Draft county plan proposes Birr as Offaly’s second town

Birr is being proposed as Offaly's second town – ahead of Edenderry and Portarlington - in the settlement hierarchy identified in the draft Offaly County Development Plan for 2021-2027.

The existing county development plan which runs out at the end of 2020 identifies Birr, Edenderry and Portarlington as Tier 2 Key Service Towns, behind Tullamore.

However, in the draft development plan for the next seven years published recently, Offaly County Council is proposing only Birr, including Crinkill, as a Tier 2 town, behind Tullamore. It is being described as a 'self sustaining growth town'

Edenderry and Portarlington have been listed as Tier 3 towns or 'self sustaining towns'.

In practice, it means that the council is aiming to channel more population growth into Birr over the coming seven years, than to Edenderry or Portarlington.

The draft plan targets a population increase of 1,263 in Birr, compared to 368 in Edenderry and 89 on the Offaly side of Portarlington.

The draft plan describes Birr as having “the capacity for continued commensurate growth to become even more self-sustaining”.

It says of Edenderry and Portarlington that they have “experienced rapid population growth with high levels of commuter-focused residential expansion without equivalent increase in jobs and services.”

“They require consolidation and targeted 'catch up' investment in services, infrastructure, suitable transport options, amenities and local employment whilst balancing housing delivery and focusing on consolidation to become more self-sustaining.”

Elsewhere, the council is targeting a 33% increase in the population of Tullamore by 2027.

The draft plan for (2021-2027) shows that the local authority is basing its approach to the development of Offaly on a population growth of some 9,239 people in the county on top of the population figure identified in the 2016 census.

The draft plan stipulates that an additional 3,803 residential units will be required to facilitate this population rise across the county.

In Tullamore, it specifies that some 1,497 housing units will be required to service the population increase of almost 5,000 people by 2027.

The plan is based on the census figures for 2016, which showed 14,607 people in Tullamore and 77,961 across the county.

Elsewhere in the county, the draft plan anticipates an increase in population of some 534 people in Clara by 2027.

Banagher will increase by 317, the council predicts and Ferbane by 214 people.

Submissions can be made on the draft Offaly Development Plan up to 4pm on October 7.

The plan is available to view at Offaly County Council offices and those of Birr, Tullamore and Edenderry Municipal Districts, at branch libraries at Birr, Clara, Edenderry and Tullamore or online at offaly.ie