Chapter 4 - Town Centre First Approach

4.1        Introduction

The Limerick Development Plan acknowledges the challenges facing rural communities and the important role that rural towns and villages play as local drivers for their surrounding areas. 

Figure 4.1 Castleconnell Village Centre

Recent government policy publication, Town Centre First seeks to create vibrant communities in urban settlements, including smaller villages, such as Castleconnell to encourage families back into living in the heart of towns and villages.  The policy outlines the need for towns and villages to be climate resilient, well-connected, accessible locations where digital technology is integrated into daily commercial and social life and where the urban built heritage is sustainably managed and conserved.

The Council has a proactive regime in place, which aims to tackle the issues of dereliction and vacancy throughout Limerick. A dedicated team within the Council work on a continuous basis seeking to reduce vacancy and dereliction, through the various tools available, including compulsory purchase orders of vacant and underutilised properties.  The Council will continue to monitor vacancy and work with the relevant stakeholders to address issues that exist and utilise the various tools available to implement urban regeneration.

Policy TCF 1: Town Centre First: It is a policy of the Council to:

Support the implementation of the Town Centre First policy in Castleconnell in creating a viable, vibrant and attractive village centre to live, work and visit while also functioning as the service, social, cultural and recreational hub for the local community through the enhancement of the village’s rich architectural heritage and enhancement of the public realm.

4.2        Town Centre First and the ’10 minute’ town concept

This Draft Plan promotes the ‘Town Centre First’ approach with a focus on creating a thriving village centre with a strong service and social function.  This is based on the principle of the ‘10 Minute’ Town concept, whereby a sustainable compact settlement, such as Castleconnell, provides a range of community facilities, services, recreational and cultural amenities and employment opportunities, which are accessible in short walking and cycle timeframes from homes, or accessible by public transport services connecting people to larger-scaled settlements such as Limerick City and Environs.  Through the re-use of buildings, infill development, re-purposing of under-utilised lands within the village centre for mixed uses including residential, small local shops or creative workspaces, the Draft Plan seeks to consolidate the village rather than encourage sprawl.  In addition, the Draft Plan supports the investment in high quality pedestrian/cyclists friendly public realm and attractive public spaces where people can gather socially and provide green spaces that facilitate local communities.

Figure 4.2 – 10 minute walking network Castleconnell

4.3        Town Centre Health Check

Castleconnell has a vibrant village core with much of the day to day needs of the community met within the main streets of the village.  Vacancy levels for residential and commercial use in the village is low at 1%. 

This Plan will provide support for continued diversification of services within the village core to sustain the residential population. Opportunities for the reuse of these buildings will be supported in the Plan as will the provision of new services within the village core.

Figure 4.3 Town Centre Health Check January 2022

4.4        Retail

The Retail Strategy for Limerick Shannon Metropolitan Area and County Limerick designates Castleconnell as a Tier 4, Level 1 Large Village on a par with Caherconlish. The Strategy recognises that small towns, villages and local centres play an important role in the retail hierarchy, fulfilling the everyday needs of the communities they serve. 

The Council supports the ‘town centre approach’ for the provision of retail as promoted by Government policy and the Retail Strategy when assessing planning applications.  Development proposed on the ground floor in the village centre should be restricted to shopping and related services with active frontages to address the street.   Out-of-centre locations for retail business and services are generally not permitted in efforts to consolidate the existing retail centre, encourage the reuse of vacant units within centre and provide services close to the existing development. The level of commercial vacancy as identified through a village centre health check in January 2022 is 6 units.  This is testament to the vibrant range of services within the village core.  This plan will support the delivery of new retail units and diversification of services to support the residential population. The Draft LAP anticipates that additional retail development in Castleconnell will be achieved through the redevelopment of vacant units or the change of use of existing units.

Figure 4.4 Retail units in Castleconnell

All retail development will be subject to compliance with the Retail Strategy which forms part of the Limerick Development Plan. 

Policy RL 3: Retail Strategic Policy:  It is the policy of the Council to:

To support the sustainable long-term retail growth of Castleconnell as a Tier 4 Large Village Level 1, in accordance with the Limerick Development Plan and the Retail Strategy for the Limerick Shannon Metropolitan Area and County Limerick 2022 – 2028.

Objectives RL 01: Retail Development: It is an objective of the Council to:

Enhance the vitality and viability of Castleconnell as a retail service centre and to improve the quantity and quality of retail provision in the village by:

1. Emphasising the village centre as the primary shopping location.
2. Encouraging the upgrade and expansion of existing retail units and the development of new units in the village centre.
3. Ensuring that proposals with retail development elements comply with the provision of the Retail Strategy for the Limerick Shannon Metropolitan Area and County Limerick 2022 – 2028 in relation to site suitability and the sequential approach and ensure proposals which would undermine the vitality and viability of Castleconnell village centre will not be permitted.
4. Encourage proposals at ground floor level within the village core for commercial uses.
5. Prohibit the proliferation of uses in the village centre which would detract from the amenities, or the vitality and viability of the area such as fast food outlets, amusement arcades, off-licences, bookmakers and other non-retail uses.  Storage use is not permitted as the primary use of ground floor units.
6. Encourage the use of upper floors in retail premises for commercial or residential uses.
7. Enhance the physical environment of the village centre as a location for shopping and business through measures aimed at improving conditions for pedestrians.
8. Encourage the upgrade and refurbishment of existing retail units and the maintenance of original shopfronts, or the reinstatement of traditional shopfronts, where poor replacements have been installed, and discourage the use of external roller shutters, internally illuminated signs or inappropriate projecting signs.

4.5        Opportunity Areas

The Council has identified two areas that have the potential to enhance community vitality and create a positive public realm experience in the village.  These sites have been chosen as the Council seeks to capitalise on the existing assets of Castleconnell. 

Objective TCF2: Opportunity Sites: It is an objective of the Council to:

a)   Encourage and support the appropriate and sustainable development or redevelopment where appropriate of lands identified as development opportunity sites in line with the principles set out in Table 3.

b)   Ensure that new development in the village centre and in particular the opportunity areas comprises the highest of qualitative and design standards, complimenting the existing historical built fabric, or national heritage, sustaining Castleconnell, as a village in which to live, work, invest in and do business.