Development plan · Monaghan County Council
Monaghan County Development Plan 2025–2031
The council's development plan written statement: its strategy, policies, objectives and development standards.
Monaghan County Council · 2025–2031 · 376 pages
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- 99 economic developmentchapter 04 In 2008 the Department of Agriculture issued its ‘Indicative Forestry Statement’ (IFS) to provide a highlevel national guidance in relation to the suitability of land for afforestation. The IFS identifies areas most suitable for planting primarily based on environmental considerations and soil-productivity. Aside from Bragan and Lough Muckno, the majority of rural County Monaghan is indicated as being suitable for commercial forestry. The IFS is currently being updated by the Department for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM). AGFO 1 To promote the agricultural sector, appropriate rural development and rural diversification. AGFO 2 To control, through the development management process and the relevant environmental legislation, effluent spreading on land in order to protect ground and surface water sources in the County. Developers are required to comply with relevant Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Guidelines and the Nitrates Regulations in this regard. AGFO 3 To protect natural waters, wildlife habitats, conservation areas, heritage areas, prominent landscape features, archaeological sites, nature designations and scenic routes within forest sites from pollution or injury. AGFO 4 To protect access to forestry and other amenity facilities in co-operation with Coillte and private owners / operators for walking routes, nature trails for the benefit of local communities and tourists. AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY OBJECTIVES Agricultural developments shall be designed to a high standard in accordance with the specific provisions set out in Chapter 15, Development Management Standards of the County Development Plan 2025-2031, to provide quality environments with adequate allowance where necessary for landscaping, machinery, access, parking and circulation and the appropriate disposal of foul and surface water. AGFP 1 AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY POLICY 4.9 EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRY Mineral reserves including stone, sand and gravel are processed at many locations across County Monaghan. Gypsum is also mined at a site in the County. There is also potential for the extraction of precious and base minerals in the County. The critical role minerals have in assisting economic recovery and job creation and the transition to a circular and resource efficient economy, supporting rural development and reducing emissions, is highlighted within The Policy Statement on Mineral Exploration and Mining – Critical Raw Materials for the Circular Economy Transition, published by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) in December 2022. Mineral extraction, such as working with stone, sand and gravel, can generate environmental issues for the surrounding area. An Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) will be required as part of a planning application where certain thresholds are exceeded and in other cases where extraction is likely to have an adverse impact on the environment as determined by the Planning Authority. The cumulative effects of mineral extraction and any ancillary processes in a given area will also be considered when assessing development proposals.
- 100 4.10 SMALL SCALE BUSINESSES IN RURAL AREAS The importance of rural economies and the need to support rural communities is reflected across a number of national and regional plans and strategies. County Monaghan is in no small part defined by its rural environment and traditional settlement pattern. Given the significant and important contribution of rural areas to the County and the County’s population, it is critical that the economic development of rural areas is promoted. This includes promoting the regeneration of rural areas and the retention and promotion of rural services and enterprises. Development proposals for small scale businesses in the rural area will be assessed against relevant policies set out in Chapter 15 Development Management Standards of the Development Plan. 4.11 HOME BASED BUSINESS Home based business refers to small scale commercial activities carried out at a person’s home, but which are incidental to the residential use of the dwelling. With changing works practices and the advancement of technology, opportunities have developed for those who can and wish to work from home. There has also been a growing trend of remote working, which has accelerated in recent years following change in practices brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. According to the 2022 Census, 21% of the workforce (aged 15 and over) worked from home at least one day a week. Broadband provision within the County is crucial to providing and maintaining this opportunity for the working population. The development of eworking and home-based business is important as it may contribute to improving the quality of lives and help people achieve an improved work life balance. In addition, it also benefits the environment in terms of energy conservation, reduced commuting emissions, and reduced traffic congestion. As such, in certain circumstances, it may be appropriate to facilitate small-scale, home-based economic activity in rural areas. Such businesses would only be acceptable where it is confined, and expansion proposals would be unlikely to receive favourable consideration. Development proposals for homebased businesses will be assessed against relevant policies set out in Chapter 15 Development Management Standards of the Development Plan. 4.12 TOURISM The County’s tourism sector has enormous potential for future growth. The Development Plan supports the vision of the Tourism Strategy for County Monaghan 2023-2028 which is, “to create a sustainable, engaging destination, which reflect the rich cultural heritage of this border county and its rolling landscapes of recreational opportunity, creativity and surprising natural beauty. Monaghan will be a destination of choice for those who wish to ‘gentle their footprint’ in the unexplored, providing authentic, place-based visitor experiences to enrich and inspire, while delivering economic benefits across the county”. Tourism is an emerging sector in County Monaghan providing both economic and social advantages