Function and Aims

The Plan has two main functions:

1. To provide the strategic guidance for the physical development of Callan and
2. To provide the basis for assessing the detailed planning applications submitted to the Council.

The aim of the Callan Development Plan, as part of the County Kilkenny Development Plan is to ensure the proper planning and sustainable development of the Town. It will therefore facilitate the co-ordinated social, economic and environmental development of Callan and the conservation and enhancement of its natural and built environment.

The Local Authority has an obligation to promote principles of sustainable development as outlined in “Sustainable Development - A Strategy for Ireland” 1997, as adopted by the Government. It is therefore the duty of the Local Authority to ensure a sustainable balance between socio-economic growth, cultural growth and the environment.

Callan Town is located 10 miles south-west of Kilkenny City, 15 miles from Carrick on Suir, 17 miles from Clonmel and 35 miles from Waterford City. It is situated on the main Kilkenny /Clonmel road and in recent years was subject to severe traffic congestion due to the volume of heavy traffic passing through its narrow and historic streets. The recently opened by pass has improved this problem significantly and has created an opportunity for Callan to evolve and develop in a more environmentally acceptable manner.

As the third largest town in the county with a population of 1,224 (Census of population 1996, Central Statistics Office), Callan is primarily a market and service centre for a rich agricultural hinterland. The Kings River flows west to east through the town.

Callan was originally granted its charter in 1217 by William Marshall, Earl of Pembroke. Part of the original medieval town layout is still evident, for example, the crossroads on the southern side of the Kings river, upon which the market cross stood, as well as the unpaved narrow street to the rear of Bridge Street Upper which linked the crossroads to one of the two fording points on the Kings river. The town was protected by a defensive wall/circuit, which covered circa 8-12 hectares to the south of the Kings river and is reflected today in the alignment of Chapel Lane/Fair Green Lane to the south.

The town’s earliest surviving developments, an anglo-norman motte and the Augustine Abbey, are located to the north of the King’s River. The principal street, Bridge Street/Green Street, runs north to south with West Street/Mill Street as a secondary axis, with the two streets intersecting at a cross roads to the south of the bridge.

Bridge Street was very densely developed with residential shops, with Green Street laid out as a market square, forming a very fine broad formal street with a concentration of public buildings. Callan’s buildings are predominantly 18th Century, with good proportions and elegant detail.

Within the core of the town there are a number of derelict sites which seriously detract from the character of the streetscape and allow visual leakage from otherwise enclosed streets.

Considerable areas of agricultural and undeveloped land remain within the town boundary, for which planned servicing and development will take place on a phased basis. Linear development on remaining road frontage within the development boundary will not in general be permitted in order to safeguard the development value of ‘backlands’.

Industrial development has mainly taken place at the periphery of the town. The majority of these are poorly integrated into the townscape and surrounding rural areas. Improved landscaping, building and site maintenance would make a considerable improvement in the town’s image and appearance.

There have been many improvements to the townscape in the previous plan period and many of the objectives put forward have been realised. These include the restoration of Workhouse Complex, improvements to wirescape, paving and road surfaces, street lighting and preservation of protected structures. A feasibility study for the erection of a footbridge linking Clothiers Lane to the Augustinian Friary car park has also been carried out.

1. To preserve and enhance the street pattern and distinctive architectural character of Callan’s historic core. Where new development is proposed within the town these should relate to the context provided by other buildings, street and plot patterns, building frontages, established public views, landmark buildings and other townscape elements.

2. To encourage the planned development of serviced lands within the town and to discourage road frontage development in areas zoned for development and on the approach roads to the town.

3. To encourage and assist a co-ordinated programme of restoration and refurbishment of the buildings throughout the town in conjunction with designations put forward in the Town Renewal Plan for Callan.

4. To have a good social mix in new residential developments providing a range of unit types/sizes.

5. To investigate the provision of pedestrian/cycle paths linking parts of the town otherwise poorly connected.

6. That new developments should address the public realm in a manner appropriate to their use and location.

7. To seek the preservation of those items of archaeological, architectural and historic interest listed as Protected Structures in the County Development Plan including items of industrial archaeology.

8. To ensure the town centre business function develops an enhanced role as the commercial, cultural and social centre of the town and hinterland.

9. To seek to preserve and enhance the unique natural setting of the town and retain a clear division between the town and the surrounding countryside.

10. To ensure a high quality of building design and open space in all proposed housing, industrial, commercial and other developments and to preserve where possible existing hedgerows, trees and habitats.

11. To continue to implement a phased plan for the restoration and development of the Workhouse Complex.

12. To encourage the establishment of new uses for redundant buildings and to implement the Derelict Sites Act 1990 in order to ensure the removal of dereliction within the Plan period.

13. That all developments within the town are of a high quality and use ecologically sustainable materials and construction details.

