas and community services to the town centre. Support the enhancement of connections and permeability of the streets between Farnham Street and Main Street. Promote and facilitate the use of microrenewables including solar panels, wind turbines on all new developments subject to proper planning. Promote the maximisation of the use of grey water and rainwater harvesting in new developments. Cavan County Development Plan 2022-2028 48 Cavan County Development Plan 2022-2028

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   2.2.7 Economic Development Cavan, being the County town, a designated Key Town and strategically located in the county, is a strong economic driver and has the capacity to act as a regional driver. This Local Area Plan aims to promote the Key Town of Cavan as a primary employment location and attractive investment location in the County and region. It is the policy of Cavan County Council to support Cavan’s role as an important employment hub by promoting the location of economic development and clustering of related enterprises to Cavan town. The Council will work to continue to build resilience with Cavan’s enterprise base, to allow businesses to withstand new challenges and realise sustained growth and employment creation for the longer term. The Local Area Plan also supports the provision of physical infrastructure and zoned lands to facilitate the delivery of strategic employment lands in central accessible locations. Provision is made in this LAP, therefore, for the development of Cavan town as an attractive, vibrant and highly accessible county town and economic driver for the region. It is the policy of Cavan County Council to support actions set out in the Cavan Town Revitalisation Plan to make the town a more attractive place to live, work, shop and do business in. As set out in the RSES, it is a key priority of the LAP for Cavan Town to support the delivery of additional economic development lands in Cavan Town recognising the lack of suitably zoned lands. In this regard additional lands have been zoned in this Local Area Plan for Enterprise and Employment use. The importance of the IDA Park on the Dublin Road to Cavan Town and the County is recognised. With this site nearing capacity, due to high demand, a key priority of this Local Area Plan is to provide zoned suitable lands for Employment and Enterprise purposes in its proximity. Cavan Town Digital Hub is a managed office space for companies with a digital focus, located in the Kilmore Business Park along the N3. This Hub is part of a wider Digital Strategy for Co. Cavan and is supported by Cavan County Council, Cavan Local Enterprise Office and Enterprise Ireland. Targeted at clustering tech and digital companies, the ambition of Cavan Digital Hub is to not only attract outside investment into Cavan, but act as a “launch pad” for new innovative start-ups in the community. Cavan Digital Hub has been formed to encourage employment opportunities in the digital sector, where individuals and companies with a digital focus can network and grow within one community. The Hub offers businesses of all stages a flexible workspace environment; from pre-trading (taking a single centre desk in the incubation suite), to high potential startups (taking single or multiple desks in the coworking/private office spaces), right up to helping established companies relocate to Cavan. In total, there are 7,032 jobs located within the Cavan town settlement. Of these, 35% (2,483) are undertaken by local residents living in County Cavan, 51% (3,568) are undertaken by workers living elsewhere in Cavan, and the remaining 14% (981) are undertaken by workers who commute to Cavan town from outside the County. The 7,032 jobs based in Cavan Town accounts for 34% of all jobs based in the county. Although 29% of resident workers in Cavan town are employed elsewhere, Cavan town is the employment destination for 4,549 workers from outside the settlement. The town is a net importer of jobs (+2,221). There are 4,811 people residing in the Cavan town settlement area who are classed as being “At Work”. Of these workers, a total of 52% are employed in the settlement, 16% (792) are employed elsewhere in Cavan, 13% (646) commute out of the county for employment and the remaining 18% (890) are either mobile workers or have a blank or uncodable destination. Core Strategy 49 Settlement Strategy

