26. Joe Brennan1
Monaghan County Development Plan 2025-2031 - Pre Draft Submission Form
Deadline for submissions is Friday 7th July 2023 at 5 p.m.
Please read the Privacy Statement before completing this form.
Introduction
A number of different topics relevant to the preparation of the Monaghan County Development Plan 2025-
2031 are set out below. In order to stimulate comments a number of pertinent questions relating to each
topic are set out under each topic heading. Please enter “N/A” in any comment box where you have no
comments to make under a particular topic.
Please note, at this pre-draft stage, any submissions relating to requests or proposals for zoning of
particular land for any purpose cannot be considered.
Please note that submissions or observations made to Monaghan County Council will be made available for
public inspection on the Council's website and may be redacted in line with GDPR and other legal
requirements. By making this submission you give Monaghan County Council permission to analyse and
include your response in any reports generated from this information.
If you have any queries when making this submission, please contact the Forward Planning Team at 047
30532 or at devplan@monaghancoco.ie for assistance. Individuals making a submission will receive an email
/ letter confirming receipt.
Q1 Contact Details of Person / Body Submission is being made by or on behalf of
Name
Address Line 1
Address Line 2
Address Line 3
Address Line 4
County
Eircode
Joe brennan
2
Telephone No
Email
Confirm Email
Q2 Are you an agent making a submission on behalf of someone else?
/No
If not, please proceed to Q3 on page 3
If so, please provide your contact details below
Name
Address Line 1
Address Line 2
Address Line 3
Address Line 4
County
Eircode
Telephone No
Email
Confirm Email
3
Below there are a list of questions on a range of topics. These questions should be considered as they may
be helpful when drafting your submission. Please note this is not an exhaustive list of topics and space is
provided below (Q10) to insert comments relating to any other topics you consider that important for
consideration in the Monaghan County Development Plan 2025-2031.
Q3 Environmental Assessment and Monitoring
• What are the significant environmental pressures in County Monaghan?
• How do we balance development with the protection of the environment?
• What objectives and policies are needed within the development plan to protect and enhance the
environment?
Please provide your comments in the box below. If you require additional space, please insert remaining
comments under Q10. Enter N/A if no comments.
Q4 Settlement Strategy
• Does the current rural housing policy and objectives need to change?
• Should there be greater emphasis on the development of our towns and villages?
• How do we balance the need to create and sustain viable towns and villages with the desire for rural
housing?
• Should there be a stronger focus on bringing vacant and derelict properties in towns and villages into
residential use?
• How do we best achieve compact urban form in settlements?
Please provide your comments in the box below. If you require additional space, please insert remaining
comments under Q10. Enter N/A if no comments.
Pressure on water quality would be a growing problem in many counties
Most of our lakes and rivers are somewhat polluted.
Town centres need to be given highest priority for development for housing ,including increasing the density
allowed in order to enable people to live near the services etc 3-4 levels of accommodation should be allowed if of
an excellent quality, with all the current environmental/green space conditions met .
Strong incentives for owners of unused /derelict houses to encourage transforming their property for
accommodation .
4
Q5 Housing Strategy
• Where should new housing be located?
• What type of housing should be provided to cater for different needs?
• Is there enough social housing and is it in the right places?
• How can housing affordability issues be overcome?
• What are the barriers to the delivery of housing in towns and villages?
• What facilities are required to support housing in both rural and urban locations?
Please provide your comments in the box below. If you require additional space, please insert remaining
comments under Q10. Enter N/A if no comments.
Q6 Climate Change, Environment and Heritage
• What should we be doing within the County to address climate change?
• How do we address / prevent increasing loss of biodiversity and habitats?
• How can our natural, cultural, and archaeological heritage be best protected?
• How can we facilitate development in the County whilst preserving and protecting our natural heritage?
• Should there be more favourable policies and objectives on renewable energy development?
• How can ground and surface quality water be protected and secured whilst ensuring the sustainable
development of our County?
