Main opinions

While Circular Economy is referred to, it could be encompassed more so across different aspects such as economic, employment, social enterprises, as well as environmental aspects.

The County Council should take the serious risk to SAC/SPA/pNHA in ballyragget and give it the respect it deserves, ratify it as a NHA and give it its deserved legal protection, seriously consider totally removing the development boundary from any adjacent lands and carry out the necessary surveys and engage with residents on how to work with them to improve the area to the benefit of both the environment and the people of the town.

See Letter attached

The concept of the Circular Economy could be elaborated upon further in the Development Plan.

Request that the zoning objective on these lands are not amended.

We need to urgently address the issue of the dairy herd size across the Country, in Kilkenny in particular. We need to include farmers in all aspects of the plans regarding increasing biodiversity, rewilding and reversing the damage done to soil and water. We need to encourage farmers to get back to farming a variety of clean (organic) food that is grown and fed directly to humans, where animal welfare is seen as optimal on any farms that continue to rear animals.

Hedgerows are being cut far too low around Kilkenny

We believe that our proposal to integrate the ‘Green Factor Approach’ into planning policy should be included in Kilkenny City & County Development Plan and would address a number of the strategic issues as set out in the Draft Stage of the plan, as follows: Strategic Issues: • Climate Action – protecting cities against pollution, flooding and other climate risks. • Quality Housing and Sustainable Neighbourhoods – providing quality housing and sustainable neighbourhoods. • Green Infrastructure, Open Space, Recreation and Natural Heritage – developing more outdoor spaces for sports and play opportunities, while protecting our rivers and canals and parks. • Sustainable Environmental Infrastructure and Flood Risk – including flood risk protection, water supply and good digital connections.

Wind turbines will damage land with historical value

In the absence of access the sea planning departments in the inland counties should make more sections of rivers available to the community for their enjoyment, for swimming especially. This is very important for people of all ages not just the young . Flouridated swimming pools is not an alternative to access to water in a natural setting.

Ensure the Art is included alongside Heritage and Culture within the strategi development of the Region.

Policy measures are needed which expressly enable the integration between people of varying support needs (disability, mental health, older people), building on existing social capital and informal support networks

Too Rushed and not enought community awareness in our parish and its surrounds.

The N77 road between Castlecomer Roundabout and Henebry's Cross is the busiest approach road into Kilkenny with daily school/education, work, visitor/tourist (pre-pandemic!) and heavy industry traffic (particularly Glanbia HGVs and HGVs travelling from the West and Midlands to access Rosslare and Wateford ports post Brexit). At present we would have serious road safety concerns for all road users as the road is very narrow, with numerous dangerous bends, dangerous junctions and poor visibility. Dunmore Training Grounds are accessed by large volumes of people coming from Kilkenny City and beyond and it is also anticipated that the much anticipated Dunmore Biodiversity Park will also attract large volumes of people from Kilkenny City. At present, the only way to safely access either or these amenities is by car, which is not in keeping with the council's proposed intentions to promote sustainable travel and enhance permeability. The proposed Dunmore Biodiversity Park is 1.6KM from the Castlecomer Roundabout, but 4km using the council's proposed access route.

2017 Ferrybank / Belview Local Area Plan predates Regional Development targets and Waterford as a Regional City identified for significant growth. The plan is in effect now obsolete given the changes in growth targets for the Waterford City Metropolitan Area as a designated regional city identified for significant growth.

The submission is that this new planning zone designation of ‘Urban Agriculture’ shares the exact same planning objective as the two other planning zone criteria for actively farmed lands within the city boundary. All other criteria relating to ‘Urban Agriculture are ill defined or vague , unlike ‘Agriculture’ or ‘Area of Strategic Reserve’ zoning, and consequently has no clear distinct purpose under planning acts and in its actual proposed use for planning purposes. ‘Urban Agriculture’ as a zoning appears to apply extra restrictions, somewhat arbitrarily and without clear planning purpose, to two individual family farms occupying a tiny portion of the total area and a very small proportion of land in agricultural use within the same city boundary. It is unnecessary and, if adopted, potentially problematic for the council. For effective urban planning in Kilkenny City this new planning zone of ‘Urban Agriculture’ should be removed. Either ‘Agriculture’ or ‘Area of Strategic Reserve’ zonings could be used for all actively used agricultural lands within the city boundary allowing for more effective, logical, clearer and fairer urban planning relating to land in agricultural use during the lifetime of the plan.

Provide more appropriate zoning for Leisure & Sports based developments.

Retention of zoning land in Castlecomer

This submission intends to establish that maintaining the existing Low Density Residential zoning at Rath Úllord is justified and the correct policy and zoning decision to be made.

It is a well established fact that wind energy sources are most productive offshore and/or in the direct and uninterrupted path of the prevailing wind. Not only is the path of air obstructed by the Comeragh mountains, but also the rolling landscape that faces the proposed site. Such proposals are disruptive to biodiversity and human life in the area and this particular proposal has not been fully communicated to the residents in terms of any allowable adjustment to the proposed location of each turbine unit.

I'm unhappy with the reclassification of the Castlebanny/Mullinakill/Glenpipe area for the purposes of Wind Energy Development

Current amenity zoning associated with permitted Primary Care centre site is inappropriate.

Lingaun Valley is unsuitable for wind turbines due to its unique landscape which has wonderful examples of over 5,000 years of history in a compact 25km area

Requirement of section of Strategic Reserve land to be rezoned to specific purpose residential.

Zoning for unfinished residential developments should not change.

No re-designation

An area at Seskin Ballyragget should be designated as an Acceptable in Principal classification area in Figure 11.4 Draft Wind Strategy Areas Map

Each New Development needs more greenspace, children and people should be encouraged to get out not in fear of it.

The impacts of these giant wind turbines are well documented: Visually destructive to the landscape. Noisy and obtrusive. Shadow flicker. Health risks especially to those vulnerable such as autistic children. Killers of the bird and bat populations. Producers of harmful Infrasound. Detrimental to the equine industry. Devaluation of property prices. Destroys tourism potential of the area

1. O'LG has a growing Club membership 2. The Club caters for large variety of sports at the O'LG grounds and gym complex 3. The Club wishes to improve overall levels of community sporting and leisure participation 4. There is a growing need to accommodate diverse population in the area and improve access for all

I am against the zoning of the Lingaun Valley and surrounding hills as either "acceptable in principle" or "open for consideration" with regards to wind turbines.

Clear objectives are needed on improving Kilkenny cycling Infrastructure

The N77 road between the Castlecomer Roundabout and Dunmore is a very dangerous road catering for large volumes of traffic. The road has been neglected for years and we can't recall any upgrade works being carried out in living memory. All other main roads into Kilkenny have been upgraded in recent years (which is great to see). This road is dangerous and is not conducive to encouraging people to walk/cycle to school or work. At present it is unsafe to attempt to walk or to cycle from Dunmore Village to Kilkenny. The planned biodiversity park will hopefully be a huge asset to this part of Kilkenny. The provision of footpaths and cycle paths out to Dunmore would give safe access on foot or by bike to large population of people that live just inside the ring road and in the city environs.