Lissycasey

Lissycasey

Location and Context

Lissycasey is located on the N68 national secondary route c.15km from Ennis. It is identified as a Small Village in the Settlement Hierarchy of this plan. It is a linear settlement that stretches along the road for a considerable distance with two service centres, one at each end. The village has expanded considerably in recent years, mostly in a linear manner, particularly along the southern side of the N68. The village provides a range of services for local residents including a garage, a supermarket, school and childcare centre, community hall, credit union, church, playground and post office. There are also a number of amenities in the area including an eco-park and the riverside/cascades walk.

Due to its location on the N68 high volumes of traffic travel through the village. Lissycasey is well-presented and public areas are maintained to a high standard, however, spatial definition within the settlement could be enhanced by a simple but carefully designed tree planting scheme.

Lissycasey has its own private group water supply scheme and there is no public wastewater treatment infrastructure serving the village. Any future development including alterations to existing commercial or employment generating development will require private wastewater treatment subject to suitable site-specific conditions and must ensure they comply with the EPA Code of Practice for On Site Wastewater Treatment Systems. The Natura Impact Report accompanying this plan (Volume 10a) provides relevant mitigation measures and recommendations at site and project level.

General Objectives

• To consolidate the existing settlement and make provision for future growth to support the village services. • To ensure that future growth is balanced and sustainable and is relevant and appropriate to the scale, size, and character of the existing village. • To support the provision of infrastructure to allow for future growth. • To support the provision of a safe and pleasant living environment for residents of the village by facilitating traffic calming measures and pedestrian permeability.

Employment and Enterprise

Lissycasey is set in rich agricultural farmland which forms the economic base for the village. The high quality and unspoilt natural landscape have given rise to the setting up of a spring water bottling company sourced from organically managed farmland in the hills above the village. There are significant opportunities to build on Lissycasey’s reputation for having a clean, green environment including the development of a range of green/organic food

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synonymous with the village, and diverse farm-based and home-based enterprises are encouraged. The following site has been identified for enterprise development:

ENT1

This site provides an opportunity for the development of enterprise and employment generating uses.

The site is located southeast of an existing residential development and therefore screening/landscaping will be required as part of any future development proposals for this site. In addition, the ground conditions in the area must be taken into account in the design of proposed structures and any wastewater treatment facilities on the site.

Strategy for Growth and Sustainable Communities

The strategy for the sustainable growth of the village and its community is through consolidation and regeneration that promotes compact sequential growth and supports and strengthens a sustainable village community and its rural hinterland. This will be achieved by encouraging small scale growth in areas which make a positive contribution to the overall enhancement of the village and sustains it into the future. In line with this approach and to promote vibrant rural villages, village growth areas have been identified which provide opportunities and choice for development, including small scale commercial, enterprise, community, services/facilities as well as small scale cluster housing, all of which offer a viable and attractive option for rural living within a village community and setting.

Traffic Management

Traffic calming measures in the form of traffic islands and pedestrian crossings have been installed in some parts of the village. Further works may be required throughout the lifetime of this Plan to ensure that the high volumes of traffic passing through the village are effectively managed.

Transport, Active Travel and Connectivity

In terms of public transport, Bus Eireann and Local Link provide regular bus services to and from Ennis and Kilrush. These services provide a valuable connection to the service towns and an alternative to the private car for residents and visitors and encourages a modal shift to a more sustainable transport option.

In addition, the enhancement of and provision for green infrastructure such as walking and cycling routes would promote active recreation and sustainable travel in the village and its environs. Improved facilities for safe pedestrian linkages between key elements of the village would encourage pedestrian movement and improve amenities in the area. In this regard, as part of the National Transport Authority’s Active Travel 2021 programme funding has recently been allocated for improvements to footpaths in Lissycasey.

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Place Making and Regeneration

In spite of its linear form, much has been done to enhance the village public realm by ensuring a high level of consistency and maintenance of the boundaries between public and private spaces. Grass surfaced margins, where used, enhance the public space. However, the challenge presented by the wide, straight national route passing through the village is such that more needs to be done. The absence of vertical, enclosing elements encourages speed through the village. A planting scheme of single or double rows of trees on opposing sides of the road could form periodic areas of enclosure that act to slow traffic and provide crossing areas.

There are a number of vacant and derelict buildings in the village. The plan supports the redevelopment or alternative use of such buildings in order to bring them back into active use.

It is an objective of the Council:

• To promote sustainable and compact growth to address issues of vacancy including the reuse or redevelopment of vacant, underutilised sites and buildings for alternative uses.

Flooding and Flood Risk

The Strategic Flood Risk Assessment in Volume in 10(c) of this Plan advises that there is limited flood risk in Lissycasey, with three small streams passing through the settlement. The lands on the bank of the streams may be at some flood risk which includes commercial, agricultural, and existing residential and open space uses. The SFRA advises that open space zoning and agriculture are appropriate and should be retained. Redevelopment of the commercial and residential sites should be controlled through development management and risks associated with the culvert blocking should be assessed and used to inform finished floor levels.

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