Athlunkard
Athlunkard Location and Context Athlunkard is situated in the Limerick City suburbs and forms part of the Limerick Shannon Metropolitan Area. The MASP 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. The defined settlement boundary for Athlunkard focuses on capturing the extent of the existing built form. The River Shannon marks the southern and western boundaries of the settlement. To the northwest, the boundary is defined by the L-3060 local road and encompasses a line of ribbon development to the north. To the east, the boundary follows the line of the existing Westbury housing development. The village is served by a public water main (Limerick City) and is connected to the Limerick Main Drainage public wastewater treatment system which has sufficient capacity to cater for the target populations. Athlunkard’s proximity to Limerick City has resulted in it having a predominantly suburban character. The layout of numerous housing estates presents challenges for wayfinding and placemaking. In addition to a well defined neighbourhood centre, Athlunkard is also served by a church and nursing home in Westbury. Athlunkard adjoins the Lower River Shannon candidate Special Area of Conservation (cSAC), with the River Shannon and River Fergus Estuaries Special Protection Area (SPA) located downstream of the settlement. Future development must ensure there are no adverse effects on the conservation objectives of the cSAC and SPA together with the site integrity, or the integrity of any other European site as a result of the proposed development. Accordingly, objectives set out relating to European sites and to appropriate assessment will apply to any future development proposals in this area. General Objectives • To support the role of Athlunkard within the Limerick Shannon Metropolitan Area in accordance with the Metropolitan Area Strategic Plan; • To consolidate existing residential areas in the settlement; and • To secure the development of additional social infrastructure to serve the large community in the Athlunkard area.
__________________________________________________________________________________ Draft Clare County Development Plan 2023-2029
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