to the area. A successful tourism sector can bring about other significant benefits for other sectors such as agriculture, food and drinks, accommodation providers, transport and retail. Whilst the tourism sector of the County has made considerable progress over the last decade in relation to signature tourism projects such as the Ulster Canal and Clones Marina project, the Patrick Kavanagh Centre, Rossmore Forest Park, which is the most visited park in the Country, Carrickmacross Workhouse and the estate of Castle Leslie, progress can still be made in relation to fulfilling the County’s tourism potential. Monaghan County Development Plan 2025 – 2031 MEO 1 To promote development involving the extraction of mineral reserves and their associated processes, where the Planning Authority is satisfied that any such development will be carried out in a sustainable manner that does not adversely impact on the environment or on other land uses. Consideration in this regard shall be given to the impact of the development on the local economy. MEO 2 To safeguard all identified locations of major mineral deposits in the County for future extraction. MEO 3 To identify and map the location of quarries and minerals resources across County Monaghan within the first four years of the Development Plan. EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRY OBJECTIVES
- 101 economic developmentchapter 04 According to Fáilte Ireland, 336,000 domestic trips were made to Counties Monaghan and Louth in 2022, along with 750,000 bed nights. International visitor performance statistics detail that 9,700 overseas visitors came to County Monaghan in 2019, with an associated expenditure of €5.2million. Tourism is thus an important sector of economic activity in the County and one which has the added benefit of acting as an economic driver whilst also significantly improving the quality of life of the residents of the County. County Monaghan’s relative proximity to Dublin and other large settlements and its strategic Border location offers significant opportunities to expand the existing tourism offer and brand for the County. Furthermore, the County can act as an accommodation base for those visiting the east and north subject to a broadening of the available tourism accommodation profile. Paramount to this is the creation of a tourism package that appeals to likely consumers. Accordingly, Monaghan County Council acknowledges the importance of anchor hotels and bedspaces within the County, and the retention of these assets will be encouraged during the lifetime of this Development Plan. County Monaghan has a wide range of historical, cultural and landscape interests that, if sensitively managed, have the potential to raise the County’s profile as a significant tourist destination that will strengthen the County’s offering under the Ireland’s Ancient East destination brand. The County enjoys a rich tapestry of natural beauty, with landscapes that enclose drumlins, lakes, rivers, wetlands, forests, and uplands, encompassing environments and habitats that are rich in biodiversity. Based on these natural assets, County Monaghan offers an enviable array of accessible outdoor activities, including walking in Rossmore, Dartrey or Derrygorry Forests respectively, lakeshore walking and nature viewing at Lough Muckno, kayaking on the Dromore River, world class angling in any of the many lakes and rivers, or walking/cycling along sections of the Ulster Canal. Due to its distinctive borderlands setting, the County enjoys opportunities for cross-border recreational collaborations such as the restoration of the Ulster Canal as a greenway/blueway through Clones and Monaghan, the development of hiking trails across Sliabh Beagh and the development of a network of greenways through Mid-Ulster. Allied to its natural assets, County Monaghan offers an array of cultural and creative experiences, such as the Patrick Kavanagh Centre in Inniskeen, a homage to Ireland’s foremost rural poet, the music festival that celebrates the legacy of Big Tom at Castleblayney, and the living craft traditions of lacemaking to be seen in Carrickmacross and Clones. The Ulster Canal Stores in Clones and the Carrickmacross Workhouse provide glimpses into the industrial and famine past of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The awardwinning estate village, Glaslough, is a destination of unique character in the north of the County. There is potential for Monaghan Town to reimagine itself as a distinctive destination town, with significant enhancements to the public realm, the redevelopment of the County Museum within the new Peace Campus, and scope for outdoor performance spaces. The town has a wonderful blend of forest activities at Rossmore Forest Park and walks along the Ulster Canal Greenway, with future potential for onward recreational linkages to other parts of the County. By the development and enhancement of many of the cultural assets, tourism will allow towns such as Clones to grow in relation to the Ulster Canal restoration, Knockatallon, home to the County’s only communityowned hotel, could become an outdoor recreational hub for Sliabh Beagh, while the ongoing expansion of cultural activities, music and small festivals will attract a sustainable number of visitors to the County on an all-year round basis. The Council is committed to working with other relevant statutory bodies, businesses, community groups and individuals to develop a clear and sustainable approach necessary to successfully showcase the County on the widest stage possible through the promotion and facilitation of sustainable tourism development. Sustainable tourism is identified as the interaction between visitors, the industry that provides services to them, the community and culture that hosts them, and their collective impact upon the environment where it all takes place. The Development Plan has a key role in helping to support the tourism economy within the County, assisting in enhancing and maximising the contribution of tourism, particularly to the rural economy, through the development and protection of the County’s natural, cultural and heritage resource potential. Strategic objectives and planning policies align with relevant Council plans and strategies such as the Tourism Strategy for County Monaghan 2023-2028, the Monaghan Destination Experience Development Plan (2022), Monaghan Destination Town Plan (2020), Ireland’s Ancient East Regional Tourism Development Strategy 2023-2027 and the Monaghan Local Economic and Community Plan (LECP) 2023 - 2029.