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   Cavan County Development Plan 2022-2028 50 Cavan County Development Plan 2022-2028 CTE 01 CTE 03 CTE 02 CTE 04 CTE 05 CTE 06 CTE 07 CTE 08 CTE 09 CTE 10 CTE 11 CTE 12 CTE 13 Cavan Town Economic Development Objectives It is a development objective of Cavan County Council to: Promote the key town of Cavan as a primary centre of employment in the County and support the delivery of additional economic development lands in Cavan Town. Develop Cavan IDA Business and Technology Park and adjoining land as a location for economic investment. Enhance our economic profile with the development of new enterprise parks at strategic locations in Cavan Town. Develop joint initiatives with IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland to promote Cavan as an attractive location for new business. Support the growth of the digital tech industry and support the development of new community enterprise workspace and hot desk facilities in key locations, particularly the town centre. Promote sustainable economic development in Cavan Town, through the promotion of identified economic growth areas, which provide employment opportunities locally and reduce the volume of commuting. Support the growth of Cavan Town as a location of strategic development potential of a regional scale. Promote and facilitate the sustainable growth of Cavan Town as the Key Town of the County, in terms of economic, housing and services. Support the development of strategic employment lands. Support the consolidation and growth of existing enterprises and the development of employment opportunities within Cavan Town and facilitate the establishment of new enterprise and employment uses on lands identified for employment purposes. New enterprises shall demonstrate high quality architectural built form that contributes to a positive sense of space and distinctiveness. Support the continued development of existing business and retail parks. Enhance the physical appearance of existing enterprise parks. Promote the development of Abbeyland Cultural Quarter to regenerate this important town centre site with vibrant town centre uses, new pedestrian street and public spaces in order to increase footfall and employment in the town centre. Support the development an advanced technology building in conjunction with the IDA in Cavan Town and to support the IDA Strategy Driving Recovery and Sustainable Growth 2021-2024

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   2.2.8 Tourism Cavan town has the highest number of official, Fáilte Ireland registered bed nights in the county. There are three 4-star hotels within the environs of the town and a number of B&Bs which deliver over 800 bed nights in the town. However, there are few self-catering options and no budget hostel style accommodation. Cavan town is well served by the national bus service. The town is located in Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands – one of Fáilte Ireland’s national marketing propositions. Cavan County Council received funding in 2019 via Fáilte Ireland’s Destination Towns to improve public realm in the area around Townhall Street and Farnham Street and also to enhance the heritage town trail, uplighting of historic buildings, street furniture, planting and other tourism related signage around the town. There is a lack of walking and cycling options around Cavan town. A new 1.25Km urban greenway, linking the hospital grounds with Carrickane opened in 2020. The town is in need of further marked trails for walking and cycling and extending the existing short greenway or creating a new one would be transformative for the area. The town could be considered a gateway to the Lough Oughter lake system and Killykeen Forest Park, which is a strategic tourism site. A luxury new self-catering complex, CABU, opened in the forest park in 2019 creating 29 units. In addition, a new 12km cycleway linking Killykeen and Killeshandra was opened in 2020. Festivals and events are important for tourists and can be attractors in encouraging new visitors. Events such as Cavan Arts Festival and Created in Cavan food events have the potential to deliver new business to Cavan town and should be fostered and encouraged to grow. The restaurant offering in the town has improved in recent years and the town is well served with good quality cafes and coffee shops. There are two golf courses located beside the town - County Cavan Golf Club and Farnham Estate Other tourism assets in the town include Cavan Equestrian Centre which attracts hundreds of equestrian enthusiasts to the county every year and contributes to the need for accommodation in the town. There is a tourist office in the town and a genealogy centre. Historic Town Hall has recently seen an investment of €1.5M is now operating as an arts centre and theatre. There is a need for another tourism attraction or activity in the town. Cavan County Museum and the World War 1 Trench Experience in Ballyjamesduff is a 25-minute drive away from Cavan Town. Core Strategy 51 Settlement Strategy

