Published: Paulstown Masterplan for area with ‘mini city’ potential

A strong sense of community that already exists in Paulstown will be built on in a new masterplan for the area - which has the potential to become a ‘mini city.’

The draft masterplan is available for public consultation from last Friday and contains 16 key actions that will guide development of the area into the future.

Among the suggestions are new walkways and public amenity spaces with traffic calming; a celebration of the local heritage; and the essential installation of fibre broadband.

Proposing that the plan go on public display, municipal district chairman, Cllr Michael Delaney, said that Paulstown has the potential to be a “mini city” with the traffic that comes off the motorway there.

The draft contains “great plans” Cllr Pat Fitzpatrick said, as he seconded the proposal.
Describing it as a “wide canvas” of a plan, Cllr Fitzpatrick said it is important that during this period of consultation the council listen to people.
The centre of Paulstown has been neglected but a lot can be done as it is a beautiful village, he added.

“Before the motorway came there was no room for anything because Paulstown was choked all the time,” Cllr Mary Hilda Cavanagh said. “There is huge potential for Paulstown which is so near Kilkenny and so near Carlow.”

The timing of this masterplan is “crucial” Cllr Denis Hynes said. Paulstown has grown by more than 200% in the past two decades and it’s going to grow more.
Noting that a lot of work has gone into the draft masterplan, Cllr Hynes said the town development association has identified an area they would like to work on as a central point in the town.

Cllr Hynes said his only fear was that the plan would not progress a path along a road that is “a hive of activity” but has already been turned down for funding.

Cllr Michael McCarthy said the Applegreen development was huge for the town, now there is an appetite for life to be brought back into the main streets.

Several speakers mentioned the edge-of-town current location of the Paulstown community hall. The draft masterplan looks at the potential of using building or land in the centre of the town as a community facility.

Among the suggestions in the plan are:
The preparation of a comprehensive public realm plan that will include new paths, public lighting and landscaping;

Creation of a new ‘natural walkway’ between the school and Main Street connected to the new amenity area of Shankill Forest where there will be new forest trails;

Improvement of cycling and walking routes with a new footpath along the R448 to complete a loop of the town;
Developing the heritage attraction of Shankill Castle;

Relocation of the community hall to the centre of town and repurpose the existing community hall into additional sporting (including changing) facilities;

Explore the potential of purchasing diocesan lands to use as a community facility like allotments or even a new community asset like a library or childcare centre.

The draft masterplan also includes proposed actions on broadband installation, tackling vacancy and dereliction and the installation of EV charging stations at facilities like the GAA club and community hall.

Following the period of public consultation the draft plan will go back to Castlecomer municipal area councillors for approval. It can be seen in Paulstown Community Hall, at the Thomastown district offices, at the planning office of Kilkenny County Council, or at http://consult.kilkenny.ie