2020 Vision for Athy - Entire Document - Kildare.ie

Zoning in the town centre is primarily intended to encourage the renewal and redevelopment of under-utilised or
derelict land and buildings. The Council has set out incentives to promote this and designated several redevelopment
areas, located for example along the proposed Inner Relief Street.
The Zoning “Retail/Commercial” is the primary use category within the town centre and is aimed at achieving a
mix of uses, ranging from retailing, offices and cultural uses to residential units. The Zone “Light
Industrial/Commercial” is the secondary commercial use category and provides for light industry, workshop use
and warehousing. In a third commercial category, “Residential/Tourist Commercial”, the specific opportunities of
sites close to the Canal are addressed, in that it preferably provides for tourist-related commercial uses.
Residential
The Town Council zoned a total of 80 additional hectares (199 acre) for “New Residential” and is expecting to
increase its population to 13,900 by the year 2006, assuming current densities. The zone “Existing Residential”
preserves existing residential uses and provides for infill development where considered appropriate.
It is also policy of the Council to improve the quality of existing estates through the implementation of new
residential design guidelines and standards.
Industry
Industrial zoning is concentrated to the west and north west of the town and relate to existing industrial premises.
Uses such as warehousing are open for consideration in this category.
Besides those zoning categories outlined above the Town Council also provides for Recreational and Open Space
as well as for Community and Educational Facilities and secures the area at the periphery of the town as
agricultural land.
The Town Development Plan also emphasises the importance of tourism for Athy in that it sets out specific work
objectives for the Council itself to facilitate canal and heritage tourism, tourist accommodation and signage.
Traffic Objectives
It is the objective of the Council to realise the Inner Relief Street and to preserve the line of the Southern Bypass
from development and car parking should be conveniently located to serve the various land uses within the town.
A traffic management scheme is to be carried out for Court House Square and for the town in general. Further, it
is an objective of the Council to encourage the extension and widening of footpaths and the closure of certain
streets to vehicular traffic.
At the time of publication of this report the 2006 Town Development Plan was being drafted.
Athy Rapid Interim Action Plan ( RAPID AAP)
Under the Strand II of the RAPID Programme (Revitalising Areas by Planning, Investment and Development) for
provincial towns Athy was designated as a RAPID town. In June 2002 the Athy Area Implementation Team was
founded. Its mission and vision statements were defined as the following:
• “RAPID Athy will co-ordinate and improve services aims at the RAPID target groups through strategic
and joint planning, targeting or existing and additional investment and community participation.”
• “To promote social inclusion and significantly improve the quality of life and the opportunities available
to people in Athy.” (P. 1, Athy RAPID AAP)
The RAPID target groups are asylum seekers, children, ex-offenders, homeless, lone parents, long-term
unemployed, men, people with disabilities, refugees, travellers, women and youth. RAPID aims at eliminating
poverty and enhancing social inclusion by promoting equality of opportunity and participation and incorporates the
following strategic aims and objectives:
Athy IFPLUT Study 21 Final Report December 2004