Development plan · Kildare County Council
Kildare County Development Plan 2023–2029 — Chapter 4: Resilient Economy and Job Creation
One part of the council's development plan written statement, which the council publishes in parts. Variations adopted since are not in this text.
Kildare County Council · 2023–2029 · 48 pages
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- Objectives It is an objective of the Council to: RE O140 Support the development and marketing of the Barrow Blueway, including the Barrow Blueway Economic Plan, and facilitate related commercial opportunities throughout the county, subject to compliance with the Habitats Directive. Considering the River Barrow is a designated European Site, all developments within and adjacent to the Barrow Blueway should be subject to AA screening and where applicable Stage 2 AA. RE O141 Support the development of a tourism masterplan for the River Barrow which sets out an integrated framework for tourism development along the River Barrow. RE O142 (a) Recognise the importance of Monasterevin as a Blueway arrival town in Kildare and invest resources into developing the town into a heritage and nature tourism destination. (b) Seek to facilitate linkages between the Blueway and the nearby Ballykelly Mills and the proposed Umeras Peatlands Park. RE O143 Support and facilitate the development of Athy as a Blueway destination based on the potential of the town’s natural and built heritage assets. RE O144 Support and facilitate the development of Rathangan and Robertstown as Blueway destination locations having regard to their natural and built heritage assets. 4.26 Greenways / The Barrow Blueway Waterways Ireland in conjunction with Kildare, Carlow, Laois and Kilkenny County Councils, LEADER Companies and INTO Kildare have set out a strategy to develop the existing track way along the Barrow Line of the Grand Canal and Barrow River as a 112 km shared-use trail for tourism and recreational purposes, branded the ‘Barrow Blueway’. This Strategy also proposes to open up the Canals across Kildare to link with Dublin, the Barrow River system and Mullingar to the west, so that visitors can enjoy walkways, cycle paths and navigational improvements for recreational purposes. The development of such greenways elsewhere in the country has stimulated and created significant new visitor activity and expenditure. Combined off-road cycle and walking routes and recreational trails developed along abandoned rail lines, utility corridors or other natural linear open spaces, such as riverbanks and canals, are often referred to as Greenways. International trends suggest that the walking and cycling sectors of the tourism economy have the potential to grow considerably during the lifetime of the Plan. County Kildare is ideally placed to exploit this trend. The fact that both the Grand Canal and the Royal Canal, the River Liffey and the River Barrow all pass through the county, offers significant potential to expand on green routes to and from the main tourist market in Dublin. Kildare has a wealth of trails; along the Royal Canal (as part of the Dublin to Galway Greenway), Heritage Trails (Arthur’s Way), Slí na Sláinte routes and Historic Walking trails, all of which need to be supported and enhanced around a coherent active tourism strategy.130
- Policy It is the policy of the Council to: RE P21 Work with the National Transport Authority (in conjunction with relevant objectives in Chapter 5), INTO Kildare, Fáilte Ireland, Waterways Ireland and all stakeholders to develop a co-ordinated approach to the selection, delivery and servicing of future greenways, blueways, trails and routes throughout the county and region, subject to all relevant and cumulative environmental assessments and planning conditions. New trails and routes should first be subject to the undertaking of feasibility assessment. Where feasibility is established, a Corridor and Route Selection Process will be undertaken where appropriate, for relevant new infrastructure in two stages”, Stage 1 – Route Corridor Identification, Evaluation and Selection and Stage 2 – Route Identification, Evaluation and Selection. Objectives It is an objective of the Council to: RE O145 Promote the development of existing and new walking and cycling routes throughout the county as an activity for both international visitors and local tourists, in a manner that is compatible with road safety, nature conservation and other environmental policies. Where developments of new and existing walking and cycling routes exist within 15km of a European Site, the project should be subject to AA screening and where applicable, Stage 2 AA. RE O146 Liaise with Offaly and Meath County Council and explore the feasibility of a flagship greenway in Kildare between Edenderry in Co. Offaly and Enfield Co. Meath along the path of the former railway. This would form part of an outer loop between the Royal and Grand Canals. The loop could also connect with the River Slate at Rathangan. RE O147 Investigate the feasibility of developing a walkway/cycleway along the former Tullow/ Harristown railway line/ Naas-Baltinglass Greenway and, where considered feasible, to initiate the delivery of this project within the lifetime of the Plan in conjunction with all relevant landowners. RE O148 Continue to promote and develop the towpaths along the Grand Canal, the Royal Canal, the Barrow Line, the Milltown Feeder and the Corbally Line as cycleways and walkways, in co-operation with Waterways Ireland and neighbouring Local Authorities. Support the linking of these cycleways and walkways to the county’s towns and villages. RE O149 Explore the potential of locating tourist services and facilities along the county’s greenways and blueways where these could be provided in an accessible, sustainable manner and where they would complement the offering of nearby service centres. RE O150 Work with Waterways Ireland to progress the delivery of the (i) Naas to Sallins Greenway and (ii) Naas to Corbally Harbour Greenway and to develop the Naas Harbour and the Corbally Harbour for amenity purposes.131