- 4.12.1 PRODUCT AND APPEAL To develop an effective audience strategy, it is firstly essential to understand who the visitor to County Monaghan currently is and align these visitors to the different motivations. During consultations carried out in conjunction with the production of the Tourism Strategy for County Monaghan 2023-2028, the core audience motivations identified as a priority for the County were Social Energy, Celebration, Bonding and Reconnection. County Monaghan’s strategic vision is to create a sustainable and engaging destination which reflects the heritage of the Borderlands, the rolling landscapes, rich creativity, recreational opportunity, and natural beauty while encouraging visitors to explore by ‘gentling their footprint’ and letting the destination reveal its many surprising facets at an unhurried pace. This vision for the County presents a very tangible and directive lens through which all tourism development and marketing should be considered. It supports the concept of a slower, ‘place-based’ form of tourism that is more sustainable, requiring less resources and less travel, allowing the visitor to really immerse themselves in the rich countryside and to savour the experiences on offer. Regional tourism strategies have been developed for each of Fáilte Ireland’s regional experience brands, including Ireland’s Ancient East Regional Tourism Development Strategy 2023-2027 of which County Monaghan forms a part. The purpose of the regional tourism strategy is to identify sustainable development priorities that will unlock the commercial potential of the region and generate socio-economic benefits for all. The National Planning Framework (NPF) recognises tourism as having important potential to contribute to cross border co-operation. It advocates capturing greater international interest by the promotion of strategic attractions of scale and signature visitor attractions. Opportunities exist to maximise exposure through co-operation and themed branding bundles such as Ireland’s Ancient East. Development of blueways and greenways, such as the Ulster Canal, also offers potential for an enhanced tourism offering throughout the Border area. As outlined above, County Monaghan has a wide range of activities to offer visitors, golfing, angling, cycling, walking, rally-driving, quad-biking, equestrian activities, water skiing, canoeing, kayaking, mountain biking, wildlife trails, hill walking, etc. In addition, there are many unique attractions such as the birthplace of Patrick Kavanagh and the Brehon Brewhouse in Inniskeen, the internationally renowned Carrickmacross Lace Gallery, Clones Lace, The Tin Chapel, Laragh, St Dympna’s Well, Tydavnet, the restored Lady Ann Dawson Temple in Dartrey Forest, Lough Muckno Leisure Park in Castleblayney, and the historic houses at Castle Leslie and Hilton Park. There is also a wide range of festivals and events which take place throughout the County, several of which have achieved national or indeed international recognition and attract significant visitor numbers, such as Monaghan Town’s Country Music Festival and Carrickmacross Festival. Furthermore, opportunities exist for sustainable tourism development through various projects to extend and design new walking and cycling routes, particularly in Inniskeen and Sliabh Beagh. The Sliabh Beagh Partnership Committee, with representation from Monaghan County Council, Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, and Mid-Ulster District Council, was established to progress a strategic vision for this important rural area. Proposals to facilitate the development of attractions should therefore cater for the relevant markets and acknowledge any changing trends over the period of the Development Plan. The Council, through the Tourism Unit and the Tourist Office, must continue to aggressively promote the County’s attractions to the target markets, particularly via social media. The Monaghan County Development Plan 2025-2031 will support, in so far as it can, the delivery of the Monaghan Local Economic & Community Plan (LECP) 2023-2029, the Monaghan County Council Tourism Strategy 2023-2028 and the Monaghan Destination and Experience Development Plan, and any new or updated subsequent versions. Cross-border collaboration is also hugely important for the County, as is on-going co-operation and collaboration with Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland in promoting the County both domestically and internationally. 102 Monaghan County Development Plan 2025 – 2031
