Moynalty

Dúnta3 Sam, 2021, 8:59am - 3 Sam, 2021, 9:00am

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1.0  Village Context and Character

Moynalty is located to the north west of County Meath close to the border with County Cavan, on the regional road R164 that connects Kells to Kingscourt.  It is 8km north of Kells, and the village of Mullagh is located to the west, and Carlanstown to the east.  The Moynalty River passes along the south-western edge of the village.

There is historical evidence of a settlement in Moynalty since medieval times, with a later castle, ruined church, ruined mills and a fishing weir from the 1600’s.  However, the remodelling of the village in the 1820’s by an improving landlord, John Farrell, defines the character of the village today, comprising a long main street, bookended by the Catholic and Church of Ireland Churches, with the estate house and wall, lodges, and former school and constabulary barracks along the northern side of the street, many of which are protected structures today.  The village has been consolidated with new infill structures and enhances public amenity with access to the river and threshing field, which accommodates the annual Moynalty Stream Threshing festival, to the south west of the village.

Moynalty is a picturesque location and the village was the overall winner of the national ‘Tidy Towns’ competition in 2013.

Position in Settlement Hierarchy

Village

2016 Population

96  

2011 Population

116
(estimate no census data available)

Percentage Change 2011-2016

- 15.5%

Housing stock 2016

32

Number of units completed 2016-2019

0

Committed units not yet built

1

Population Projection 2027

146

Education Facilities         

Scoil Naomh Mhuire (outside settlement boundary)

Community Facilities

10

Architectural Conservation Areas (ACAs)

Moynalty Architectural Conservation Area

Protected Structures

29

Zone of Archaeological Potential

There are three zones of Archaeological Potential within the village.

Natura 2000 Sites

The nearest Natura 2000 site is the Killyconny Bog (Cloghbally) SAC which is located approximately 4.2km to the west.    

The Moynalty River is a tributary which flows into the River Boyne & River Blackwater SPA and SAC.

Strategic Flood Risk Assessment

Manage flood risk and development with approved policies and objectives as set out in Vol. 1 Chapter 6: Infrastructure.  A sequential approach within existing zoned development lands with potential flood risk will be applied. 

Water Services Infrastructure/Capacity

Moynalty Wastewater Treatment Plant-Capacity Available Moynalty Water Treatment Plant-Capacity Available

2.0 Vision

To consolidate and strengthen the commercial and residential village centre, and encourage development which will contribute to the character and structure of the village core and to preserve and enhance the quality of the village’s attractive built and natural environment, while catering for the needs of all sections of the local community to ensure that the village develops in a sustainable manner, as an attractive place to live, work recreate and visit. Only natural/organic residential growth will be encouraged over the lifetime of the Development Plan in line with the Development Plan Core Strategy.   

3.0 Opportunities

  • The main street widens to the south eastern end, where it terminates in a triangular shaped open space.  The street narrows to the west, towards the Catholic church, with Moynalty Lodge to the north and the river at its closest to Main Street to the south. Moynalty Lodge is bounded by a high stone wall and dense planting.  The road width in this part of the Main street is confined and narrow, increasing the sense of arrival to the village main street when approached from the north west.  The public realm is well defined but would benefit from improvement and delineation of vehicular and pedestrian areas at the south eastern end of the village. 
  • The village benefits from the river amenity, which provide recreational amenity adjoining and connected to the village, and also adjoins the steam threshing field and museum. There is potential to maximise on these environmental and tourism assets, and to extend the potential tourism related economy of the village.

4.0 Land Use Strategy

In order to facilitate the delivery of the vision for Moynalty, a village strategy is proposed, which is complemented with the Land Use Zoning objectives for the village.  There are a number of key complementary elements to the Strategy; promote an increase in the resident population within the village core appropriate to the scale of the village and its place within the settlement hierarchy, the provision of services to meet the demand generated by existing and new uses together with the protection and enhancement of the public realm and to promote the tourism potential of the village while protecting the intrinsic character of the village.

4.1 Settlement and Housing

The village benefits from a variety of dwelling types from the 19th and early 20th century, including large detached dwellings, Moynalty Lodge, the Parochial House to the north west, and a number of farm dwellings to the south east.  A number of semidetached former gate lodges, and estate dwellings are situated along the main street that provide a mix of residential, and a  small element of commercial. There is infill housing to the south west of the main street.  Clusters of new residential areas are located to the east, St. Mays Villas.  Further clustered housing is located adjoining the GAA fields on the Carlanstown Road, however these are outwith the settlement boundary of Moynalty.