14. To encourage mixed use developments such as upper floor residential over ground floor retail; upper floor community/cultural facilities over ground floor retail/office and where appropriate, retail/community/cultural facilities incorporated into housing schemes.

15. That all developments in the expression of form should relate to its context and scale.

16. That all development should integrate with the town structure maximising potential for developing new or existing connections with adjacent areas of the town.

17. That all new public buildings should be fully accessible. (This may not always be possible in existing buildings, particularly where the necessary interventions would mean the loss of important historic fabric or features. Where this happens partial access will be encouraged.)

18. To provide for a clear hierarchy of public spaces.

19. To encourage and facilitate street planting and seating in appropriate locations. Orientation of seating, shelter, shading by planting, nearness to traffic, sun trap potential, etc are all issues to be considered in assessing the location of such features.

20. To have a high quality of public lighting in all developments appropriate to the area.

21. To ensure that new-cabled services in the town are located underground and to seek to have all existing overhead cables undergrounded on a phased basis.

The population of Callan has declined from its 1946 level, with only the 1971-1979 period showing an increase (14%) since that date. The more recent figures of the 1996 Census shows a decline of 22 persons within the town over the previous census figures.
The trends in population of the intercensal periods 1966 to 1996 is shown in the table below.

As can be seen from the table above Callan has not sustained its population share of the County over the years.

However within the previous plan period, permission has been granted for a substantial number of new houses within the town. If these planning permissions are implemented it is anticipated that the population of the town will increase significantly within the next plan period.

To assist in the provision of conditions within Callan which allow the town to sustain and strengthen its role as a sustainable population centre within County Kilkenny.

A new census of population has been undertaken in the year 2002. It is an objective of the Council to monitor and analyse the results from the new census as they become available during the period of the new plan in order to identify problems and opportunities which might arise as a result of changes in the towns population.

Callan has a proven skilled manufacturing workforce and there are a number of manufacturing firms operating in or near the town. The main area for the location of industry is at Westcourt which is at the north-western end of the town and separated from it by the new bypass. The location of the lands provide easy access to the National road network without generating traffic flows through the town centre.

Lands at Westcourt are almost fully developed and there is a need for additional industrial lands within the town in order to facilitate expansion of existing industries and new inward investment.

Unemployment has shown a decline in Callan over recent years in line with the improved economic performance of the country generally. Unemployment registered in the Callan exchange has decreased from an average of 684 in 1993 to 373 in June 2000.

Potential for future new employment opportunities in Callan exist in manufacturing, education, food processing, craft production and in services, particularly those serving both local needs and tourism.

Policy Objectives

It will be the policy of the Council to

a) Ensure that adequate amounts of land are zoned for industrial development within the town.

b) To improve the attractiveness of the built environment in Callan as a place in which to work and live and as a location for industry, services and tourism investment.

c) To improve the quality of the built environment of Callan through the Village Renewal Programme.

d) To liaise with the Industrial Development Authority and with local development organisations to encourage new firms to locate in industrial lands in Callan, and to facilitate the expansion of and access to existing firms through the provision of infrastructure and the identification and reservation of lands.
e) To liaise with all relevant bodies in establishing premises for use by local start-up businesses.
f) To take steps in association with local community bodies and business interests to improve the environment and appearance of Callan in the interests of attracting enterprises and tourist visitors to the town.
g) To encourage and promote the strengthening of Callan as the local market centre for its rural catchment area.
h) To require a high standard of design and landscaping in industrial development, in order to maintain the area’s attractiveness to new enterprise.
i) Encourage the location of industrial development in the town in order to promote the development and diversification of the local economy to provide additional employment opportunities.

Callan provides the normal services of a market town, including banking, post office, and shopping. The Council commissioned a retail study for the entire County and as part of that study the retail hierarchy of the County was confirmed. Callan was placed in the sub county town category below Kilkenny City and on a par with Castlecomer, Graiguenamanagh and Thomastown.

The study confirmed that Callan performs an important function in its role as a market town for its hinterland. The location of retail development will be assessed through the sequential test. For details of the sequential test see sections 3.4.11 and 3.4.26 of Vol. 1.

For Callan it is recommended that significant proposals for retail development of 500m2 (gross) or greater convenience and comparison would be assessed against a range of criteria. For details on this see sections 3.4.24 and 3.4.25 of Vol.1.

In general it will be the policy of the Council to maintain and enhance the role of Callan as a local market centre for its rural catchment area and as a centre to service its anticipated expansion during the period of the Plan.

Callan has obvious tourist and cultural potential as evidenced by its historic qualities, fishing on the Kings river, its sporting facilities such as the Golf club GAA club and grounds.

