This written statement will provide an overview of the development strategy for East Meath. A detailed Local Area Plan for the area will be prepared during the life of this Plan.
The East Meath area consists of Bettystown-Laytown-Mornington East and Donacarney Mornington. These areas were designated as a single settlement ‘Laytown-Bettystown-Mornington-Donacarney’ in the census. This designation automatically requires the preparation of a Local Area Plan for this census town.1
The East Meath area has experienced considerable population and household growth in the past 20 years. This growth has been driven by a number of factors including the attractive coastal location and expansive beach front, the location of the settlements along a commuter rail line, and the proximity of the settlements to Dublin, Drogheda, the M1, and Dublin Airport. The area has developed as a commuter settlement, with population growth taking place in the absence of any significant employment growth. Social and community infrastructure has also failed to keep pace with the rapid increase in population.
Mornington East is the most northern section of East Meath and consists of a cluster of residential developments accessed off the Coast Road and the Garra Road. This is an established residential area with limited new development in recent years.
The primary location of the most recent growth in East Meath has been in Bettystown where there are a number of residential developments recently completed or close to completion. Bettystown lies in a central location in East Meath between Mornington East and Laytown. In addition to residential land uses, Bettystown is also the principle shopping area in East Meath. The Bettystown Town Centre development has been developed over the past decade. It remains partially complete and is currently underperforming as a Town Centre. This is demonstrated by the high levels of vacancy in the development.
Laytown is located to the south of Bettystown and consists of a cluster of residential developments with a small number of local shops to serve these properties. An Aldi food store is currently under construction in Laytown. Laytown Rail Station is located on the southern edge of the settlement.
Donacarney-Mornington is a village with a limited range of services that is situated between Bettystown-Laytown-Mornington East and Drogheda. The area is residential in character.
|
Position in Settlement Hierarchy |
Self-Sustaining Town |
|---|---|
|
2016 Population |
11,872 |
|
2011 Population |
10,889 |
|
Percentage Change 2011-2016 |
8.60% |
|
Housing stock 2016 |
4,338 |
|
Number of units completed 2016-2019 |
689 |
|
Committed units not yet built |
518 |
|
Core Strategy Household Allocation |
746 units |
|
Population Projection 2026 |
13,372 |
|
Resident Workers 2016 |
4,712 |
|
Total Jobs 2016 |
772 |
|
Job – Workforce Ratio 2016 |
0.16 |
|
Recommended density of future developments |
25-35 units/ha |
|
Education Facilities |
16 |
|
Community Facilities |
14 |
|
Architectural Conservation Areas (ACAs) |
Laytown Architectural Conservation Area. No Architectural |
|
Protected Structures |
30 3 proposed deletions as part of Draft CDP 1 proposed addition as part of Draft CDP |
|
Zone of Archaeological Potential |
There are several National Monument Service Zones of Archaeological Notification within the settlement. |
|
Natura 2000 Sites |
There are a number of Natura 2000 sites within and adjacent to the respective settlement boundaries.
|
|
Strategic Flood Risk Assessment |
Manage flood risk and development in line with approved policies and objectives as set out in Vol. 1 Chapter 6: Infrastructure. |
|
Water Services Infrastructure/Capacity |
Water: Donacarney, Mornington, Bettystown, and Laytown are supplied by the East Meath Water Supply Scheme. Capacity is available but there are network constraints. Wastewater: These areas are serviced by the East Coast Sewerage Scheme with wastewater pumped to Drogheda Wastewater treatment plant. Capacity exists but, there are network constraints. |
The strategic vision underpins the approach to and guides the future development of East Meath in a sustainable manner, in a way that reflects the existing character and amenities of the area and improves quality of life for the existing and future population. The vision seeks:
"To support and encourage the consolidation of the East Meath settlements and facilitate greater connectivity between the settlements and support the provision of additional social and community infrastructure and improvements to the urban environment, whilst protecting and promoting the tourism sector and reinforcing the role and function of the redefined town centre in Bettystown".