- RE O151 Liaise with Wicklow County Council, South Dublin County Council and all relevant landowners to investigate the feasibility of a walking trail within Ballymore Eustace village, which spreads out along the River Liffey and connects to Golden Falls, Poulaphouca and Russborough House. RE O152 Investigate the feasibility of developing walkways/cycleways to access raised bog lands and fens, particularly as an offshoot of the Royal and Grand Canal Greenways. RE O153 Promote and support proposals, which maximise the connectivity of the Greenways and Blueways infrastructure, particularly through cycleways. RE O154 Continue to work with Irish Waterways in order to remove ‘Kissing Gates’ which make canals inaccessible for many wheelchair users and cyclists. RE O155 Support both the enhancement of existing and development of new access routes to water locations in the County for recreation purposes at appropriate locations and subject to all relevant planning and environmental considerations. RE O156 Support and promote the adoption of the Government’s ‘Code of Best Practice for National and Regional Greenways (published in December 2021)’ for all Greenway developments within the county. 4.27 Heritage Tourism Heritage Tourism is a branch of tourism that involves visiting historical, industrial or natural sites, and which is oriented towards the cultural heritage of the location where tourism is occurring. It is recognised as one of the most important and fastest growing aspects of the tourist industry. County Kildare with its array of heritage sites including historical garden demesnes, military, architectural heritage, interpretive centres, archaeology and historic town centres is well positioned to benefit from this form of tourism. Tourism based on the heritage assets of a destination can provide an additional opportunity to increase the length of time visitors stay in the county, as well as reinforcing cultural identity by creating revenue to conserve built heritage and support cultural heritage. County Kildare has a rich and varied culture and heritage which forms the basis of much of the county’s tourism industry. Policy It is the policy of the Council to: RE P22 Work with stakeholders including the OPW, the Heritage Council, the Arts Council, local communities and businesses to support and promote the development of heritage and cultural tourism in County Kildare.132
- Objectives It is an objective of the Council to: RE O157 Ensure heritage assets (built and natural) that are the focus for tourism development, are appropriately managed and their special interest conserved from potential adverse effects from visitors or development in general and that best practice standards in relation to the environmental management of tourism enterprises are adhered to. RE O158 Support and promote, with the co-operation of landowners, public access to heritage sites and features at appropriate locations whilst ensuring heritage related development does not result in negative impacts on the fabric or setting of Kildare’s heritage assets RE O159 Recognise the sensitive and unique quality and importance of Castletown House and its demesne and history as a unique element of heritage, tourism and educational potential, to ensure that the integrity of the house and its demesne, as well as its collection of buildings, artefacts, landscapes, views and prospects, is fully protected, and to ensure that any future development within or without the demesne and its environs which impacts on it, is appropriate to its status as a house and demesne of national and international significance. RE O160 Protect and promote key sites and tourist facilities in the north of the county such as the Wonderful Barn, Obelisk, Arthur’s Way and other key sites linked to the estates of Carton, Lyons and Castletown. Encourage the development of Leixlip and Celbridge as tourism gateways to these significant tourism sites and facilities. RE O161 Support and facilitate the integration of greenways and blueways with Heritage/Tourist Trails. Actions It is an action of the Council to: RE A7 To prepare an integrated public amenity park and tourism destination at The Wonderful Barn and associated lands, to be informed by a detailed conservation and management plan. 4.28 Arts and Culture Arts and culture is a key aspect of maintaining local culture and identity. It also has the potential to stimulate economic development through providing a unique cultural tourism offering within the County. Objective It is an objective of the Council to: RE O162 Support and promote the development of an arts and crafts hub within the County that will attract tourism. RE O163 That an employment hub be established in Kildare town that promotes activities associated with its status as the county tourist town.133
- 4.29 Events and Festivals Festivals can be a key driver of local economies and a means of revitalising and maintaining local culture. Festivals are important in terms of attracting visitors to the county during the off-peak season. County Kildare hosts a wide range of festivals and events including the internationally renowned Punchestown and The Curragh racing festivals and a number of racing events at Mondello Park which provide a significant boost to the County’s tourism industry. Policy It is the policy of the Council to: RE P23 Support and promote existing festivals and sporting events to increase the cultural, heritage and lifestyle profile of the county, and, where appropriate, promote and facilitate the development of new festivals and events. Objectives It is an objective of the Council to: RE O164 Identify existing local festivals within the county that have the potential to become national and international events and actively support them in exploiting this potential. RE O165 Support Mondello Park as a tourism, leisure, and education centre and to support its development as a nationally significant automotive innovation centre subject to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area. RE O166 Support and encourage the ‘greening’ of all festivals and events within the county. Guidance in this regard could be sourced from ‘Green Hospitality’, an Irish Hospitality, Travel & Tourism Resource for Sustainable and Responsible Tourism (https://greenhospitality.ie). 