- 103 economic developmentchapter 04 TMO 1 To promote and strengthen the development of tourist and cultural offerings in Monaghan Town, as set out in the Monaghan Destination Town Plan, to help support its growth as a destination town within Ireland’s Ancient East destination brand. TMO 2 To promote the development of destination hubs in towns and villages across County Monaghan. TMO 3 To support potential tourist and amenity attractions of appropriate scale in partnership with Fáilte Ireland and other relevant authorities, whilst having regard to the existing character, sense of place, distinctive features and environmental constraints and sensitivities of the Plan Area. TMO 4 To promote and facilitate the sustainable use of the County’s existing historical, cultural and landscape assets for tourism purposes, in an environmentally sensitive manner. TMO 5 To support the development of angling tourism initiatives throughout the County and particularly at Lough Muckno, building on the amenity and recreational potential of the angling sector. In this regard the Council shall facilitate the development and upgrading of angler access, stands, car parks and their associated facilities, in accordance and in consultation with relevant management strategies, key stakeholders and bodies including Inland Fisheries Ireland. TMO 6 To support the reopening of the Ulster Canal given its tourism and economic potential for County Monaghan and the wider region. TMO 7 To support ongoing tourism product development within the County, including the continued development of the Ulster Canal project and the expansion of the Greenway along the route of the Canal through County Monaghan. TMO 8 To facilitate, where appropriate, the provision of high-quality sustainable tourism products and services within the County where it is of a scale and nature appropriate to its setting, in order to increase the level of activity and the sustainability of the tourism market. In particular the provision of quality hotels and other forms of tourism accommodation, and the development of tourism projects, facilities, activities, and attractions shall be a priority. TMO 9 To support and encourage the development of appropriately scaled alternative forms of tourism accommodation on suitable sites subject to Chapter 15 Development Management Standards of the Monaghan County Development Plan 2025-2031. TMO 10 To promote events, festivals and the development of linked tourist trails that showcase the wealth of natural, historical and cultural heritage of the County and contribute towards its unique identity and quality of life. TOURISM OBJECTIVES
- 104 TOURISM OBJECTIVES Monaghan County Development Plan 2025 – 2031 TMO 11 To promote appropriate innovation and entrepreneurship in the tourism sector, subject to compliance with other policies of the Monaghan County Development Plan 2025-2031, including those relating to settlements, amenities, environment, heritage, landscapes and technical design standards. In particular, the Council shall support the development and enhancement of the ‘Borderlands’ concept. TMO 12 To promote the local food, drinks and crafts industries by: (i) encouraging the development of premises, (ii) promoting festivals/events, and (iii) managing an attractive public realm. TMO 13 To promote growth in the events and festivals sector to facilitate the development of County Monaghan as an events destination. TMO 14 To support appropriate tourism and agri-tourism initiatives in the form of on-farm visitor accommodation and associated and spin-off activities such as health farms, heritage and nature trails, pony trekking and water-based activities. TMO 15 To encourage and support increased coordination, cohesion and linkages between the Council’s own departments and relevant outside agencies such as Fáilte Ireland, Coillte and Waterways Ireland, in the promotion and assessment of tourism related developments. TMO 16 To support and promote tourism and recreational activity including angling and country sports, to facilitate and encourage public access to water bodies, to promote County Monaghan as a catch and release on all public waters and to facilitate the provision of supporting infrastructure such as Blueway’s where appropriate and sustainable. TMO 17 To work in conjunction with adjoining local authorities to extend and design new walking and cycling routes that will promote sustainable tourism development and enhance access and links to the great outdoors of County Monaghan. TMO 18 To seek to manage any increase in visitor numbers in order to avoid significant effects including loss of habitat and disturbance, including ensuring that any new projects, such as greenways, are a suitable distance from ecological sensitivities, such as riparian corridors. TMO 19 To promote and support Sliabh Beagh as a sustainable destination, in a manner which is consistent with the implementation of the objectives set out in the Sliabh Beagh Masterplan. TMO 20 To support the implementation of Ireland’s Ancient East Regional Tourism Strategy 2023-2027 and to integrate its objectives into the promotion and development of tourism throughout the County.