There is potential for Moynalty to absorb modest residential development within the village boundary on infill lands.  Any new residential development should be bespoke and designed to seamlessly integrate with the existing village context, though careful  siting, layout and design as well as appropriate boundary treatment, landscaping and building form. 

4.2 Economy and Employment

Moynalty is identified as a level 5 retail centre in the County Retail Hierarchy.  It has a small range of retail and business services, including a grocery store, petrol station and store, butcher, hairdresser, coffee shop and two public houses, as well as community uses including the post office, and health centre.  The village provides for the everyday life of the local community and rural hinterland. There is sufficient village centre zoned land to allow for expansion of local commercial uses in if required.

The annual Steam Threshing Festival is a very successful and well-established event and is an important event in the tourism calendar.  The Moynalty Museum is also a significant tourism attraction.  The steam threshing, museum, and heritage value of the village has the potential to attract year-round tourism, that may sustain a greater level of business in the village.  This strategy promotes the enhancement of the tourist potential of the village.

Any additional commercial and enterprise uses are encouraged to develop in a central location that would contribute to the achievement of a more sustainable variety of use within the village, that provides for residents to live, work, recreate and visit.

4.3 Water Services Infrastructure

The village is served by the following water services infrastructure:

Water: Moynalty Water Treatment Plant has limited spare capacity.

Wastewater: The village is served by Moynalty waste water treatment plant located adjacent to the development boundary south of the village. This plant was commissioned in 2010 and has sufficient spare capacity to facilitate the development and growth provided for in this County Development Plan.

4.4 Movement

Moynalty has a simple road layout, comprising a single primary street with a junction at the river crossing to the west, to the north west to Kingscourt and Mullagh, and south east to Carlanstown. It is well served with public paths along both sides of the main street and an amenity walk along the river.  However, car parking is poorly delineated, and the Main Street and the triangular space at the Church of Ireland is dominated with cars. 

Bus Eireann has a scheduled service which passes through the village and provides an important infrastructural link to Dublin, Navan, and Kells. 

This Plan will promote sustainable modes of transport such as walking and cycling, through the development of permeable and connected streets and spaces, and the enhancement of pedestrian facilities including improved paving and street lighting as appropriate.  An extension of a pedestrian route to the GAA grounds is a long term objective, that may develop incrementally.  An extension of the river walk is also proposed to connect the amenities of the village.  This will require stakeholder agreement to implement.  This plan will promote liaison with NTA to provide a dedicated bus stop, and potential shelter appropriate to the conservation status of the village to encourage more people to avail of public transport. 

4.5 Cultural and Natural Heritage

The village is designated an Architectural Conservation Area (ACA) which reflects the special significance of the built heritage that defines the  character of Moynalty.  The elements that contribute to the special character of the village include the landscape setting, the groups of mature trees, the relationship of the village with the countryside, the river, the main street and sense of enclosure, the spatial location of the churches, and large houses, the materials, the architectural expression of structures and use materials.  Care should be taken to ensure that any future proposals in this area respect the special character of Moynalty. 

4.6 Green Infrastructure

The village derives it much of it characteristics and beauty from its landscape setting, comprising a mixture of pasture and arable fields, with historic stone walls, neat hedgerows and mature trees that lead into the village, creating distinctive approaches to the village.  The village sits along the banks of the Moynalty River and is positioned at a higher point above and parallel to the river, affording very attractive views of the village’s historic core from the southern approach from Kells and from Moynalty Bridge crossing the river. The natural environment provides the setting to the village, and the  protection of this setting is essential to safeguard the character of Moynalty. These views towards and within the village are protected in order to retain the intrinsic landscape and village character (see MOY OBJ 12 of this Plan).

4.7 Social Infrastructure

Moynalty contains a national school and cemetery, both located outside of the development boundary, a health centre, church, a post office, credit union, Garda station, Muintir na Tire Hall, showground hall and museum and tennis courts.  There is also riverside amenities, which provides for recreational walking close to the village centre.  The GAA grounds are located to the south east of the village along the Carlanstown Road.  The village would benefit from a dedicated children’s play area to balance the provision of recreational facilities for all populations.  There are sufficient lands available for the expansion of community uses, in particular adjoin the Catholic Church including the former national school, and the associated grounds.

4.8 Urban Design and Public Realm

This strategy promotes the enhancement of the entrance gateways to the village in the form of public realm improvements incorporating signage / branding for the village.

