Major public park included in new Draft Gorey Town plan
New outer link roads, a major new public park, and provision for a new industrial park are all included in the Draft Gorey Town and Environs Local Area Plan 2017 to 2023 which is currently out for public consultation.
Representatives of the Council’s planning department held a public consultation day at Gorey civic offices last week to discuss aspects of the plan with interested members of the public, and anyone with a submission to make on the plan, has until November 10 to do so.
The draft plan proposes new orbital connections that would link to the inner relief road which will soon run as far as Ballytegan. The link would cross the railway line to the Arklow Road to connect to the new Clonattin Lower Avenue, which would provide a connection to Clonattin. The Clonattin Upper Avenue would link Clonattin to the Courtown Road.
A South Gorey Avenue would then connect up to the existing radial routes.
The draft plan also proposes a new public transport hub at Gorey Railway Station where a new bus station would be built in the railway station car park.
A Greener Gorey initiative would see a focus on devel- oping three key open spaces including Gorey Town Park, Ramsfort Park forest, and a new Clonattin Park, which would include a new playground, passive recreation areas, and a riverside walk.
Alongside this, developers will also be asked to develop new neighbourhood parks as part of new housing schemes.
Some 17.6 hectares of land to the west of the Gorey IDA park on the Courtown Road are proposed to be earmarked for a ‘ high quality, campus style development, home to high- end employment uses in the area of IT, research and innovation, pharmaceutical and medical devices, and light industry.’
In addition, the plan says, 20 hectares of undeveloped land to the southwest of Gorey Business Park at Ramstown could meet the needs of industry and transport/ logistics sectors.
‘It’s probably the most important power councillors have,’ commented Cllr Malcolm Byrne. ‘ We can shape the future growth of the town, and this is a real chance for public engagement.’