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   2.2.9 Sustainable Communities Opportunity exists to accommodate the future needs of the town in a consolidated fashion, which will assist in the delivery of sustainable communities comprising of a mix of housing types, densities and tenure. An emphasis is therefore placed on building communities with a high standard of design, around the principles of place-making, green infrastructure, permeability and connectivity alongside the integration of community and recreational facilities. With relatively modest house construction over the past development plan period, this Local Area Plan seeks to allocate zoned residential lands in close proximity to neighbourhood centres, where communities have been built up. The proposed residential zoned lands are also considered to be located within good infrastructure for walking and cycling to the town centre. A Cavan Town “ Asset and Project Overview January 2021” is contained in Appendix 25. This document provides “a moment in time” overview of assets and projects for Cavan Town. Cavan County Development Plan 2022-2028 52 Cavan County Development Plan 2022-2028 CTT 01 CTT 02 CTT 03 CTT 04 CTT 05 CTT 06 CTT 07 CTT 08 CTT 09 CTT 10 CTT 12 CTT 11 CTT 13 Cavan Town Tourism Development Objectives It is a development objective of Cavan County Council to: Support the provision of tourist accommodation and associated services in Cavan Town. Engage with the tourism industry in the town to ensure a coordinated and collaborative approach to the promotion of Cavan town. Promote and harness the potential of Cavan Town as a tourist destination. Ensure good quality tourist informational, interpretative, and directional signage in the town and at entrance points. Encourage and support the delivery of tourist services in the town. Support the development of public realm and public space projects in the town that will enhance and improve ‘sense of place’ and encourage greater dwell time amongst visitors. Maintain and further enhance the public park in the town – Con Smith Park. Develop activity-based tourism and use the marketing momentum behind Irelands Hidden Heartlands to integrate its tourism services into a strong and coherent offer that will build growing visitor numbers. Facilitate the development of walking and cycling routes in and around the town, in particular the development of greenways. Encourage sustainable and suitable tourism related development in Cavan Town. Harness the potential of Lough Oughter and Killykeen Forest Park given its proximity to Cavan Town and its high-quality natural environment. Support festivals and events that attract visitors and have the potential to support bed nights in the area. Engage with agencies and community groups in the area that can support and make a contribution to tourism e.g., Coillte, GAA, Town Teams, Tidy Towns, Chamber of Commerce, Inland Fisheries Ireland, Waterways Ireland.

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   The development strategy for Cavan Town is to support new housing and population growth, consistent with the Core Strategy, facilitating compact growth together with providing a viable alternative to rural one-off housing within the surrounding countryside. Provision is made in the plan in accordance with RPO 3.7 of the RSES, for the development of serviced sites for the identification and prioritising of a program for the provision of serviced sites within the existing footprint of Cavan Town. In this regard, a portion of land has been zoned for low density residential use with an objective to provide self-build plots. The Local Area Plan promotes the development of green infrastructure networks both within the settlement and adjacent to tourist amenities. New development proposals will have to demonstrate how they contribute towards the creation of Green Infrastructure networks, in particular the development of green routes through the town with connections to the town centre. Cavan town has immediate access to a range of biodiverse sites such as Swellan Lough, Green Lough, Killymooney Lough, Con Smith Park and the newly opened greenway along the old railway line. These are all accessible by foot or bike from the central core of Cavan Town. The development and increased access to these key assets in the town is a key priority for this Local Area Plan. Linkages to them from the town core and residential areas and to each other is also a consideration in the progression of green infrastructure in the town. Swellan Lough has appropriate development opportunities, especially having regard to its close proximity to the proposed Sports Campus. There is an identified need for additional facilities within Cavan Town to cater for the large number of sporting organisations. It is recommended that support is provided for community and sporting groups within these identified areas, in particular to avail of funding opportunities under Sports Capital and the newly launched ‘Realising Our Core Strategy 53 Settlement Strategy