The village core is defined by the linear space in the village centre. Public realm improvements are proposed to enhance the environmental quality of this space, to include the provision of additional and improved pedestrian paths, public lighting and landscaping, incorporating cycleways as appropriate.  The objective is to create a more pedestrian friendly village, that would encourage safer pedestrian movement from the north eastern side of the street, to the south western side of the main street, and amenity area. 

5.0 Village Development Policies and Objectives

The Policies and Objectives set out below are in addition to those included in the Written Statement in Volume One of the County Development Plan. To avoid repetition Policies and Objectives have only been restated where they have particular relevance to the settlement. These Policies and Objectives should therefore be read in conjunction with the Policies and Objectives and Development Standards in Volume One of the County Development Plan.

Policy

It is the policy of the Council:

MOY POL 1

To consolidate and strengthen the commercial and residential village centre of Moynalty, and encourage development which will contribute to the character and structure of the village core and to preserve and enhance the quality of the village’s attractive built and natural environment, while catering for the needs of all sections of the local community to ensure that the village develops in a sustainable manner, as an attractive place to live, work recreate and visit.

Objectives

It is an objective of the Council:

Settlement and Housing

MOY OBJ 1

To secure the implementation of the Core Strategy of the County Development Plan, in so far as is practicable, by ensuring the household allocation for Moynalty as set out in Table 2.12 of the Core Strategy is not exceeded.

MOY OBJ 2

To support and encourage residential development on under-utilised land and/or vacant lands including ‘infill’ and ‘brownfield’ sites, subject to a high standard of design and layout being achieved.

Economy and Employment

MOY OBJ 3

Support the enhancement of the tourist identity of the village to link Moynalty with other towns and villages and support the development of facilities to in response to the potential demand, including retail, enterprise, and visitor accommodation in suitable locations.

Infrastructure

MOY OBJ 4

To liaise with and support Irish Water to endeavour to provide adequate water services to meet the development needs of the Village within the Plan period.

Movement

MOY OBJ 5

To promote more sustainable forms of transport, including the provision of new pedestrian paths, public lighting, and traffic calming measures to connect the amenities of the village.  

MOY OBJ 6

To promote the enhancement of the pedestrian connections from the Main Street to the Moynalty museum and integration with the river amenity walk and threshing field.

MOY OBJ 7

To explore the feasibility of the provision of a pedestrian walkway from Moynalty Village to Moynalty GAA pitches and St. Mary’s Villas.

MOY OBJ 8

To liaise with NTA and other relevant organisations to seek the provision of a dedicated bus stop and shelter appropriate to the conservation status of the village to encourage more people to avail of public transport.

Cultural and Natural Heritage

MOY OBJ 9

To promote the appropriate reuse of disused structures, including the former National School.

MOY OBJ 10

To require that all development proposals within or contiguous to the Architectural Conservation Area be sympathetic to the character of the area, that the design is appropriate in terms of height, scale, plot density, layout, materials and finishes and is appropriated sited and designed in accordance with advice given in Moynalty Architectural Conservation Area Character Statement

MOY OBJ 11

To continue to work with the community to enhance the biodiversity of the river linear walks, and integration with proposed new walks through the village. 

MOY OBJ 12

To protect the following views:

  1. View of Moynalty Bridge and St. Mary’s church and their settings, seen from the south as you enter the village from Kells.
  2. View from the elevated height of the threshing field of the River and Main Street beyond.
  3. View of the River.
  4. View along the Kells Road of stone wall and trees as you enter the village.
  5. View looking northwest along the Mullagh Road of stone wall and trees as you exit the village.
  6. View of St. Mary’s Church and its setting.
  7. View looking northwest of stone wall and entrance to village from Carlanstown.

MOY OBJ 13

To promote the preservation of individual trees or groups of trees as identified on the land use zoning map including those to the north of Fair Green and those within Pine Grove and to manage these trees in line with arboricultural best practice

Social

MOY OBJ 14

Support the development and provision of a children’s play area on a suitable site within the village.

Urban Design and Public Realm

MOY OBJ 15

Maintain the integrity and visual amenity of the entrance gateways to the village, the village setting and the views and prospects within the village.

MOY OBJ 16

Support the development of a village square / community space at the entrance to the former Church of Ireland, to include improved delineation of pedestrian and parking areas, public lighting and landscaping to create a high-quality village square and focus for the village and a space for residents and visitor to interact and linger.

MOY OBJ 17

To ensure that all new development respects the scale, form and heritage character of the village

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