Development plan · Westmeath County Council
Westmeath County Development Plan 2021–2027
The council's development plan written statement: its strategy, policies, objectives and development standards.
Westmeath County Council · 2021–2027 · 634 pages
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- TOURISM 6 Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027 152 experiences are less concerned with visitors passively seeing or doing things; they encourage tourists to immerse themselves actively in the locale, interacting with people, engaging the senses, and learning the history and stories of the places. Fáilte Ireland’s response to this challenge has been the creation of a framework to develop and deliver destination development plans along with strengthening destination towns. Ireland’s Ancient East has started work on a number of Destination Development Plans which aim to develop world-class experiences focused on the region’s rich heritage. The themes of the Experience Development Plans have been designed to enhance each area’s strongest tourism assets and appeal to core overseas markets. Vitally, these plans will be delivered in a way that encourages visitors to spend more time in an area, without compromising the environment or culture of the region. The ‘Tales of Two Worlds’ Development Plan brings together Ireland’s historic houses and gardens, and the period in Ireland’s history of famine and emigration. A number of Westmeath businesses are now taking part in a bespoke Great Houses & Gardens Experience Development Programme as part of this, which focuses on the county’s rich historic houses and gardens. The Ancient Destination Development Plan is also bringing together businesses in Westmeath to develop world-class experiences centred around the area’s rich ancient history including the Hill of Uisneach, connecting Westmeath with the wider geography of the Boyne Valley. General Tourism Development Policy Objectives It is a policy objective of Westmeath County Council to: CPO 6.1 Engage and collaborate with key stakeholders, relevant agencies, sectoral representatives and local communities to develop the tourism sector in Westmeath, to ensure that the economic potential of the tourism sector is secured for the local economy. CPO 6.2 Promote the development and strengthening of the overall value of Westmeath as a tourist destination by encouraging the enhancement and development of sustainable and high-quality visitor attractions, activities and infrastructure, enabling an increase in the overall capacity and long-term development of the county’s tourism industry, subject to appropriate siting and design criteria and the protection of environmentally sensitive areas. CPO 6.3 Continue to work closely with Fáilte Ireland to maximise the benefit of national and regional initiatives for the county, with a particular emphasis on initiatives which will increase the economic benefit from tourism, support local business development and encourage new enterprise opportunities. CPO 6.4 Identify all opportunities for funding, including LEADER, National and European funding schemes and seek to maximise the benefit of such funding opportunities to the county.
- TOURISM 6 Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027 153 CPO 6.5 Continue to support the implementation of the County’s Tourism Strategy in line with national and regional policy, tourism trends and identified challenges, in collaboration with Fáilte Ireland, Waterways Ireland, tourism businesses and communities and other supporting agencies. CPO 6.6 Utilise the region’s natural and heritage resources to foster the development of tourism as a viable sector of the economy in a sustainable manner which complements the scale, quality and unique features of the region. CPO 6.7 Protect and conserve the natural, built and cultural heritage features which add value to the visitor experience in Westmeath and seek to restrict developments which would damage or detract from the quality of scenic areas and identified natural and cultural heritage assets. CPO 6.8 Support actions to increase access to state and semi-state lands such as National Parks, Forest Parks, Waterways, etc., together with Monuments and Historic Properties, for recreation and tourism purposes, subject to the requirements of the Habitats Directive, National Monuments Act and other provisions and policies to protect and safeguard these resources and subject to the ability of local infrastructure to support the resulting increased tourism. CPO 6.9 Continue to support the development and expansion of tourism-related enterprise including immersive visitor attractions, services and accommodation and food and craft businesses, particularly those offering a visitor experience, such as tastings, tours and demonstrations. CPO 6.10 Encourage local industry and community engagement with all relevant Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland initiatives to maximise benefit to the county and continue to work with Fáilte Ireland to build our visitor offering in line with established regional experience brands. CPO 6.11 Improve the quality of visitor data collection, in conjunction with Fáilte Ireland and the county’s attractions and accommodation providers, including visitor numbers, footfall and origin and characteristics of visitors, to enable monitoring of trends and better provision for tourism growth into the future. CPO 6.12 Prepare and update a comprehensive tourism signage plan for the county, in collaboration with Fáilte Ireland, ensuring that old and obsolete signage is removed, and new signage is consistent and complementary to signage associated with Ireland’s Ancient East and Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands Regional Experience Brands. CPO 6.13 Support opportunities for increased tourism as a result of Climate Change, within limits of existing infrastructure and sensitive habitats. CPO 6.14 Integrate climate change adaptation measures into future tourism plans.
