Kildare County Council Publishes Monasterevin Town Renewal Master Plan

Monday, 10 July 2023 10:44

By Caoimhe Harney

The plans to ensure a viable, sustainable and exciting direction for Monasterevin

Kildare County Council has published a Master Plan for the future of Monasterevin, highlighting exciting and ambitious recommended changes and proposed developments to the spatial configuration of the town to guide sustainable growth and enable it to be a safe and enjoyable place to live, work and prosper as well as an exciting place to visit and explore.

The plan sets out a number of proposals for the town under three categories; History & Heritage, Visiting & Learning, Living & Thriving. Some of these projects include:

A vision for Market Square – A re-imagining of the square as a thriving urban enclave surrounded by a unique mix of heritage, touristic and commercial offerings, alongside the potential for new dining space alongside expanded public spaces – all finished with quality paving, simplified signage, seating and lighting.

Drogheda Street – Allowing safer space for active travel modes along this critical transport spine to provide easier movement and access for those walking and cycling to school, while resurfacing and paving works will ensure visual cohesion. Safe spaces for movement as well as additional public lighting, on-street vegetation, improved signage and upgrades to the street’s surface materials could return Drogheda Street into a vibrant community corridor.

Active Trail, Moore Abbey – An opportunity to celebrate the origins of Mainister-Eimhin in the grounds of Moore Abbey, where a woodland trail offers an off-road experience to explorers, connecting back to the Barrow Blueway at the town’s Market Square.

Canal Harbour Area – Once a thriving harbour front along the Grand Canal, the plan proposed the re-imagining of this area as a unique heritage trail that announces visitors’ arrival along the Barrow Blueway. The introduction of traffic-calming measures would transform the street into a thriving pedestrian-friendly place with accessible points along the waterfront, increased vegetation as buffers, architectural upgrades to heritage shop frontages, local play points next to the historic wharf and a safe pedestrian connection underneath the rail bridge.

Pedestrians and cyclists are at the heart of the design solutions for the town set out in the plan, as well as creating fully accessible, inclusive and age-friendly public spaces, said the council.

The town renewal master plan for Monasterevin was commissioned by Kildare County council and was led by The Paul Hogarth Company, in collaboration with O’Connor Sutton Cronin engineering consultants.

Collaboration was central to the development of the plan, with input and knowledge from those who know the town best including local residents, workforce and visitors alike, as well as professional guidance from the design team.

The development of the Monasterevin Town Renewal Master Plan was co-funded by Kildare County Council and the Department of Rural and Community Development through the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) and Town and Village grant schemes as well as Local Property Tax allocations by elected members of Kildare County Council.

The Monasterevin Town Renewal Master Plan is available to view in full on the website.

More from Local News

Kfm Strengthens Position As Kildare’s Most Listened-To Station, According To Latest Ipsos/MRBI Report

Kfm CEO Clem Ryan said: “This latest research is a major reflection of the power of local radio, which showcases local issues , and where advertisers reach their target customers in real time."
Quarter Of Uisce Éireann Staff Earned Over €100k Last Year

Audio

Officials from Uisce Eireann are appearing before the Public Accounts Committee, outlining the company’s financial statements for 2024.
Meath Bird Flu Case Prompts Warning, But Chicken And Turkey Safe To Eat, Says Agriculture Minister

Audio

After confirmed cases in Carlow and Cork, the Department of Agriculture is imposing a mandatory order for all poultry and captive birds to be kept indoors from next Monday.
One-Month Road Closure In Catherinestown To Start Next Week To Facilitate Maynooth Pipeline Works

The road will shut from the junction with the L5050 at Catherinstown to the L1015 at Kellystown from November 10th to December 6th.
Commuter Chaos On M7/N7 Renews Calls For Standby Emergency Response Team During Morning Gridlock

Minister for Public Expenditure and Infrastructure Jack Chambers said he would ask Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and the Minister Of Transport to better resource the response to certain incidents.
Thousands Of Workers Could Get Tax Back In Time For Christmas, Says Financial Advisor

People can also claim on GP visits, prescriptions and rent - along with flat rate expenses for certain professions.
Tension In Fianna Fáil Over Alleged Rebel List, With Kildare TD Sean Ó Fearghaíl Labelled Part Of Old Guard

At a private parliamentary party meeting last night, Kildare South TD Seán Ó Fearghaíl said he was surprised to be described as part of an “old guard”, noting he is almost the same age as the party leader.
Exclusive: Cllr Bill Clear To Join Independent Ireland After Months Of Discussions

According to a source, Cllr Clear's decision to join the party was “common sense” because his views align with the party's "centre-right" positioning of the political spectrum.