- 105 economic developmentchapter 04 TMO 21 To promote the inclusion of County Monaghan within Ireland’s Ancient East destination brand, particularly having regard to the reopening of the Ulster Canal, which will extend the waterways network of this region into the County. TMO 22 To promote and support the Monaghan Way and features along it such as Mullyash and Cairn as tourism features. TMO 23 To promote and support the County’s twinning partnerships such as that with Prince Edward Island and the twinning of towns in County Monaghan with other towns and regions. TMO 24 To promote and support the implementation of the Monaghan Destination and Experience Development Plan. TMO 25 To promote and implement the policies and objectives of the Monaghan County Council Tourism Strategy 2023-2028 and to ensure the preparation of a new Plan upon its expiry.
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- 01107 Monaghan County Development Plan 2025 – 2031 chapter 05 community
- 5.0 INTRODUCTION The creation of strong inclusive communities is essential to the promotion of County Monaghan as an attractive place to live and work. The Planning and Development Act 2000 (as Amended) requires that development plans shall include objectives for, ‘the integration of the planning and sustainable development of the area with the social, community and cultural requirements of the area and its population’. Monaghan County Council has a long history of involvement in community initiatives and service provision at local level. These include libraries, leisure, recreation, arts and amenity facilities and services as well as estate management, urban and village renewal and the operation of community employment schemes. The County Development Plan aims to improve existing facilities and make provision for new facilities to enhance access to education, recreation, healthcare and cultural infrastructure. This infrastructure is essential to social cohesion and provides for a sense of community. 5.1 LOCAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE (LCDC) The Local Government Reform Act 2014, sought to strengthen and expand the role of the Local Authority in local and community development, with a focus on the wellbeing and quality of life of communities. LCDC’s have been established in every Local Authority area to develop, co-ordinate and implement a coherent and integrated approach to local and community development. The main function of the LCDC is to prepare, implement and monitor a six-year plan, the Local Economic and Community Plan (LECP). The LCDC also acts as a conduit through which several key funding programmes are channelled locally, such as the LEADER Programme 2023-2027 for County Monaghan. 5.2 THE LOCAL ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY PLAN (LECP) Monaghan County Council’s LECP 2023-2029 has been developed in the context of the revised Local Economic and Community Plans Guidelines, issued by the Department of Rural and Community Development (DRCD) and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH), 2021. This new Local Economic and Community Plan (LECP) for County Monaghan is aligned with key policies at local, regional, and national level. These include the Monaghan County Development Plan 2019-2025, Monaghan Climate Change Adaptation Strategy 2019- 2024, A Digital Strategy for County Monaghan 2021-2025 as well as the Northern and Western Regional Assembly Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy 2020-2032 (NWRA RSES), the National Planning Framework (NPF) (2018), and the National Climate Action Plan 2023. In contrast to the 2015-2021 LECP, the new LECP covers both community and economic elements in an integrated and combined way that reflects the crosscutting nature of elements across the goals, objectives, outcomes, and actions. The community elements of the LECP have been prepared and approved by the LCDC and include goals, objectives, outcomes, and actions related to health and wellbeing, education and training, sustainability and the County’s heritage and creative sector. The economic elements of the LECP have been prepared and approved by the Strategic Policy Committee (SPC) for Economic Development and Enterprise Support and include goals, objectives, outcomes, and actions related to driving job creation and increasing employment, supporting key sectors in the County including agriculture, improving transport infrastructure and services, promoting entrepreneurship, and attracting investment. Furthermore, a wide range of stakeholders, including the community and various agencies and groups, have provided input to the development of the new LECP to ensure that it reflects the needs and ambitions of the entire County. The aim of the Monaghan LECP 2023-2029 is, ‘to develop and promote social and economic opportunities for all people living in and visiting County Monaghan’. 108 Monaghan County Development Plan 2025 – 2031 COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE CFSO 1 To protect and enhance existing community and recreation facilities throughout the County and to secure the provision of additional facilities subject to demand and availability of resources in cooperation with the relevant stakeholders, the Local Community Development Committee and their associated Local Economic and Community Plan.
Source Monaghan County Council: Monaghan County Development Plan 2025–2031 (2025–2031) · 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.