Ambitious Town Renewal Masterplan for Celbridge
Kildare County Council has today published a Town Renewal Masterplan for Celbridge.
Kildare County Council, in association with community organisations, appointed Metropolitan Workshop Architecture and Urbanism, an urban designer led consultation team to prepare a town renewal masterplan for Celbridge.
The Masterplan, launched by members of the Celbridge Leixlip Municipal District and members of the Kildare County Council executive team, includes a series of delivery projects to implement transformative changes to the public realm of Celbridge.
The plan identifies short, medium and long term realistic and achievable projects that will enhance existing spaces across Celbridge. These include:
Town Centre: Main Street Improvements
The town centre improvements will focus on enhancing the existing fabric of Celbridge town centre through public realm improvements and interventions including; prioritisation of pedestrian and cycle movement.
Town Centre: The Mill and surrounds
Increasing permeability in and around the Mill and Celbridge Abbey to encourage increased public use and maximise its potential for the community and its inherent heritage significance to the town.
Town Centre: Heritage Trail & Enhancing Green Infrastructure, Parochial House
The plan explores the creation of a green route along the Liffey, through the grounds of Celbridge Abbey and the Mill, to Donaghumper and on to Castletown House, connecting key heritage sites via a walkable and cyclable green route.
Upgrading Cycle Infrastructure
Incorporating dedicated cycle lanes to create a safer street environment for cyclists.
The Acre Project
The ACRE project is an eco-friendly community-based project which provides internal and external spaces where local communities gather in and use. The development of a feasibility study to progress phase 2 of the project, is supported in the delivery plan, to work with and add to the current services users and clients.
Speaking about the ambitions of the plan, Jonny McKenna of Metropolitan Workshop said; “Metropolitan Workshop’s team was instantly energised by the council’s ambition and the community’s commitment to bring forward a Town Renewal Plan for Celbridge. The strategy seeks to build on the many heritage assets which already exist as well as responding to some of the key issues raised by the public.”
“Significantly the projects form connections between key spaces such as the Mill and surrounds, the Main Street, lands under Kildare County Council ownership along the southern bank of the Liffey and onward to Castletown House. The Delivery Plan identifies realistic and achievable projects that will enhance existing spaces and places across Celbridge.”
Speaking about the plan for Celbridge, Sonya Kavanagh, Chief Executive, Kildare County Council said; “Celbridge has grown rapidly over the past 60 years from a population of 567 to 20,601 in the most recent census. The town renewal masterplan is timely for the area, and will allow for strategic development, while being mindful of and maximising its rich history and character.”
The Celbridge Town Renewal Master Plan is available to view in full on our website, visit https://kildarecoco.ie/AllServices/Housing/PublicRealm/TownRenewalMasterPlans/