- TOURISM 6 Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027 154 CPO 6.15 Monitor and manage any increase in visitor numbers and/or any change in visitor behaviour in order to avoid significant effects, including loss of habitat and disturbance. Visitor/Habitat Management Plans will be required for proposed projects as relevant and appropriate. CPO 6.16 Promote sustainable tourism in ways that positively enhance the environment and liaise with tourism providers to encourage the provision of “eco-tourism” schemes including the development of a “Circular Economy” approach to tourism. 6.4.2. Destination Towns In planning their trip, visitors need reassurance that there will be plenty of quality things to see and do both in the day time and evening, along with a range of accommodation options and restaurants. The most effective and efficient way to deliver this for visitors is through destination towns. Athlone and Mullingar both offer high-quality visitor services including a range of accommodation, restaurants, cafes, visitor attractions and guided tours. Current provision enables both towns to serve tourism to the range of surrounding attractions and amenities. In this regard, Athlone has been granted investment under Fáilte Ireland’s Destination Towns funding Programme. The picturesque town of Athlone is the destination of choice for many holiday makers to this region, known for a strong arts and culture scene, along with must-visit attractions such as Athlone Castle Visitor Centre, Sean’s Bar Ireland’s Oldest Pub and the Luan Gallery, a contemporary art gallery with breathtaking views. High-quality local food is also renowned in this area, with a concentration of award-winning restaurants. A creative culture is fostered through the Luan Gallery, Abbey Road Arts Studios, various theatres and festivals. A crossing point on the River Shannon, Athlone is a base for cruising, boat tours, angling and other water-based activities. The vibrant market town of Mullingar is known as the birthplace of Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann and for the many talented musicians who have originated there. This musical heritage is considered to be a significant growth enabler for visitors into the future and is a great source of pride for the local community. Belvedere House, Gardens and Park is a visitor attraction of regional importance, combining heritage with natural lakeshore scenery. Mullingar is almost encircled by the Royal Canal Greenway and Blueway, creating an off-road link to Longford in the west and Maynooth to the east, with a section to Dublin city nearing completion. Since 2015, Mullingar and Athlone are linked by the Old Rail Trail Greenway, soon to be part of the larger scale Galway to Dublin Route.
- TOURISM 6 Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027 155 Recently completed streetscape enhancements in both destination towns and further planned works offer the opportunity to improve the visitor experience, by creating a stronger sense of place through highlighting the unique characteristics of the towns. Ancillary infrastructure such as seating and provision for outdoor events, along with well-placed and designed lighting and wayfinding, can greatly enhance a visitor’s enjoyment of our public realm and encourage increased dwell time and repeat visits. Source: What Tourists are Looking For: Development Guidelines for Tourism Destination Towns, Fáilte Ireland, 2019 Destination Towns Policy Objectives It is a policy objective of Westmeath County Council to: CPO 6.17 Continue to support the promotion of Athlone and Mullingar as urban tourism destinations, providing memorable and high-quality visitor experiences in their own right and providing services for visitors to the range of attractions and activities in the surrounding region. CPO 6.18 Support industry collaboration in Athlone and Mullingar to collectively promote these destination towns, maximising the impact of marketing through sharing resources. CPO 6.19 Support the development of a cross sectoral approach to promote Athlone as the principle visitor services centre and hub for Fáilte Ireland’s “Hidden Heartlands” and the “Tourism Masterplan for the Shannon”, to develop the recreation and amenity potential of waterways and the development of a greenway network including the Galway to Dublin Cycleway. CPO 6.20 Support Mullingar to become an important destination for visitors to Ireland’s “Ancient East”, having regard to its accessibility to natural amenities and recreational opportunities such as the Royal Canal, Dublin Galway National Cycle Network and nearby lakes, together with focussing on its proud musical heritage, along with legends associated with local heritage attractions.
