By Dan Walsh at September meeting of Wexford County Council
Following on from last weeks Special Meeting regarding the Part VIII Planning Application relating to the Market Square area of Enniscorthy, which received no support from any of the elected members on the day, came before today’s monthly meeting of Wexford County Council held at the Council Chamber, Carricklawn, Wexford, passed without a vote and with very little discussion.
Cathaoirleach Cllr Pip Breen introduced the application and Chief Executive Eddie Taaffe spoke briefly about changes to the retention of parking, said the demolition of the old Murphy-Flood’s site has begun (machinery moved in on the site on Monday morning) and will return about 20 parking spaces and seek retail offers, he stated that “there is a commitment for regeneration in the Templeshannon area, the Council has already taken charge of the Swimming Pool, he mentioned URDF funding and supported the Castle Quarter regeneration programme.
Cathaoirleach of Enniscorthy Municipal District, Cllr Aidan Browne, spoke of “a very difficult position”, was content that the loss of 104 car parking spaces is now down to 43 and was relieved at the commitments to Templeshannon. “With a population of 12,500 Enniscorthy is the fastest growing town in Ireland,” he concluded.
Cllr Jackser Owens who used last weeks’ special meeting, local radio and print media to admonish the plan said he “agreed with everything that Cllr Browne had said.”
Cllr Cathal Byrne welcomed commitments secured from the Executive and while he believed that Templeshannon “was always forgotten” he welcomed efforts to attract retail and is pleased that Wexford County Council has taken ownership of Enniscorthy Swimming Pool located in Templeshannon.
The only other speaker on the matter was Cllr Paddy Kavanagh, who lives close to Enniscorthy town although he is elected to the Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District and recalled that in 2017 €1 million was allocated to Templeshannon via “two abysmal applications.”
The application was proposed by Cllr Browne and seconded by Cllr Owens and the meeting moved on.
A detailed account can be found in the Chief Executive’s Report which informs us that planning site notices were displayed in October 2023 and remained in place for the full duration of the planning process. There were 73 submissions received in relation to the proposal.
The proposed development consists of revised street layouts and public realm improvements to Castle Hill, Castle Street, Church Street, Court Street, Weafer Street, Spout Lane, Cathedral Street, Main Street, Barrack Street and Island Road to incorporate revised on-street parking zones, increased pavement widths, hard and soft landscaping, and improved active travel measures.
Castle Hill and Castle Street to become one-way in a west bound direction. Barrack Street to become one-way in an east bound direction as far as the entrance to the existing underground car park. New signal-controlled junction at intersection of Barrack Street and Island Road to assist traffic flow.
Part pedestrianisation of Market Square on northern side, with removal of on-street parking and through traffic between intersection of Main Street and Irish Street, and Main Street and Castle Street. New and enhanced raised table pedestrian crossings at south-east and south-west corners of Market Square, junction of Castle Hill, Castle Street and Church Street, and on Cathedral Street. Undergrounding of existing overhead services and removal of existing poles. High quality surface materials and other miscellaneous works.
The Chief Executive’s Report states that “it is recommended that the development should proceed subject to the recommendations contained in the referral response from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the following amendments;
Amend design on Church Street to retain car parking and to widen access to the Church of Ireland. Omit changes to Court Street. Retain parking on Cathedral Street, including the herring bone parking to the boundary with St. Aidan’s Cathedral. Retain parking from 59 Weafer Street heading west (uphill). Retain the two-way entrance at Dunnes Stores from Island Road to Barrack Street. Provide traffic lights at the junction of Barrack Street and Island Road with priority given to traffic from Barrack Street following review of the traffic flow. Retain existing road layout to Irish Street as an alternative to traffic heading north to Market Square.
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