Please provide your comments in the box below. If you require additional space, please insert remaining
comments under Q10. Enter N/A if no comments.
See q 4 above
In Castleblayney There is not enough suitable land zoned for housing in the centre.
Given the housing crisis in the country /county more land should be rezoned in town centre and or in areas with
existing services ie sewerage and water connections .
An advantage/encouragement should be given to landowner/s in town centres to develop their land for housing
In Castleblayney for example there is too much land zoned for industry along the by -pass, so much in fact that
from the previous dev plan none of it has been developed -plus it encourages out of town development and the
hollowing out of the town centre- too many examples of mcc allowing this to happen in Castleblayney thus
contradicting their existing dev plan
Castleblayney biggest and best attribute locally and nationally is Lough Muckno and surrounding area . This area
must be afforded the highest degree of protection available. Only strict policies that protect this areas landscape
,flora and fauna to be inserted into the new dev . plan . there must be no ambiguity as to the type of development
that is prohibited
Ie intrusive development such as the shocking “vision for lough muckno” plan currently with the “consultants”
This type of top down plan proposed by “experts” for a theme park on steroids type development, is exactly what
the dev plan should protect against . in fact it conflicts entirely with the current dev plan , no locals involved in its
planning only highly paid consultants who will never have to step foot in Castleblayney again. While leaving a trail
of destruction in their wake .
A locally based consultative group should be set up by mcc to plan and for the proper development of lo ugh
muckno going forward . this group must be an in dependent entity made of interested people who have the
sustainable development of Castleblayney and lough muckno as their primary interest. Until this is done , mmc will
not have the support to move forward with any plan for the muckno area. This should be made an objective of the
new dev plan . This idea has been proposed many times and for some inexplicable reason mcc has failed /refused
to act on it , this fact only adds to the distrust and dismay of many as to the future development of the muckno area .
This group would be tasked with guiding proposals for all development of muckno in co -operation with MCC and
other statutory agencies as well as the general public.
5
Q7 Economic Activity
• What key drivers, strengths or competitive advantages can be harnessed to increase economic growth
in the County?
• How can land use planning best facilitate sustainable economic development?
• In which ways should the development plan underpin and support new work practices and patterns?
• Should indigenous town centre retail activities be protected?
• How can small-scale enterprise, including rural and agriculture based enterprise, be encouraged and
supported through land use planning?
• How can the development plan ensure the sustainable expansion of the tourism offering of County
Monaghan?
Please provide your comments in the box below. If you require additional space, please insert remaining
comments under Q10. Enter N/A if no comments.
Q8 Infrastructure and Services
How can the use of public transport, cycling and walking be encouraged?
How can we ensure that sufficient water and drainage facilities are available to accommodate the growth in
housing, industry, employment, etc, to 2031?
How can the prevention and alleviation of flooding be incorporated within development?
Are there adequate recycling facilities available to serve County Monaghan?
Where should we facilitate mobile communication structures while ensuring a modern mobile
telecommunication network throughout the County?
What policies should we have for waste and recycling?
Please provide your comments in the box below. If you require additional space, please insert remaining
comments under Q10. Enter N/A if no comments.
See responses above
6
Q9 Community Services / Facilities
Are there any facilities, amenities or type of development that the County is missing and which you believe
are important?
How can existing educational, sport and recreational facilities be protected and improved?
What can the new County Development Plan do to promote social inclusion?
Are there sufficient education and training opportunities in the County?
Is there a need to improve public and rural transport services?
Should there be more greenways and safe walking routes provided?
Please provide your comments in the box below. If you require additional space, please insert remaining
comments under Q10. Enter N/A if no comments.
Q10 Are there any other topics/comments you wish to make in relation to the Monaghan
County Development Plan 2025-2031.
Please provide your comments in the box below (additional space overleaf). Enter N/A if no comments.
Increased walking /greenway routes are highly desirable in castleblayney and throughout the county
See q 6
7