- TOURISM 6 Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027 156 CPO 6.21 Encourage the celebration of the unique attributes of towns and villages in the design and delivery of all visitor interpretation, signage and public realm schemes in order to provide tourists with a strong ‘Sense of Place’ and a more memorable visit. CPO 6.22 Support industry-led collaborative tourism initiatives and community projects which aim to enhance and promote the visitor offering in towns and villages. CPO 6.23 Facilitate the enhancement and development of Athlone’s Cultural Quarter, as a location where cultural heritage and artistic visitor attractions are clustered, offering a unique and marketable tourism proposition. CPO 6.24 Support the development of a strong evening and night-time tourism economy, in collaboration with arts and music venues, festivals and events committees and local Chambers of Commerce, including support for the Purple Flag initiative, currently successfully delivered in Mullingar. 6.5 Tourism Infrastructure and Visitor Services The provision of sufficient, appropriate and high-quality infrastructure to meet the needs of visitors is fundamental to Westmeath reaching its potential for a thriving tourism sector. Future provision will be based on current and future projected needs and the Council will take account of tourism research and statistics available in determining such need. Services and infrastructure should be clustered in visitor destination towns and villages where possible, providing for a suitable range and critical mass of services that will strengthen visitor destinations. The Council recognises the potential for pressure being placed on the County’s natural and heritage amenities through increased tourism. In this regard, it is important that the provision for increased tourism activity is in line with the provision of the required infrastructure to support such development. The Council will use the full range of its statutory procedures, particularly in relation to waste management, water and air pollution, to ensure that natural amenities remain unpolluted and visually unspoiled. Tourism-related development proposals will be required to demonstrate a high standard of design, with strong consideration given to a proposal’s potential impact on its surroundings in terms of scale and intensity and the potential for the proposal to add significantly to the quality of the visitor experience. The Council recognises that the provision of accommodation such as hotels, guesthouses, hostels, caravan and camping sites are essential to enable growth in the tourism sector. The Council shall support the development of tourism in the county by encouraging the provision of a wide range of tourist accommodation types and restricting development that would be likely to reduce the capacity of the resource or have a detrimental impact on the local environment. In general, such developments shall be encouraged to locate within or in close proximity to existing towns and villages where they can avail of existing public services, commercial and community facilities. The Council will support the development and upgrade of accommodation to meet Fáilte Ireland Quality Standards, subject to
- TOURISM 6 Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027 157 development management criteria and will require that such relevant standards are met in development proposals where appropriate. Tourism Infrastructure and Visitor Services Policy Objectives It is a policy objective of Westmeath County Council to: CPO 6.25 Promote tourism-related developments in existing settlements within the Settlement Hierarchy, subject to existing carrying capacity. CPO 6.26 Collaborate with the tourism industry and Fáilte Ireland to identify future visitor accommodation and service requirements, taking account of existing provision and projected growth and support initiatives to proactively meet any identified requirements, subject to development management standards. CPO 6.27 Facilitate the development of high-quality tourist accommodation such as hotels, hostels, B&B’s / guesthouses, caravan and camping etc. at suitable locations, in both urban and rural settings throughout the county, subject to ensuring a high standard of design, layout, landscape and environmental protection, the provision of adequate infrastructure and compliance with best practice planning considerations. CPO 6.28 Encourage the upgrade of existing accommodation facilities to meet Fáilte Ireland Quality and ‘Welcome Standards’ as appropriate, subject to development management standards, ensuring that new and existing developments do not negatively impact on sensitive environments. CPO 6.29 Encourage that certain tourism accommodation developments comply with Fáilte Ireland quality standards, in particular caravan and camping facilities, to ensure such developments can contribute to the development of the tourism sector to their maximum potential. CPO 6.30 Ensure that the development of visitor infrastructure linked to natural and heritage environments, does not detract from the quality and value of these environments. CPO 6.31 Support, implement or require best-practice environmental management and climate proofing of tourism related developments and activities, such as accommodation, restaurants, activity providers, festivals and events and tourism enterprises, to include energy efficiency, waste management, procurement and recycling. CPO 6.32 Support rural tourism initiatives such as agri-farm tourism, trekking and trails together with new opportunities to promote nature tourism, in order to sustain employment in rural areas.