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   Potential: An Action Plan for Rural Development’. The Local Economic and Community Plan (LECP) identified that we have a growing youth population which will result in increased pressure to provide an outlet for our young people through sport and appropriate facilities. A specific action within the LECP states that Cavan County Council is to ‘Develop a multi-purpose sports facility for the county’ and the findings from this report add weight for such a need. The issue of health and wellbeing is becoming an increasingly important aspect for our society and one which should be encouraged. It is recommended that Cavan Sports Partnership and other supporting organisations provide support to organisations and groups on how to develop sporting activities and facilities. This could be done by producing information packs and resources to distribute to groups in order to support and inform them on the process. This will provide more opportunities for people to engage in various sporting activities. Space can be an issue for many of the facilities based within urban areas, with many having limited availability to meet the demands for their use, or in other cases, facilities do not have the sufficient room or size available to cater for larger groups. As identified within the LECP, there is a need for a new community hub to be developed within walking distance of Cavan Town, which presents itself as a reoccurring issue under various local consultations carried out. A community hub in Cavan town is an important project that is required and which forms part of Abbeylands URDF project. 2.2.9.1 Regional Sports Facility Cavan County Council commissioned a feasibility study for the development of a regional sports facility for County Cavan. This report sets out; the findings from a consultation process with sports clubs, community organisations and statutory bodies; the need, demand and strategic context for the development of sporting facilities and an emerging capital vision for sports facilities in County Cavan. An assessment of multiple sites and potential locations for regional sports facilities; a preferred development option and way forward for Cavan County Council and associated partners and stakeholders. Cavan Town was identified as the most appropriate location for a facility of regional significance for the County. The consultation process, review of the strategic context and analysis of existing provision has led to the establishment of a recommended capital vision for Cavan. This includes indoor facility with synthetic pitch surface that is suitable for a range of sports including hockey, soccer, GAA, rugby, tug of war, badminton, tennis and basketball. The indoor facility will include spectator capacity. A Sports Centre building including an enhanced four court sports hall, a gymnasium and multipurpose/ flexible studio space. A 400m athletics track, plus facilities for associated field events such as hammer, javelin, discus, shot putt, long jump, triple jump, high jump, and pole vault and grass soccer pitch inset. An outdoor, multi-sport, multi lined and floodlit 3G pitch with dimensions will be sufficient to enable Gaelic games along its length, with soccer and rugby across its width. A 25m 6 lane swimming plus secondary pool and wet changing. A changing provision and ancillary provision services both indoor and outdoor facilities and a walking & perimeter trail. The proposed facility mix would establish a sports facility of regional significance and considerably enhance Cavan as a destination for sport and recreation, whilst meeting the need and demand identified in the consultation process. Securing the preferred option will require partnerships with the Cavan County GAA Board and the Royal School regarding the transfer or purchase of lands to Cavan County Council and the integration with the existing capital plans at Kingspan Breffni Park. The development seeks the provision of a link road between the existing Kingspan Breffni Park stadium and the Royal school, connecting Dublin Road to Kilnavara Lane. This opens up access to Swellan and the potential for future development of outdoor activity and lakeside activity. In addition, the link road should be developed to alleviate traffic congestion into the Town Centre on the Dublin Road. Cavan County Development Plan 2022-2028 54 Cavan County Development Plan 2022-2028

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   Core Strategy 55 Settlement Strategy CSC 01 CSC 02 CSC 03 CSC 04 CSC 05 CSC 06 CSC 07 CSC 08 CSC 09 CSC 10 CSC 11 CSC 12 Cavan Town Sustainable Communities Development objectives It is a development objective of Cavan County Council to: Provide for new residential development in accordance with the requirements of the HNDA Housing and Core Strategy Require that an appropriate mix of housing type, tenure, density and size is provided in all new residential developments to meet the needs of the population of Cavan Town. Encourage the appropriate redevelopment of brownfield and infill sites for residential uses within the footprint of the existing built-up areas. Require proposals for new development to integrate with existing Green Infrastructure networks and contribute to the development and protection of overall Green Infrastructure assets. Support the delivery of the Sports Campus on zoned land in Cavan Town. Support the provision of social and recreational amenities in Cavan town to address gaps in these important Community facilities. Provide for the expansion and development of educational, social, community and recreational facilities in the settlements. Promote cycling and walking within the community through the implementation of improved walking/cycling infrastructure within the Town and its hinterlands and at areas of interest and attractions. Promote appropriate development opportunities in the vicinity of Swellan Lough, Green Lough and Killymooney Lough to create an amenity site that could provide for a walking cycling route around the Loughs. Protect the biodiversity and education opportunities that exists in Green Lough, Swellan Lough and Killymooney Lough. Consolidate appropriate town centre uses within the central core, through higher density developments and contemporary design of exceptionally high architectural design quality. Reinforce a sense of place and identity by promoting developments of distinctive character.

