Dunshaughlin gets glimpse of future with Town Centre First Plan launch

Dunshaughlin's Town Centre First Plan will be officially launched at an event in the local Pastoral Centre this Sunday, 21st June, from 1pm to 4pm.

The recently published Dunshaughlin Town Centre First Plan is a non-statutory community level plan produced by the local Town Team, who represent the local community and business representatives, with the support of Meath County Council.

It provides a framework to guide the sustainable regeneration, economic development, and long-term vitality of the town. Sunday's launch will be a chance for people to come and view the physical maps, see the proposed projects and plans for the town's infrastructure, public spaces and amenities.

The plan follows extensive analysis, stakeholder collaboration, and community engagement over the past two years to ensure that the priorities and aspirations of local residents shape the future direction of the village.

It identifies the challenges, actions, and integrated responses across a number of themes (such as business/commercial, housing, built environment, community/cultural and heritage.

Developed in alignment with the National Town Centre First policy, supported by the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht (DRCDG) and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH), the plan places the town centre at the core of future investment, planning, and decision-making.

Although being a non-statutory in nature, the Town Centre First Plan is however intended to be used as a resource to inform future decision-making, and support funding applications.

Dunshaughlin is the second town in Meath to prepare a Town Centre First Plan, after Enfield which was included in the pilot project of 26 towns across the country.

A recurring theme in the plan is that facilities and essential infrastructure have failed to keep pace with the rapidly growing population and the plan aims to address some of these shortfalls.

Dunshaughlin was recorded as the fastest growing town in County Meath with its population growing by a staggering 65 per cent in the last six years, and now has a larger population than the town of Kells. Its population has grown from around 1,000 to 6,600.

A young town, the population is dominated by the 25-50 age bracket and exceeds the county rate in these age categories. At the same time, Dunshaughlin displays lower numbers of population in the 55-74 age categories and is below the county average for that age group. Census results also show a multi-cultural society with 20 per cent of Dunshaughlin's population born outside Ireland.

"A recurring theme is that there has been the realisation that facilities and essential infrastructure had been overlooked in past rural development programmes. This plan aims to address this, while demonstrating the benefits of small, medium, and large-scale initiatives that will enhance Dunshaughlin as a whole," the Town Team wrote in its foreword. "Serving as a roadmap, this plan outlines how townspeople and planners can work together on practical projects to tackle issues such as traffic congestion, accessibility, and pedestrian movement. It also proposes initiatives to strengthen community spirit — through improved social spaces, biodiversity measures, and enhanced leisure amenities."

In general the results of surveys and engagement showed that the majority of the respondents lived within a short distance from the main street, commuted to work, and visit the village mainly for retail and social. It also noted that a "significant and quite surprising proportion" confirmed that they currently use the train to get to Dublin - despite the nearest station being at some 12K distance away. In general, the respondents could be said to be unhappy with the current public realm, walking, parking, and public transport provisions, while the public park and playground was confirmed as desiring further work.

Some of the weaknesses identified in the town included the presentation of the town, the lack of accessible and affordable multi-functional community space, poor public realm and pedestrian comfort within the streets, lack of pedestrian crossings and narrow footpaths and the traffic dominated town centre.

Others were the lack of facilities for young and older people, lack of safe cycle routes and cycle parking in the town centre, poorly designed public spaces, limited recreational safe parkland space for community, the lack of available multi purpose sporting facilities during periods of high demand and lack of all weather sporting facilities.

The Town Team's priorities were organised into ten thematic groups with several projects suggested across the various themes. The long planned courthouse project to reuse the old court building, as a performance space in included along with a proposal for a civic plaza.

A suggestion that if the existing fire station, which has its own challenges around access, were to be relocated to a purpose build facility, this could give an opportunity to acquire the site to provide a plaza.

A vision for a multi-purpose remote working, innovation, cultural and community centre is proposed for that area.

It also suggests the idea of literary links and developing connections to Lord Dunsany and Mary Lavin, public art and a gallery, outdoor performance space, as well as an updated heritage trail.

The proposed Scout Eco Den earmarked for a six-hectare site is also included as well as the need for a multi-sports facility including new pitches, boxing facilities, tennis and ball courts and astro-pitches.

Plans for a biodiversity sensory garden are included along with upgrades to the existing park and the potential of developing a second park.

The plan also focuses on connectivity via active and sustainable transport modes and to improve the public realm and several new link footpaths are proposed.

It highlights the importance of completing link roads to reduce traffic congestion in the town centre and suggests the possibility of one-way traffic post completion of the ring road.

The need for a dedicated park and ride and bus interchange facility at the periphery of the village is identified, with the plan noting at present commuters in outlying areas have no alternative to parking in the village if they want to commute by bus. A bus shuttle for commuters to M3 Parkway is also suggested .