I’ve indicated a few areas on the map that are of particular interest to me, along with other general improvements and thoughts I had on Portlaoise as a whole going forward.

Starting at the north of the town in Fairgreen, Clonroosk Abbey, etc., improved permeability between the housing estate and the areas surrounding them would greatly improve social cohesion. There is one road in particular in Clonroosk Abbey which can be viewed on maps at the coordinates below here;

53°02’49.5"N 7°19’14.1"W

That perfectly intersects with this road in Fairgreen which can be viewed on maps at the coordinates below here;

53°02’50.6"N 7°19’12.7"W

I feel that even putting a road between the two and allowing people to move freely between the areas would be great for social cohesion.

Just south of that on the map, I have marked an area behind the Portlaoise AFC grounds, which I think would make for a great small linear park, walkway, and social area. It would connect the N80 with the Clonroosk Abbey and Fairgreen estates allowing for better permeability between areas, a small green space which that side of the town is lacking, it would also allow those on the far side to access services and retail stores on the N80 side without having to use a car which ties in great with the active travel goals of the council.

There is also an area beside the current Pharmacy which would make an excellent playground or social space, something to walk to or around that doesn’t involve having to walk next to or in traffic would be excellent.

Just behind Church Avenue off Main Street, I had suggested building a multistorey car park. The reason behind this is that it is within walking distance to the new library and many local amenities. It would reduce the need for on-street parking along Main Street which is also in desperate need of a makeover. Although not marked on the map and which may be a separate issue, I had noticed when it comes to parking being allocated it tends to sprawl instead of building upwards or down. It means you end up with a case similar to what they have now at the Hospital in Portlaoise where they have no spaces, cars parked on the grass, despite this it could have been mitigated by building parking vertically rather than horizontally.

One of the last points I wish to raise is with again sprawl, when new residences are being built there is generally a push towards single-family housing, a 3 bed semi-detached, however, this doesn’t suit everyone and a lot of younger people are now showing a preference towards wanting to live alone. Now as they will be the demographic who are most prevailing in the future. It’s only fair that we look at their needs. To the south of the map, you will see a large area marked off, it’s below the Kyle Centre etc. The idea I had for this area is definitely big in scope however I believe would pay off tenfold if done correctly. A new road joining the two roundabouts between the South Circular and the R426/New Road Roundabout. Lining this new street would be bus stops, specialised parking facilities for disabled people, mixed-use apartments, offices, retail and of course a multistorey car park. It’s perfectly situated for a mixed-use development such as this with JFL Avenue making the walk to the old town a lot easier, access to schools on the doorstep and large (big box) retail units also. I’ve done up some designs for these below.

Thank you.

Draft Portlaoise Local Area Plan 2024 – 2030 - Submissions

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