‘Natural swimming pool’ among ideas mooted for Ferbane
The creation of a multi-purpose sports facility including an all-weather pitch and “a potential natural swimming pool” on lands adjoining the Convent are among the many ambitious proposals contained in the Ferbane Town Centre First Plan, which was unveiled to the public for the first time this week.
A launch of the plan was held in the Heritage Centre on Tuesday evening. The overall aim of the wide-ranging plan is to transform the centre of the west Offaly town into a “vibrant, sustainable and inclusive place” for future generations, and to ensure that it is “a safe, attractive and vibrant town” where people want to “live, work, socialise and visit.”
The plan, which is the second of its kind for an Offaly town, following on from the Clara Town Centre First Plan, identifies four key themes and 19 projects to be tackled in order to improve the core of the town. Crucially, it also identifies a number of funding options that could potentially be accessed in order to carry out the proposed improvements.
The members of Ferbane Town Team - which was set up in 2024 - outlined a number of key priorities they would like to see being addressed. Among them was the need for a community centre/multipurpose space; the end of derelict buildings; a canal greenway; better traffic management; more housing; repopulation; better sports facilities; parking amenities and enhanced entrances to the town.
Among the potential projects planned as part of the Town Centre First Scheme are a streetscape enhancement plan for Ferbane which would tackle, among other issues, the “serious safety concerns” expressed by members of the local community in relation to fast-moving traffic, particularly HGVs, on Main Street, which the plan says create “an unsafe and uninviting environment” for pedestrians and cyclists.
A shopfront reactivation and enhancement project is also being planned, which would enhance and restore shopfronts with “traditional detailing” and also include a unified painting scheme designed to “improve the streetscape and strengthen town identity.”
There are also plans to repurpose vacant buildings and “underused upper floors” in the town centre for community, residential, and commercial use.
One of the more eye-catching aspects of the Ferbane plan is the concept of a 'Play for All' project which involves the creation of “a network of spaces for play of all ages” in the town centre, including a Natural Play and Recreation Toddler Area as well as “engaging zones for teens and adults.”
The recurring theme of road safety forms a central plank of the Ferbane Town Centre First Plan, which describes the town centre as being “dominated by vehicular traffic.”
Included among the projects designed to tackle road safety are improved crossings and footpaths; upgraded bus stops; a reduction in the speed limit through the town centre to 30km/h and a new pedestrian crossing and traffic calming to safely access the local GAA Club. There are also plans to improve safety at local schools.
The socio-economic profile of Ferbane shows that a large portion of the population is over 55 or under 20, with a marked decline in the numbers of people between the ages of 20 and 55, who have moved away for work and education,
A remarkable 40% of the town's residents still use peat for central heating, compared to a national average of just 4% of households.
“There is an energy retrofitting issue to be addressed specifically in this region and others with a history in the peat industry,” the Town Centre First Plan states.