The priority for East Meath is to focus on improvements in services, facilities, and infrastructure that will meet the needs of the rapidly expanded population and assist in the creation of a more balanced and sustainable community. Residential growth in the entire area will focus on consolidation and the completion of ongoing developments in order to allow the associated social and community infrastructure to catch up.
It is recognised that the high levels of vacancy and the uncompleted buildings in the Town Centre development are detracting from the local landscape and urban environment, which is detrimental to the coastal setting of the settlement. The Council will therefore support the completion of this development by promoting it as the primary location for commercial and retail development in the area.
In addition to the Town Centre, there is a high level of vacancy along the Coast Road. As part of the Active Land Management Strategy this plan will support the regeneration of vacant and under utilised sites in the urban core of the town.
In recognition of the high levels of vacancy in the Town Centre and the projected additional retail floorspace requirements for the area as set out in the Retail Strategy (c.1,000-1450m² of convenience and 400-500m² of comparison floorspace), it was considered that there was an excess of lands zoned for town centre uses in the area. The lands to the south of the Town Centre have therefore been re-zoned for Mixed Uses. This zoning would facilitate the provision of commercial, employment, and residential uses in this location, which would be complementary to the Town Centre and would an ensure there is an appropriate mix of residential and commercial uses in the urban core of the town.
A key element of the Development Strategy for the area is improvements to the urban streetscape and environment, which will create a greater sense of place and make the area more attractive for investment. This will be delivered through the implementation of the Public Realm Plan for Bettystown-Laytown.
The existing road network has struggled to accommodate the additional traffic movements associated with the population growth over the past decade. The construction of the north-south spine road connecting the R150 at Scoil an Sprioraid Naoimh Primary School to the Eastham Road roundabout would significantly improve vehicular movements and is an infrastructure priority for this Plan.
In recognition of the importance of the beach to both residents and visitors the Council has recently purchased buildings at the entrance to the beach that are to be developed as a beach management/service building. This building shall be a high quality design that will contribute to the creation of an attractive streetscape along the seafront.
The Council will continue its support for local events on the beach such as the Laytown Races, Kite Surfing, and Beach Volleyball competitions which are important social and community events in the local area.
The provision of a public library is another important community asset that the Council is committed to providing. The identification of a suitable location for a modern library facility is ongoing.
A Public Realm Plan for Bettystown-Laytown is currently being prepared. The objective of this plan is to improve urban spaces, give greater priority to walking and cycling, reduce the dominance of the car, create a more attractive environment that would encourage more people into the town centre and create a greater sense of place.
The Public Realm Plan also seeks to integrate the partially developed Town Centre development with the historic centre of Bettystown. There are presently a number of units vacant in the Town Centre development whilst the Bettystown Court Hotel, which formed part of the development, has been closed since 2011. The lack of activity in this part of the town is detracting from the streetscape and vibrancy of the urban core. Planning permission was recently granted to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for a primary care centre on the upper floors of the existing building, which if implemented, will increase pedestrian footfall and activity in the area. This location is a priority for town centre/ mixed use commercial development or a compatible use that would maximise the central location of the lands.
To the south of Bettystown Town Centre there is a parcel of land identified as Open Space. These lands are within walking distance of the urban core of the town and would have the capacity to accommodate a local sporting club. As part of the strategy of improving facilities in the area, this Plan would support the development of these lands as a sporting facility.
The residential expansion of the area in the absence of any employment generating development has resulted in the settlements having a weak employment base. In 2016 the Jobs: Workforce ratio in East Meath was 0.16, which was the lowest recorded in the County. Due to the proximity of the area to Drogheda and Dublin, it would be challenging to attract a large scale employer however there are opportunities to attract small-medium sized enterprises that could avail of the skilled workforce and the connectivity that the area provides to Dublin and Drogheda. In addition, there are opportunities to provide co-working facilities in the area that would function as an outreach for city based employers. Such employment would be vital to improving the jobs ratio and creating a more sustainable settlement and reversing the substantial rates of outbound commuting experienced in this area.
