49. Barry Aughey
Forward Plan Team
Monaghan County Council
Planning Offices
1 Dublin Street
Monaghan Town
7th July 2023
Dear Sir/Madam,
We have been instructed to make this submission on behalf of our client, Mr Barry Aughey,
in response to the public notice inviting submissions up until 7th July in relation to the draft
Monaghan County Development Plan 2025-31 Issus Paper.
It is noted that this stage of the development plan process seeks strategic matters to be raised,
and in this context we have not included site-specific or land use zoning requests.
In this context we set out below Strategic Items for the draft Plan to take into account going
forward.
Monaghan Town
We highlight the strategic location of Monaghan Town provides an ideal location for a new
Gateway development to be incorporated at it’s northern environs proximate to the N2.
Under the current land-use zonings it is noted the Greenway extends up to the N2 round-
about, but at this location there is inadequate provision of lands for a new business park. This
lack of zoned land abutting the Greenway is prohibiting urban regeneration and development
at the northern environs is piece-meal in nature.
Going forward the Strategic Flood Risk Assessment should be supportive of zoning additional
lands abutting the Greenway in order to active this area and provide economic growth for the
Town.
Figure 1 Extract from the Land Use Zoning Map for Monaghan Town under the 2019-2025 CDP
We note this is one of the key issues identified under the Issues Paper in that how can small-
scale enterprise be encouraged.
As the Development Plan progresses we will be making a submission in due course to justify
the zoning of our client’s lands at this location.
Clones Town
The peripheral location of Clones Town has meant it has suffered from low investment and
limited job creation in recent years.
In this context the Draft Development Plan should make provision for additional industrial and
economic lands to be zoned than what is currently under the 2019-2025 CDP.
Also such additional zonings should be on a co-location basis so that synergy can be
developed through a new business park.
In this context we will also be making a submission in due course on the next stage of the
CDP preparation regarding our client’s lands at Carn, Clones.
Figure 2 Extract from the Land Use Zoning Map for Clones Town under the 2019-2025 CDP
Residential Zoning(s) & Strategic Reserve Lands
In relation to the current provision for ‘Strategic Reserve Lands’ under the current Monaghan
CDP we request this zoning provision be removed from the Draft CDP 2025-2031 going
forward.
As the Planning Authority will note this zoning provision does not provide for residential
development until an adequate quantum of phase 1/phase 2 lands are built-out. Given the
low volume of residential construction across the County this has meant that land-owners who
own Strategic Reserve Lands are being included as eligible for RZLT land taxes.
Going forward we request this zoning provision be excluded from the draft 2025-2031 CDP
and lands which are zoned Strategic Reserve should be zoned instead as either commercial,
business or industrial uses to facilitate increase jobs and investment in the County.
In this regard we highlight our client has a strategic parcel of lands abutting the Scotstown
Road in Monaghan Town and we suggest zonings on these lands be reviewed as part of the
next stage of the CDP preparation to deliver more lands for employment uses.
Figure 3 Extract from the Land Use Zoning Map for Monaghan Town under the 2019-2025 CDP
We trust the Planning Authority will have regard to the contents of this submission in it’s
preparation of the draft Monaghan County Development Plan 2025-2031.
Yours sincerely,
Ronan Woods
Director