Callan has the ‘raw material’ in its history and architectural and archaeological endowment to become a tourist centre within its own right. Conservation and restoration of its buildings and streets, along with further development of visitor facilities and heritage attractions is essential if the town is to achieve its potential.

Attractions such as the Augustinian Abbey and its surroundings, Edmund Rice’s birthplace and the town’s association with Hoban, architect of the White House and the 19th century Gaelic diarist Humphrey O’Sullivan are features on which to develop the tourism sector. In addition initiatives based on the heritage of the Kings river such as its industrial archaeology and country pursuits such as fishing are worthy of development.

It will be the policy of the Council to

a) Co operate in the development of a tourism development strategy for the town and its hinterland in association with Kilkenny City and County Tourism, SERTA, Bord Failte and local development and enterprise organisations.

b) Encourage the development of outdoor recreational /leisure activities which are based on the natural amenities and resources of Callan.

c) Consult with Bord Failte, SERTO, Kilkenny Tourism and local tourism groups in order to improve the adequacy of directional sign posting for tourists within Callan

d) Provide public rights of way to places of special beauty, amenity or recreational value or having views of outstanding quality. The Council shall also seek the preservation and maintenance and improvement of all existing rights of way to such areas.

e) Provide a significant level of investment in the provision of roads and sanitary services infrastructure which will help to foster the development of Tourism within the County.

There is a wide range of sports clubs and their respective grounds in Callan. The area of the Fair Green is currently underutilised and is the site of the old playground.

An area with longer term potential for high quality amenity and tourism development is the area around the Motte between the Kings River and the Mill Race.

It is the policy of the Council
• to preserve, provide for and improve recreational facilities within the town
• to seek the preservation of mature trees in Callan Urban Area unless they have been shown to be unsafe.

Callan is well catered for in primary and post-primary school facilities, as well as in pre-schools, Montessori schools, FAS training schemes and training schemes for the physically and mentally disadvantaged.

It is anticipated that over the period of the plan additional places at primary school level will be required in the town due to the expansion of the town under the grants of permission for housing development.

There is existing spare capacity within the primary schools of the town to cater for immediate expansion. However there may be a need for additional new facilities in the future as developments proceed.

It is the policy of the Council to:

a) Facilitate the provision of adequate primary school facilities in appropriate locations in the town due to the anticipated residential expansion.

b) Facilitate education in Callan in co-operation with the relevant educational and community bodies.

c) Facilitate and encourage the promotion of all forms of continuing education and training in skills needed to develop the local economy.

The existing health facilities include a health nurse, community welfare service, general practitioner and a psychiatric outpatients service. The South Eastern Health Board propose an extension to the existing Health Centre and providing additional services.

It will be the policy of the Council to
• provide for and encourage the development of health and other community facilities in the Town with the South Eastern Health Board and other statutory and voluntary agencies.

This service is currently provided on a part-time basis in the town and it is hoped to lengthen the opening times in the future. The current premises is unable to provide a full range of modern services and the library is due to relocate during the plan period. It is the sixth most under-utilised library throughout the county.

It is the policy of the Council to continue to improve the existing library facilities in the town as the need arises subject to the availability of finances.

The following are the objectives of the Council:

1. 1 To facilitate the provision of additional high standard formal recreation and amenity open space and ensure these are convenient and accessible for all sections of society, particularly children, the elderly and those with physical/mental disadvantages.

2. To ensure the provision of adequate areas of open space required to serve new residential developments.

3. To facilitate appropriate and sustainable countryside recreation.

4. To ensure that environmental conservation and enhancement measures are incorporated as part of the design of sport and recreation facilities.

5. 5 To facilitate community and statutory bodies in the improvement of relevant services in the town.

6. 6 To make tree preservation orders where necessary, under Section 205 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, for trees within the town environs where the future of such trees is endangered. Where developments are proposed which would endanger an unprotected tree/trees within the town, the Local Authority will ensure the developer has due regard to preserving the tree/trees and the respective habitats.

7. 7 To identify a suitable location for re-housing of new Library facilities within the town.

8. 8 To initiate and improve the accessibility to library services and the use of Online Public Access Catalogues, Internet, E Mail and the British Library Automated Information Services.

Since the opening of the Callan bypass there has been an increase in the number of proposed and built multiple housing developments in the town. As the population figures have shown, there has been a decrease in the population of the urban area of Callan, however, from the numbers of permitted and proposed developments in the vicinity of the town, it would appear that an unprecedented number of dwelling units will be completed during the plan period and it will be the availability of dwellings which will be the determining factor in the towns future population growth, providing that the current economic climate continues.

There have been 18 dwelling units completed over the previous plan period 1994-1999 by the Local Authority. Eighteen new units have recently been granted permission at Bolton and are to be developed by Saint Pancreas Housing Association.