To this end a strategic employment site has been identified on the lands adjacent to the rail station in Laytown. A park and ride facility will form part of the future development of these lands. The designation of a strategic employment site will enable a significant marketing strategy to be launched by the Council’s Economic Development Team.
The population increase in East Meath over the past 20 years has placed considerable strains on the existing transport infrastructure in the area. In order to ensure a holistic approach is taken to the future growth of the area and to identify the infrastructure investment required to ensure the most efficient movement of people, vehicles, and goods into and around East Meath, it is recommended that a Transport Study for East Meath and South Drogheda is carried out. This would be carried out in consultation with the National Transport Authority and Louth County Council.
The construction of the north-south spine road connecting the R150 at Scoil an Sprioraid Naoimh Primary School to the Eastham Road roundabout is a key piece of infrastructure that will significantly improve traffic flows in the area. The completion of this road will reduce congestion along the Coast Road and improve traffic movements in the town centre. It will also provide opportunities to improve pedestrian and cycling infrastructure and connectivity in the area and will provide access to centrally located lands zoned for town centre and recreational uses.
As part of the sustainable transport strategy for this Plan, the Council will support and facilitate improvements to the pedestrian and cycle network in the area to make these modes of transport a viable alternative to the car.
Whilst the area is well served by a regular bus and commuter rail service, the links between residential areas and Laytown Rail Station need to be enhanced. Lands have therefore been identified for a Park and Ride facility adjacent to Laytown Rail Station. The provision of this facility would promote the use of the rail service and reduce on street parking and improve traffic flows and circulation in the vicinity of the train station. In addition to parking facilities, this Plan recognises the pricing structure of rail fares can influence travel choice and patterns by commuters. This Plan therefore supports a review of the Short Hop Zone pricing structure and advocates the inclusion of Laytown Rail Station in any forthcoming review.3
Rail connectivity in East Meath would be significantly improved by the electrification of the suburban rail line from Malahide to Drogheda, which would increase the frequency of services and would also allow for the construction of a rail station at Bettystown as part of these upgrades. A rail station in Bettystown would be of significant benefit to the local population. Its proximity to residential areas would improve access to rail services for commuters and would therefore encourage more sustainable modes of transport. This Plan supports the provision of an additional rail station in Bettystown.
Water: Donacarney, Mornington, Bettystown, and Laytown are supplied by the East Meath Water Supply Scheme. Capacity is available but there are network constraints. Wastewater: These areas are serviced by the East Coast Sewerage Scheme with wastewater pumped to Drogheda Wastewater treatment plant. Capacity exists but, there are network constraints.
The lands identified as ‘MP 1’ in Donacarney are owned by Meath County Council. It is an objective of this Plan to develop these lands for residential and community uses. It is anticipated that up to 30 social housing units could be delivered on these lands in addition to playing fields and associated facilities. In order to ensure maximum connectivity and permeability between these uses, a Master Plan will be required to be prepared for these lands prior to the submission of any planning application.
As a point of clarity 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.
It is the policy of the Council:
To promote the sustainable growth of the East Meath settlements of Laytown-Bettystown-Mornington East and Donacarney-Mornington by focusing on consolidation and the provision of additional employment and community facilities that would create a more balanced and sustainable community.
It is an objective of the Council:
To secure the implementation of the Core Strategy of the County Development Plan, in so far as is practicable, by ensuring the household allocationfor the East Meath settlements4 as set out in Table 2.11of the Core Strategy is not exceeded.
To carefully manage the consolidation of Bettystown-Laytown-Mornington East and Mornington-Donacarney and avoid the coalescence of the settlements.
To support the re-use/regeneration of any vacant properties and lands through active land management.
To identify a suitable location, and support the provision of a co-working facility in East Meath that functions as an outreach hub for city based employers.