Council to promote military history of Birr and Crinkill

The strong military history of Birr and Crinkill is to be promoted by Offaly County Council through the consideration of appropriate proposals for tourism related projects.

The move has been warmly welcomed by local Independent Cllr John Carroll, who sent in a submission on the issue to the council as part of the consultation process on the Draft Birr Local Area Plan (LAP), which was debated at a special meeting of the local authority last week.

Cllr Carroll's submission called for the provision of a military museum and an interpretive centre in Crinkill village and the relocation of the 'Crimean gun' from John's Place to Barrack Street in Crinkill. He also sought the support and assistance of the council in developing a walk around the perimeter walls with interpretive points for students and tourists alike to enjoy.

In her response to the submission, Chief Executive, Anna Marie Delaney, stated that the promotion of the military history of both Birr and Crinkill “is an important element of the heritage of the area” and is set out in the Birr Interpretive Strategy 20201 and Birr Tourism Strategy 2017.

The Chief Executive agreed that the objective of supporting the military history of both locations “through the consideration of appropriate proposals for tourism related projects” be added to the Draft Local Area Plan for Birr as an objective. She added that this would serve “to further strengthen the promotion of military related tourism projects” during the lifetime of the plan, which runs for a period of six years until 2029.

However, the Chief Executive turned down a proposal from Cllr Carroll in his submission to have council owned land in Crinkill zoned to residential and considered for private affordable sites and for land attached to Crinkill GAA Field on the eastern side to be zoned from white to recreation to provide additional facilities for the community. White land is classed as 'strategic reserve' and is designed to cater for those cases where land is zoned for development at some time in the future but no objectives or specific controls are indicated.

Last week's special meeting heard that council owned land to the south of Crinkill is currently zoned ‘Open Space, Amenity and Recreation’ at the southern development boundary of the Draft LAP. This land is currently accessed via Grove Street to the south east, with access via the junction of Military Road/Cemetery Road/Barrack Street currently restricted by existing property entrances fronting onto Cemetery Road as well as the rear of properties at Cribben Terrace that would involve the compulsory purchase of at least a portion of up to 6-7 properties.

“Provision of a formal access to these lands is considered premature during the lifetime of this plan as is the rezoning of the site to new residential, which would be contrary to the Core Strategy as set out in the County Development Plan. I therefore recommend no further alterations to the Draft Plan on foot of this point of the submission” said the Chief Executive in her report.

In relation to the land attached to Crinkill GAA Field, the Chief Executive recommended “no further alterations” to the Draft Plan, and added that “appropriate land is zoned for recreational facilities” during the lifetime of the plan, based on the existing and future population projections for Birr and Crinkill.