- TOURISM 6 Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027 158 6.6 History, Heritage and Ancient Sites Westmeath is steeped in heritage and already has a strong foundation in the provision of world-class heritage tourism attractions. Heritage and cultural assets which are of significant importance and value and are already open to the public include Athlone Castle Visitor Centre, Belvedere House, Gardens and Park, the Luan Gallery, The Hill of Uisneach, Tullynally Castle Gardens, Kilbeggan Distillery and Fore Abbey. Increased investment and support are required in order to increase revenue generated to the local economy from these attractions, both directly and indirectly. The creation of stronger linkages between attractions, activities, visitor services and accommodation are critical to increasing visitor dwell time and encouraging multi-day visits to the county with resulting economic benefit. As part of Ireland’s Ancient East, Westmeath has the potential to be promoted worldwide for its authentic and memorable heritage assets, where visitors can “discover a region of legends and stories, from ancient times to modern day”. In delivering the brand promise, a key challenge is to enhance the interpretation of our heritage, moving from the provision of historical information to ‘storytelling interpretation’, which aims to build meaningful relationships between places and communities and the people who visit them. It is important that any future interpretation of Westmeath’s heritage takes account of the Ireland’s Ancient East brand promise, through providing engaging, entertaining, accessible and visitor-focused content that can contribute to an authentic and memorable experience. A ‘Toolkit for Storytelling Interpretation’ has been produced by Fáilte Ireland to provide guidance. Westmeath’s natural heritage cannot be underestimated for its tourism value. Native wildlife can be found in abundance along our waterways, lakeshores, greenways and trails. Activities such as birdwatching and foraging are becoming increasingly popular as ‘slow tourism’ becomes more prevalent internationally. Visitors targeted under the Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands brand proposition are those who want this more relaxed pace of holiday, where they can attune with nature and go ‘off grid’. Adequate recognition of the value of investing in heritage conservation will reduce the potential conflict with loss of authenticity and appreciation of a place, tourism provision and more informed planning decisions. Investing in heritage in terms of placemaking will benefit not just tourism but the local citizen. The protection and conservation of the County’s heritage assets and features will be of paramount importance, including natural and cultural heritage, in order to safeguard the quality of assets into the future. History, Heritage and Ancient Sites Policy Objectives It is a policy objective of Westmeath County Council to: CPO 6.33 Identify locations where heritage interpretation would add to the visitor experience and take account of Fáilte Ireland’s Toolkit for Storytelling Interpretation in the design and delivery of interpretation media, with a focus on animating stories and encouraging greater engagement with our heritage.
- TOURISM 6 Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027 159 CPO 6.34 Encourage sustainable enterprise development associated with heritage sites to gain benefit from increased visitors, subject to development management standards. CPO 6.35 Continue to promote the Hill of Uisneach as a sustainable visitor offering and enhanced access to the site, including the creation of walking and cycling connections with the Old Rail Trail (Galway to Dublin) Greenway. CPO 6.36 Promote the enhancement and development of Belvedere House, Gardens and Park and Athlone Castle Visitor Centre as world-class visitor attractions, enabling visitors to have an enjoyable and engaging experience, while protecting the cultural heritage, natural environment and landscape value. CPO 6.37 Support appropriate conservation works to structures at Belvedere House, Gardens and Park and other built heritage assets, in order to safeguard these amenities for the long term. CPO 6.38 Support the conservation of estates and demesnes by way of facilitating appropriate development that contributes to their economic viability. CPO 6.39 Investigate the feasibility of re-locating the Tourist Information Office in Athlone, currently located in the Castle Grounds, to a suitable alternative location, in collaboration with Athlone Arts and Tourism and Fáilte Ireland. CPO 6.40 Support the local community, the OPW and local businesses to expand and enhance the visitor offering at Fore, taking account of the archaeological heritage at this location, to animate the stories of this historical site and increase visitor dwell time. CPO 6.41 Support sustainable initiatives and projects that enable visitors to enjoy and connect with our natural heritage, including walking or cycling trails, viewing points, facilities for bird-watching and angling, tours and events, subject to the requirements of the Habitats Directive. CPO 6.42 Support enhanced access to state and semi-state lands such as National Parks, Forest Parks, Waterways, etc., together with Monuments and Historic Properties, for recreation and tourism purposes. Access should be planned and managed in a sustainable manner that protects environmental sensitivities, ecological corridors, and the ability of local infrastructure to support increased tourism. CPO 6.43 Continue to engage with the NPWS, Coillte, ESB, Bord Na Mona and other stakeholders and agencies with regard to tourism related uses of cut-away bogs and support the development of peatways at appropriate locations. CPO 6.44 Support the diversification and innovation of our tourism offerings with opportunities arising for the development of new tourism offerings such as nature tourism.
