Fr McGrath Centre welcomes revised draft Loughmacask plan, urges public to engage

The Fr McGrath Family Resource Centre in the Butts has welcomed the recently published revised draft masterplan for the Loughmacask area of Kilkenny City.

Centre director of services Stephen Murphy complimented the council’s efforts to take on board concerns raised by people  at widely-advertised public meetings earlier this year. The revised plan can now be viewed in the neighbourhood hall and the council says it will hold a further community meetings to discuss the changes with the public.

"This is the most important development that the Butts community and parish have faced in generations and it is important families understand what is being proposed and how it may affect them for generations to come," said Mr Murphy.

"The Loughmacask plan is a major development to the west of the city that will see three new schools and thousands of new houses built in coming years. Its traffic impact is already substantial on the Butts community and local families are concerned of the impact and the safety of children in the traffic affected areas.

Mr Murphy said the council is to be complimented not only on the vision for the western environs but also in the steps they are taking to consult with the public on the plan.

He said the Butts had been adversely affected by planning decisions in the past and he hoped that the opportunity would be taken to address some of these.

Local people are being invited to an upcoming public display of the amendments to the draft masterplan for Loughmacask and are being encouraged to make submissions or observations to these amendments.

A drop-in public information evening will be held in St Canice’s Neighbourhood Hall, 22-28 Butt’s Green, on Monday, May 8 from 7 to 9pm where the amendments will be on display and council staff will be available to discuss.

Submissions or observations to the amendments can be made to the Council and must be received by 5pm on Friday, May 26, 2023.

Submissions can be made online at www.consult.kilkenny.ie or by e-mail to 'ourplan@ldlkennycoco.ie' or in writing to: 'The A./Senior Planner, Planning Department, Kilkenny County Council, County Hall, John Street, Kilkenny'.