Knockerra

Knockerra

Location and Context

Knockerra is a small village situated south of the N68 (Ennis to Kilrush) Road and southwest of Knockerra Lough. It is a picturesque settlement centred on a main crossroads and it includes a school, church, parish hall, garage/shop and a graveyard. There is a pretty green area on the southern approach to the village and a public footpath connects the church, school and existing residences to the south.

Knockerra offers a high-quality rural environment in which to live. The surrounding landscape is undulating and quite robust with significant vegetation that adds to the overall character of the settlement. There is potential for development to consolidate the existing village and to incorporate green features to enhance the public realm and other developments to the overall amenity of the village. There are several vacant buildings in the village. The reuse, redevelopment, or enhancement of existing vacant buildings in the village centre is encouraged as a means of regenerating the village centre and promoting sustainable development.

There is no wastewater treatment infrastructure in this settlement. 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’. Knockerra is connected to the public water supply.

General Objectives

• To consolidate development in the existing settlement which will help support and encourage development of services and facilities, enhance its viability and vitality, whilst safeguarding its unique character and distinctive natural environment; • To ensure that future growth in Knockerra is incremental and small scale in nature, relative and appropriate to the scale, size, and character of the population and services in the village; and • To support the provision of infrastructure to allow for future growth of the village.

Employment and Enterprise

Agriculture remains an important part of the local economy in the smaller settlements around the county. The Council will support enterprise and Agri-tourism in Knockerra as well as home-based economic activity where feasible.

__________________________________________________________________________________ Draft Clare County Development Plan 2023-2029

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.

__________________________________________________________________________________ Draft Clare County Development Plan 2023-2029