Creegh

Creegh

Location and Context

Creegh is located on the R483 regional route north of Cooraclare and west of Doonbeg. It lies on the northern bank of the Creegh River and Creegh Bridge which provides a picturesque gateway to the village when approaching from the south. The Creegh River flows westerly through the village and is a favourite spot for anglers. The village is centred on the crossroads of the R483 and R484. There are a number of services and facilities in the village including a school, community hall, public houses, a church, shop and fast-food restaurant. The village is also served by the Clare Local Link bus with daily services to Ennis and Kilrush. The reuse, redevelopment, or enhancement of existing vacant buildings in the village centre is encouraged as a means of promoting its regeneration and sustainable development.

The topography within the village is relatively flat, gently sloping down to the river. Views within and from the village are quite extensive. The surrounding landscape is flat or gently rolling and not as robust as that of Cooraclare or Kilmihil, and so has less capacity to absorb development without being detrimental to landscape character.

Creegh is on the route between Kilrush and Quilty and experiences substantial traffic flowing through its main thoroughfare. Water supply is provided via the West Clare Regional Water Supply. The village is not served by a public wastewater treatment plant. 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 are in compliance 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 encourage growth in the village that will consolidate the existing built form, contribute to the vitality of the village and its community whilst preserving and enhancing the unique character of the settlement; • To support the provision of infrastructure to allow for future growth of the village; • To ensure that growth in Creegh is incremental in nature, relative and appropriate to the scale, size and character of the population and services in the village; • To support the development of additional green areas in the village.

Employment and Enterprise

Agriculture remains an important part of the local economy in the smaller settlements of west Clare. In order to support economic development, the Council will facilitate home-based economic activity and encourage farm enterprise and Agri-tourism in Creegh.

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ENT1 Enterprise

These lands are located to the east of the existing settlement and are accessed off an existing local roadway. These lands have been designated for the development of enterprise and employment-generating uses with a view to providing greater employment opportunities for residents of the village and the wider community.

ENT2 Enterprise

Siting and design of development will be an important factor in the development of this site and any plans for development must address the capacity of the site and the settlement to absorb the proposed development from a visual, environmental, and social perspective. A riparian buffer of at least 10m is provided along the boundary of ENT2 along the banks of the tributary of the Creegh River to provide protection of water quality and the river corridor at this location. Any new development on these lands shall not restrict otter commuting routes along the river.

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.

VGA1 West of Main Street

This is a large, flat site bounded to the north by the R484. The public footpath runs to the northwest edge of the site. The site is central to the village and development of either permanent residential or other non-residential uses will consolidate and support the village centre. Any future development on the site will require very sympathetic design in order to complement the existing village character. Siting, scale, and design shall be of a high standard and all development proposals must demonstrate the suitability of the site to accommodate wastewater treatment systems.

VGA2 East of Main Street

These lands are located to the east of the existing settlement and are accessed off an existing local roadway. There is a public footpath along the roadside boundary connecting the site to

__________________________________________________________________________________ Draft Clare County Development Plan 2023-2029

the village centre. These lands may be able to accommodate small scale development to help to enhance and strengthen the service base. Development must be reflective of the scale of the existing settlement and its target population. Siting, scale, and design shall be of a high standard and all development proposals must demonstrate the suitability of the site to accommodate wastewater treatment systems.

C1 and C2 Lands in the Village Centre

These lands are located to the west of the village centre. Any new development on Community zoned lands (C1) shall not restrict otter commuting routes along the river and a 10m buffer zone shall be provided along the bank (where there is not existing development).

__________________________________________________________________________________ Draft Clare County Development Plan 2023-2029