Carron

Carron

Location and Context

The village of Carron is situated to the north of the Burren National Park, approximately 5 kilometres off the R480 to Ballyvaughan. It is a small village consisting of a school, church, post office, pub/ restaurant and hostel. The NUI Galway field research centre is located near the village, as is the Burren Perfumery. Carron is also the trail head for numerous looped walks in the Burren, which attract year-round visitors to the area. The Michael Cusack visitor centre and DigiClare – Connecting Communities Hub is located approximately 1.5km from Carron village. Michael Cusack’s passion for Gaelic games led him to become the founder of the GAA which is an important part of Irish heritage. The strategy for Carron as a small village is to encourage small-scale incremental residential growth that will be reflective of the rural nature of the settlement.

Carron is also in an area of extreme groundwater vulnerability which will have implications for future development requiring adherence to the provisions of the Environmental Protection Agency Guidelines relating to wastewater treatment and disposal.

Carron is adjacent to two Special Areas of Conservation (SACs); Moneen Mountain SAC to the west of the village and East Burren Complex SAC to the east of the village as well as both being designated as proposed Natural Heritage Areas (pNHAs). Future development must ensure that there are no adverse effects on the SAC’s site integrity, or the site integrity of any other European site as a result of the proposed development. Accordingly, objectives set out in Volume 1 of this Plan relating to European sites and to Appropriate Assessment will apply to any future development proposals in this area. The Natura Impact Report accompanying this Plan (Volume 10a) relevant mitigation measures and recommendations at site and project level.

General Objective

• To make provision for the sustainable growth of the village which will support existing services and encourage further expansion of the service base, whilst retaining its unique and distinctive character.

Employment and Enterprise

The sustainable and successful development of tourism is critical to the economy of Carron, which is well positioned to offer a high quality year round product to the discerning visitor. Agriculture also plays a key role in the sustainable management of the Burren in which Carron is situated. Strengthening the links with NUI Galway through the expanded use of the field research centre for lecture series and exhibitions should be encouraged. The recent opening of the DigiClare Cusack Centre Hub and Broadband Connection Point in the Michael Cusack Centre provides an important support for rural social enterprises and the wider

__________________________________________________________________________________ Draft Clare County Development Plan 2023-2029

community by providing flexible, affordable hot desks, video conferencing and printing facilities, and high-speed broadband. The hub provides valuable facilities for local community groups and organisations in the area providing a venue for meetings and presentations. The initiative ensures remote areas like Carron, are provided with some access to high-speed broadband while waiting for the National Broadband Plan roll-out to reach them.

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 offers a viable and attractive option for rural living within a village community and setting.

The stunning landscape surrounding Carron north of the Burren National Park offers a unique environment for those seeking to live in a rural settlement and take advantage of the many free outdoor amenities in the vicinity.

The delivery of any new development in Carron will be encouraged by adopting a combined approach of sequential compact growth and the re-use and redevelopment of (any) vacant or derelict sites and buildings within the village.

__________________________________________________________________________________ Draft Clare County Development Plan 2023-2029