4.30 Agri-Tourism Agricultural based tourism, more frequently described as Argi-Tourism is recognised as a key driver of the local and rural economy. Co Kildare is an area that is known for its farmland. There is vast fertile land that attracts good farming practices. These practises however sometimes cannot support these farmers solely and they have to expand their business. They do this by introducing different types of tourism to their farm. For example, in many farms in Kildare there are food shops on them selling their product and supplementary activities such as organic farmers’ markets, health farms, heritage and nature trails, pony trekking, boating, walking, eco-tourism, open farms and pet farms. Activities such as visiting a working farm for the purpose of enjoyment and education can be key parts of the rural experience.134
- Policy It is the policy of the Council to: RE P24 Support agri-tourism initiatives including but not limited to visitor accommodation and supplementary activities such as organic farmers’ markets, health farms, heritage and nature trails, pony trekking, boating, walking, eco-tourism, open farms and pet farms, ensuring that all built elements are appropriately designed and satisfactorily assimilated into the landscape. Objective It is an objective of the Council to: RE O167 Facilitate and encourage the re-use of redundant farm buildings of vernacular importance for appropriate owner-run agri-tourism enterprises subject to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area. 4.31 Sports, Recreation and Tourism Sport activity in the county, particularly equine and golf play an important role in the local economy. In recent years tourism has included golf, angling and horse racing, and these activities have excellent potential for expansion and diversification. Both the Curragh and Punchestown racecourses hold festivals that attract international publicity and international tourists. Key golf clubs include the K Club which hosted the 2006 Ryder Cup, Carton and Palmerstown. It is important to protect and enhance the qualities of such areas so that they can continue to contribute to the growth in tourism visitors into the county as a whole. Policy It is the policy of the Council to: RE P25 Support the sustainable tourist related development of the Bloodstock and Equine Industries. (b) Recognise the importance of angling and the golf industry to tourism in the county. (c) Promote the development of international class sporting facilities in County Kildare. RE P26 Support the development of tourism activities on and adjacent to waterways, subject to normal planning and environmental criteria and in accordance with the requirements of the Birds and Habitats Directive, Water Framework Directive and all other relevant European Directives.135
- Objectives It is an objective of the Council to: RE O168 Support and encourage further appropriate development of tourism and recreational facilities (such as golf, angling and horse racing) at key sites of national and international significance. RE O169 Recognise the sensitive and unique quality of Carton House as a tourism facility of national and international significance and to ensure that its integrity is protected. The Council will support and encourage further appropriate development of the tourism and recreational facilities at Carton House, having regard to its status as a house and demense of international heritage importance. 4.32 Inland Waterways The waterways of County Kildare include the River Liffey, the Barrow River System, the Grand Canal and the Royal Canal and are rich natural resources that attract many visitors to the County each year. In addition to their scenic beauty, they offer opportunities for a wide range of activities such as angling, boating, bird-watching, canoeing, and other water based interests. Policy It is the policy of the Council to: RE P27 Maximise opportunities for the use of canals and other waterways including the River Liffey and River Barrow as tourism and recreational amenities. Objectives It is an objective of the Council to: RE O170 Preserve the undeveloped sections of the Liffey Valley as a resource for tourism and to develop paths and walkways where appropriate, subject to environmental and other constraints and considerations. RE O171 Develop, in conjunction with the relevant authorities, berthing and other ancillary infrastructure at key locations along the canal systems, particularly in areas where tourism is underdeveloped at present. RE O172 Support the only circular boating route in Ireland that links the Royal Canal, Shannon, Liffey and Grand Canal where it passes through Kildare.136
- Date: Scale: N.T.S. Map Ref.: V1-4.1 Drawing No.: 200/22/1344 Kildare Tourism Map This drawing is to be read in conjunction with the written statement Kildare County Council Planning & Strategic Development Department Áras Chill Dara, Devoy Park, Naas, Co Kildare. Checked by: L Crawford Drawn by: intoKildare Approved by: C O'Donnell In association with h c ae n s iMsug aa m n a e M DescriptionDateStage County Development Plan 2023 - 2029 Ordnance Survey Ireland data reproduced under OSi Licence number CYAL50250173 © Ordnance Survey Ireland/Government of Ireland/Kildare County Council CDP 2023 2029 OUR KILDARE OUR PLAN 09/12/2022 County Development Plan Plan Adopted By Elected Members 28/01/2023 Date the Plan comes into effect County Development Plan January 2023 Date: 28/01/2023Date: 28/01/2023Date: 28/01/2023137
Source Kildare County Council: Kildare County Development Plan 2023–2029 — Chapter 4: Resilient Economy and Job Creation (2023–2029) · Licence the publisher's termsText read from the publisher’s PDF; tables, maps and drawings do not survive as text, and page numbers are the PDF’s (its first page is 1). Check the original before relying on a passage.