Chapter 6 – Economic Development and Tourism
Caherconlish acts as a service centre for its inhabitants and the rural hinterland. Its economic role includes the provision of some employment opportunities, crucial services for its residents, including shops, a post office, a Garda station, a petrol station and other community and professional services.
Section 3.4.3 of the Limerick Development Plan identifies’ Level 3 settlements as acting as important local drivers that provide a range of functions for their resident population and their surrounding catchments including housing, employment services and retail and leisure opportunities. Objective SSO3 Level 3 Towns provides the appropriate plan support to ‘consolidate the growth of these towns and focus policy on ensuring these towns become more self-sufficient, in terms of job creation and services.’ The economy of the village is predominantly based on the service sector. General service provision remains focused on Barrack Street and High Street. The village is predominantly a commuter village, with over 79% of the workforce with a fixed workplace not at their home working outside the settlement (Census 2016). There are currently no manufacturing or industrial workplaces operating within the village.
Fig. 6.1 Village Centre - local shop/restaurant/pharmacy
Settlements such as Caherconlish have capacity to accommodate community based enterprise centres on appropriately zoned lands where there is good access to regional and national roads and a pool of local skills. In this regard, the village is well placed in respect of ease of access off the N24 and links to the east of the County and North Cork. In addition, vacant commercial units should be encouraged for redevelopment for small scale or local enterprise, creative workspaces and industry creation, subject to normal planning and environmental criteria.
Policy ED P1: Strategic Economic Development - It is policy of the Council to:
Promote and facilitate economic development and employment generating activities in Caherconlish in a sustainable manner in accordance with higher-level spatial plans, including the Limerick Development Plan 2022 – 2028.
Objective ED O1: Local Enterprise - It is an objective of the Council to:
Encourage the redevelopment of vacant commercial units, brownfield, derelict, and infill sites for local enterprise development, subject to the normal planning criteria.
Fig. 6.2 Caherconlish Main Street
6.1.1 Enterprise and Employment Zoned Lands
Together with the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (RSES) for the Southern Region, the NPF places a strong emphasis on compact, smart, sustainable, appropriate and inclusive economic growth in settlements. Since the adoption of the exiting plan, enterprise and employment within the village has largely remained unchanged with the exception of a number of change of use permissions from retail units to a restaurant, a bistro and a veterinary clinic on Barrack Street. Two significant areas of land zoned for enterprise and employment uses under the existing Plan remain undeveloped.
A total of 5.89 hectares of land is zoned for enterprise and employment in the Draft Plan in lands north of the village core on the R513. The LAP supports opportunities for employment creation, business and technology development in Caherconlish to facilitate economic development, in accordance with the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy and the Limerick Development Plan.
Objective ED O2: Enterprise and Employment Zoned Lands - It is an objective of the Council to:
(a) Support appropriate development on the ‘Enterprise and Employment zoned lands in Caherconlish
(b) Ensure the provision of a minimum 20m landscaped buffer zone between the proposed development and adjoining residential lands.
Caherconlish is strategically located just to the south of the main Limerick to Waterford National Primary Road, (N24), which is one of the main tourist and traffic routes serving the east and south-east of the Country as well as other settlements in County Tipperary. High volumes of traffic pass through the settlement daily, many accessing North Cork as an alternative route to the N20. Caherconlish should capitalise on its location and take advantage of the economic driver that tourism can play.
Caherconlish is a historic village and is well placed to develop a tourism niche in the promotion of its historic landmarks. The village square has a number of potential public realm opportunities to increase its attractiveness. Further works in the form of a public fountain and blacksmith memorial was granted planning permission in 2019 would further enhance this area.
Objective ED O3: Tourism Development – It is an objective of the Council to:
Enhance the tourism potential of Caherconlish including the promotion of new tourism products in an environmentally sustainable manner and work with relevant landowners and stakeholders to encourage new development for the tourist industry within the Local Area Plan boundary.