- TOURISM 6 Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027 160 6.7 Lakes and Waterways Westmeath is known as the ‘Lake County’, with expansive lakes dotted throughout, including Lough Ree, Lough Ennell, Lough Owel and Lough Derravaragh. The value of the lakes from a tourism and amenity perspective is significant having regard to their scenic beauty, serene environment and natural heritage and habitat value, with wildlife in abundance. The county’s waterways are also of great value, the iconic River Shannon bounds the county to the west and the River Brosna meanders southwards from Mullingar. The historic Royal Canal traverses the county on its journey from Dublin city to Longford and is navigable through the county. Our lakes and waterways have benefited from significant public and private investment from a variety of sources in the long term, particularly in recent years. Public amenity areas have been developed at numerous locations along the lake shores, many of which include car parking, information panels, toilets and viewing points, with enhanced facilities such as diving boards, boardwalks and boat mooring at some locations. Boating facilities along the Royal Canal have been developed and the Royal Canal Blueway was launched in 2018 along a 23km stretch around Mullingar. A recent greenway link was created to connect the Royal Canal Greenway in Mullingar directly to the shores of Lough Owel. Visitors to Belvedere House, Gardens and Park can enjoy beautiful walks along the Lough Ennell shoreline within this historic estate. Portlick Millennium Forest Walks have also been developed to enable exploration of the Winning Peninsula of Lough Ree and where the iconic River Shannon flows into Lough Ree, leisurely cruises, watersports, bird watching, angling and the legendary Viking Boat Tour can be enjoyed. Lough Ennell and Lough Owel are also popular spots for watersports and angling and Lough Derravaragh is integral to Irish mythology, as the lake where the legendary tale of the Children of Lir took place. The Council will seek to facilitate increased visitor access and enjoyment of Westmeath’s lakes and waterways, through encouraging developments which provide visitor services and / or create stronger connections with towns and villages which can provide those services. Such services may include bike, boat and watersport equipment hire, changing and toilet facilities and guided tours, along with general services such as accommodation, restaurants etc. This will require support for the establishment of small-scale enterprise development in a sustainable manner. This poses a challenge, given the inherent environmental sensitivities at such locations. However, the Council will encourage and seek to create stronger connections between water-based amenities and nearby population centres, where visitor services can be best accommodated. Where existing underused structures and infrastructure already exists at water-side locations, priority will be given to developments which maximise the use of this existing infrastructure as opposed to new developments at these locations. The quality of our water resources is of paramount importance to realising the potential of these assets for tourism. The Blue Flag designation is an internationally recognised award and is a valuable accolade in terms of promoting the quality of our lakes and waterways for tourism. The Council will strive to attain this award for its water amenity areas and maintain or reinstate the award where appropriate. In 2019, Killinure Point was the only area with Blue Flag status in the county. All tourist related development in the vicinity of any of the lakes in the County shall be subject to the requirements of the Habitats Directive.
- TOURISM 6 Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027 161 Lakes and Waterways Policy Objectives It is a policy objective of Westmeath County Council to: CPO 6.45 Facilitate increased access to Westmeath’s lakes and waterways, from towns and villages where visitor services are located, with an emphasis on providing a strong visitor experience associated with the lakes and waterways and their heritage and amenity value, including trails, bird hides, watersports facilities etc., subject to the protection of environmentally sensitive areas and the requirements of the Habitats Directive. CPO 6.46 Support the provision of infrastructure to enable increased tourism activity associated with Westmeath’s lakes, including boating, canoeing and angling while ensuring that such provision does not negatively impact on sensitive environments and subject to the requirements of the Habitats Directive. CPO 6.47 Provide for small-scale enterprise development that will provide for visitor engagement in water-based activities, subject to development management principles, the requirements of the Habitats Directive and the protection of sensitive environments. CPO 6.48 Prioritise development proposals which utilise existing infrastructure and disused structures adjacent to Westmeath’s lakes and waterways for the provision of visitor services, including changing facilities, boat storage etc., where appropriate. CPO 6.49 Support the provision of walking and cycling links between lakes and nearby villages, towns and visitor attractions, provided such developments do not negatively impact on sensitive environments. CPO 6.50 Continue to work with Waterways Ireland and local communities in the enhancement and promotion of the Royal Canal, including the provision of ancillary infrastructure and services for Blueway and Greenway users, such as water access, bike and boat storage, rest areas, shelters, toilets, changing and other facilities which will enhance the user experience. CPO 6.51 Continue to work closely with Fáilte Ireland, Waterways Ireland and neighbouring counties to implement the Strategic Initiatives of the “Tourism Masterplan for the Shannon”, particularly in relation to tourism actions for Athlone, Lough Ree and the Mid-Shannon Discovery Zone. ‘Shannon Masterplan’, ‘Spirit Level’ and the ‘Athlone Waterfront Strategy’ will also be taken into account. CPO 6.52 Identify the potential for the development of canoe trails on the inner lakes of Lough Ree and work with Waterways Ireland to develop facilities where appropriate. CPO 6.53 Harness the tourist potential of Lough Ree Biosphere.
Source Westmeath County Council: Westmeath County Development Plan 2021–2027 (2021–2027) · 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.