As of December 2000 there was a total of 394 dwelling units granted planning permission within or adjacent to the town. At an average occupancy of 3 persons per house this is equivalent to an additional 1,182 persons which if constructed and occupied will double the population of the town. This does not take into account lands zoned for agriculture in the 1994 Plan within the town boundary which have development potential. Further lands are proposed for residential use zoning within the town boundary in this Plan.

It is an objective of the Council:

a) To ensure that an adequate amount of residentially zoned land is available to cater for the expansion of the town.

b) To reserve land so as to offer opportunities for locational choice for housing development within the Development Boundary, and to seek to maintain a clear division between the town and the county.

c) It is an objective of the Council to implement the housing strategy contained in Appendix A of the Development Plan.

d) The Council will require that 18.7% of the land zoned for residential use or for a mixture of residential and other uses be made available for the provision of social and affordable housing.

e) To encourage and assist a co-ordinated programme of restoration and refurbishment of the buildings throughout the town in conjunction with designations put forward in the Town Renewal Plan for Callan.

f) To ensure the maintenance and preservation of housing within the town centre, and to encourage continued residential use of upper floors.

g) To encourage the rebuilding of new residential and mixed use infill development where vacant plots exist.

h) To encourage sensitive conversion and reuse of historic structures where an original use has become redundant.

i) To utilise the powers under the Derelict Sites Act (1990) to require the maintenance of residential properties in non-derelict condition.

j) To encourage planned housing development of serviced lands within the development boundary and to encourage a wide range and high standard of design within these developments. The Planning Authority will require that serviced/serviceable lands will be developed in depth and at sustainable densities. The use of degraded or brown-field sites will be preferred and utilised where possible in order to improve the environmental character of the town.

k) To provide serviced sites within the development boundary and to enter into joint venture to encourage housing development for the elderly

l) That residential developments have a good social mix, providing a range of unit types/sizes.

m) For residential units within the designated areas of the Town Renewal Plan residential units shall have the following minimum sizes -

n) To provide for good quality pedestrian/cycle links with the town centre within new development

o) To ensure a high quality of building design and open space in all proposed housing, and other developments and to preserve where possible existing hedgerows, trees and habitats.

p) To encourage residential use on upper floors within the town over ground floor retail/office; or community/cultural facilities and where appropriate, retail/community/cultural facilities incorporated into housing schemes.

At present Callan is adequately serviced for water supply and foul sewerage treatment and there is sufficient spare capacity to cater for existing committed developments.
Should there be further significant expansion of the town over and above existing commitments then additional improvements to the existing infrastructure will be required.

It will be the policy of the Council to -

a) Ensure that Callan is provided with an adequate water supply to meet the existing and projected needs of the town.
b) To prepare a water audit and conservation plan for the town.
c) Ensure that Callan is provided with an adequate foul drainage system which will comply with all relevant environmental standards.

The following are the objectives of the Council:

a) To provide mains sewerage to existing developed areas and to extend sewerage for residential development within the development boundary.
b) To seek to ensure the appropriate treatment of all effluent discharged into the King’s River.
c) To protect the sources of existing water supplies to Callan and to extend and augment water supplies to Callan as necessary to cater for the needs of industry and the residential population.
d) To renew the pumping station to serve the Callan Water Supply Scheme.

During the last Plan period, Callan was by-passed, which has significantly reduced the level of through traffic in the Town. The construction of the by-pass provides an opportunity for the improvement of facilities within the town for local traffic pedestrian and cycle movements.

The following are the objectives of the Council:

a) To prepare a traffic management plan for Callan.
b) To extend footpaths and public lighting within the Development Boundary and on a phased basis.
c) To repair and reinstate roads and paths in Bridge Street.
d) To provide a road link between the R699 road and the R698 road as per the objectives map.

By preserving characteristic features of the County, we seek to maintain and nurture our cultural heritage as part of our identity. The intrinsic value of the rural landscape, the areas of nature conservation and the sites, monuments, and structures of historic, architectural, artistic or technical interest is a major resource for the development of tourism and economic development while contributing to the quality of life. The sustainable management of this heritage is a key priority. The Council will seek a balance of accessibility and tourism development along with the conservation and preservation of the protected structures and heritage items generally and their settings.

Callan has a rich heritage and through its policies in Chapter 9 of Vol. 1 of the Development Plan the Council will seek to maintain and preserve that heritage.

It is the policy of the Council to use its powers and available resources to protect the architectural, archaeological, historic, artistic and natural heritage of Callan both for its cultural and tourism value in accordance with the policies set out in Chapter 9 of Vol. 1 of the County Development Plan.

The following are the objectives of the Council:

1. To prepare an Architectural Conservation area Plan for the town with the period of the Plan.
2. To seek the preservation/conservation of the following structures which are contained on the Councils Record of Protected Structures. (Appendix C Vol. 1)