Ballagh community taking the lead on planning priorities

The people of Ballaghaderreen and surrounding areas are being invited to take part in a community-led workshop next month designed to set the “spatial priorities” that will shape the future of the town.

Organised by local people and facilitated by the Town Team, the workshop will focus on the physical infrastructure and shared spaces that impact daily life. They include parks, green areas and recreation spaces, community infrastructure, public lighting and safety, and roads and pathways.

With the National Planning Framework finalised earlier this year and the council now working on local plans, the organisers of the workshop say this a timely opportunity for the community to influence what happens next.

“We’re trying to lead from the front. The county development plan runs until 2028, which means the council is going to start thinking about what they’re putting into the next one soon, and the national framework plan feeds into that,” explained Niamh McGarry, a member of the local Town Team.

Ms McGarry is also a lead community engagement consultant at NMCG Consulting, who are delivering the consultation event pro-bono.

“It’s much more difficult to change a plan than it is to be involved in creating one. If you organise community to choose their future, then it’s going to be much successful than those who leave their future to chance,” she said.

Ms McGarry said the workshop in the town next month was about local people deciding on their priorities before final decisions are made.

“The council will be present but this event is being led by the community. It’s our chance to make sure our voices are heard and included in the new strategy,” she said.

Ideas which emerge from the workshop will be incorporated into a strategy for the local community and developed by the local community.

Apart from the next county development plan, another new plan needed is the town’s local area plan, with the current one being out of date since 2023.

The workshop is open to everyone in the community and will take place upstairs in Durkin’s Bar & Restaurant on Thursday, November 6th at 7 p.m..