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    CCR 01 CCR 02 CCR 03 CCR 04 CCR 05 CCR 06 2.2.10 Commercial and Retail Development Cavan Town is designated as Tier 1 of the retail hierarchy as per the Cavan County Retail Strategy 2021-2028 (Appendix 2). The primary retail street in Cavan Town is Main Street, while the main administration and commercial core is centred along Farnham Street, pubs and restaurants are notably concentrated around Bridge Street and adjoining the Main Street. While most major retailers have a presence in Cavan town, only two are located within the town centre. There is a reasonable selection of speciality and smaller convenience shops spread through the town thus making Cavan Town a likely draw from a sizeable catchment. There is a reasonable selection of comparison retailers with most shops independently owned and a comparatively low representation from large multiples for a town of this size and catchment. Levels of vacancy in the town centre is quite low with greater vacancy noted on the outer fringes and secondary streets where footfall is limited. Cavan Town is a reasonable scale shopping destination within the County and its wider area. This Local Area Plan seeks to reinforce that, notwithstanding, the topographical issues that arise in Cavan Town, that Main Street and Farnham Street form the backbone of retailing in the town and these streets need to be used in an efficient manner. Site amalgamation will be considered in the context of an overall plan for the town. Three Masterplan sites have been identified in the Cavan Town Local Area Plan to support the role of Cavan town centre. The streets of Cavan town centre are quite narrow, and footfall is moderate and thus plans to support pedestrian priority in the town centre will be encouraged. This should be carried out in conjunction with landscaping, loading bays, taxi ranks, bus stops etc. along with Public Realm improvement works. The plan also will focus on the vitality and viability of the town centre and thus seek to consolidate retailing activity within the Cavan town centre. Cavan Town Commercial and Retail Development Objectives It is a development objective of Cavan County Council to: Sustain and enhance the retail and services offer of Cavan Town Centre in line with the County Retail Strategy with a principle of ‘town centre first’ approach being prioritised. Support commercial opportunities within Cavan town centre which harnesses the potential of the town for economic growth and sustainability. Reinforce the centre of Cavan Town as the proper location for new commercial and retail development, with emphasis on quality of design, positive contribution to the existing streetscape and protection of existing heritage landscapes. Support the provision of mixed-use developments in the town centre which create opportunities to live, work and shop within the town and reduce the car-based travel. Encourage and facilitate the re-use and regeneration of derelict land and buildings for retail and other town centre uses with due cognisance to the Sequential Approach prescribed in the Retail Planning Guidelines 2012. Promote the priority of pedestrian movement in the town core. 2.2.11 Regeneration and Placemaking A number of key sites exist within Cavan town which present the potential for physical and social regeneration with the support of private and public-sector expertise and investment, including NPF and European funding. In particular, the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund operated by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is available to support more compact and sustainable development. This will enable a greater proportion of residential and mixed-use development to be delivered within the existing built-up footprints of our towns and to ensure that more parts of our urban areas can become attractive and vibrant places in which people choose to live and work, as well as to invest and to visit. Cavan County Development Plan 2022-2028 56 Cavan County Development Plan 2022-2028

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