Sixmilebridge
Sixmilebridge Location and Context Sixmilebridge is situated within the Limerick-Shannon Metropolitan Area. The Metropolitan Area Strategic Plan aims to strengthen the role of the Limerick Shannon Metropolitan Area as an international location of scale, and a primary driver of economic growth in the Southern Region. Sixmilebridge is well located in relation to the surrounding settlements of Limerick, Shannon and Ennis. It is a strong Metropolitan Town with a good service and facilities base along with a train station and public bus service. Sixmilebridge has the capacity to cater for an increase in population in line with the vision of the MASP. Within the Metropolitan Area, Sixmilebridge is identified as a small town in the settlement hierarchy. Sixmilebridge gets its name from the bridge forming the focal point of the town, which historically was located six Irish miles from Limerick on the mail coach road. Sixmilebridge is an attractive town situated on the O’Garney River, with significant architectural merit, supported by three squares and a green area. It performs an important role in serving its local catchment, offering a range of retail, commercial and community facilities. It has a railway station, re-opened in 2010, which affords excellent connection to Limerick, Ennis and Galway. The town has the potential to expand its services for the benefit of residents both in the town and in the wider rural hinterland. The core area of the town is designated as an Architectural Conservation Area. Currently, the town experiences traffic congestion, exacerbated by motorists travelling from Tulla to both Shannon and Limerick. Sixmilebridge has witnessed significant residential development in recent years, particularly in the south and northeast of the town centre. Potential remains for further development in the area, particularly at key sites in close proximity to the town centre. Water is supplied to the town from the Shannon/Sixmilebridge Regional Water Supply Scheme (RWSS) with a surface water source at Castle Lake. This scheme also supplies water to a number of settlements in the area. This water treatment plant at Castle Lake as with other water supplies in County Clare, experiences significant unaccounted for/loss of water across the supply network. Irish Water is investigating feasible ways of augmenting the supply to the RWSS, possibly from Limerick City, and reducing losses of treated water from the network. The existing Wastewater Treatment Plant serving the town has significant spare capacity available to service the needs of the target population. Sixmilebridge is located approximately 4km upstream of the Lower River Shannon candidate Special Area of Conservation (cSAC) and River Shannon and River Fergus Estuaries Special Protection Area (SPA). Future development must ensure there are no significant effects on the conservation objectives of the SAC and SPA or on the site integrity, or the integrity of any other European site as a result of the proposed development. Accordingly, objectives in
__________________________________________________________________________________ Draft Clare County Development Plan 2023-2029
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