This Plan for the environs of New Ross within County Kilkenny has been prepared with the aim of promoting planned and orderly development, coordinated with development taking place in the neighbouring New Ross Town, which lies in County Wexford. The Planning Authority will cooperate with New Ross Urban District Council and Wexford County Council and hopes to foster cooperation with local interests in the planning and development of the area.

New Ross is strategically situated just south of the confluence of the Rivers Barrow and Nore, at an important communications point at the only road river crossing point (O’Hanrahan Bridge) between the confluence and the sea. The town therefore acts as a gateway to Kilkenny, Carlow and Waterford Counties and to the Midlands and West of Ireland from Rosslare Port. It is 23 miles (37km) from Wexford Town and 15 miles (24 km) from Waterford City.

New Ross is an important transport node, the two main routes passing through the town being the N25 coastal route from Rosslare to Cork via Waterford (part of the Trans European Network) and from Waterford via Enniscorthy to Dublin and from Waterford via Kilkenny to the Midlands and West of Ireland.

The town is located below a gorge on the Wexford side of the River Barrow. The lands of Rosbercon in the Western environs rise from the River Barrow and from the Waterford Road to the south. The area to the south and east of the Waterford Road (Lower Raheen) is low lying and flat.
Most industrial development within the Kilkenny Environs of New Ross has taken place in this area, with some residential development mainly on the slopes to the north overlooking the town.

The Development Boundary of the New Ross Environs in Kilkenny takes account of topography, drainage, existing development and estimated future needs.

New Ross Port has been an international port from the time of its Norman foundation, at a location served by an extensively navigable river system connecting with the Barrow and Nore river valleys. Traditional sources of employment are port or port-related industry and agriculture and agricultural related activities. The town acts as the main market centre for an extensive agricultural hinterland.

The settlement of Rosbercon preceded the establishment of the walled Norman town of New Ross on the east bank in the 12th Century. The residential core from that time has been mainly on the east bank in Wexford within the functional area of New Ross Urban District Council.

The Development Boundary of the Plan area has been designated with the aim of ensuring compact, orderly in-depth development of lands on the periphery of New Ross. The area is bounded to the south east by the boundary of the New Ross U.D.C. The remainder of the boundary has been designated having regard to topography and drainage, to existing development and to projected needs for future development.

The visual character of the area sharply contrasts between industrial and residential/agricultural areas. The extensive portal and industrial sections are in many cases poorly screened and have no on-site landscaping. Many of the structures, some of which are very large, are in poor condition. The residential areas are rural in character, having in some parts good views over the Barrow and New Ross Town.

The principal issues relating to the urban structure of New Ross Environs are the need for proper screening and segregation between industrial and residential/agricultural areas, the need for well planned in-depth housing layouts for the residential area on completion of servicing and the need for a well-landscaped and attractive roadside environment adjacent to the N25 National Primary Route. Residential development is mainly in the form of linear development along the four radial routes leading west from the Bridge. The need to ensure that radial routes from towns are not subject to the elongation of the existing linear development will continue to be a consideration in assessing development proposals.

Many of the existing industrial and port uses in the New Ross environs are going through periods of transition and rationalisation. As this process takes place lands which have in the past been intensively used for industrial and port related uses may come forward for redevelopment. Should this be the case then the planning authority will, with the co operation of the land owners, the New Ross UDC and Wexford County Council as appropriate, make an action area plan for the regeneration of the identified areas.

1. To require the creation of buffer zones with in-depth tree and shrub planting where new industrial development abuts agricultural or residential lands.
2. To make an Action Area Plan for those areas which are zoned as residential within the Development Boundary.
3. To protect skyline trees and to restrict development which breaks the skyline when viewed from the east bank of the River Barrow.
4. To control housing development so as to ensure that well-planned in-depth development is not prevented through linear development of road frontages.
5. To make an Action area plan for the existing industrial and port areas in conjunction with the land owners, local residents New Ross UDC and Wexford County Council as the need arises.

Whilst the Environs area has been inhabited for many hundreds of years, the bulk of the population of New Ross is located on the east bank of the Barrow in County Wexford.

The residential population of the Plan area is very small, but nevertheless appears to follow national and county trends in most respects. The most reliable sources of information on population in the Plan area are the 1991 and 1996 Census of Population undertaken by the Central Statistics Office. The development area approximately corresponds to the Census definition of the New Ross Environs in County Kilkenny. There has been a slight decrease in population from 149 persons in 1991 to 140 persons in 1996.

To facilitate the continued growth of the environs as a residential area, through the provision of services and amenities and by planning for the future in-depth residential development of lands.

The Environs area contains a number of businesses, which draw in their work force from a wider area. The main industries and commercial premises are located adjacent to the port either on the Waterford Road (N25) or in the Raheen Industrial Estate.
Much of the industrial development in the area is port related.

New Ross Port is situated on the River Barrow, 20 miles from the sea and 5 miles downstream of the confluence of the Barrow and the Suir Rivers. New Ross Port has become a focus for port-related industry and commerce, with extensive industrial areas on both right and left banks of the river. New Ross Port consists of facilities operated by the New Ross Harbour Commissioners on the eastern side in Co. Wexford, with private facilities on the western side.

New Ross Port Company has made significant improvements to New Ross Port in the past year. Due to drainage of the river Barrow, ships with an upper limit of circa 7m drafts are now catered for and cargo of 6,000 tonnes will be catered for incrementally within 12 to 18 months time. Nineteen acres of land have been reclaimed on the County Kilkenny side in Ballyvarneen (outside New Ross Environs Plan area). New Ross Port Company’s immediate plans for the future include development of port related facilities at Marshmeadow in Co. Wexford or alternatively on the reclaimed land.

The existing industrial lands at Raheen/Rosbercon are underused and require environmental improvements.

1. To encourage the improvement and development of the town’s port facilities.
2. To promote designated industrial areas and related commercial and industrial activities.
3. To encourage environmental improvements to existing industrial areas and to require a high standard of new industrial development and landscaping/tree planting.

New Ross has considerable potential as a tourist attraction due to its location in the picturesque Barrow Valley with its river walks, vantage points and water based activities and also due to its strategic location on the Euro-route to and from Rosslare Harbour.

The setting of New Ross on hillsides overlooking the Barrow Valley has provided excellent natural amenities for both active and passive recreation. The area is well wooded and its good views across the Barrow from New Ross are important to the visual amenity of the town. Trees on the skyline within Co. Kilkenny have a visual importance in spite of their relatively small number.

1. To liaise with Wexford County Council, New Ross U.D.C. and Chamber of Commerce to encourage the development of New Ross as a touring base for the Barrow/Nore River Valley Region.
2. To protect the amenity value of the River Barrow by requiring a high standard of landscaping of new development and by protecting existing amenity areas in particular at the riverbanks.
3. To promote the provision of fish stands, car parking, camping, cruising facilities in appropriate locations.
4. To protect existing recreational lands and to investigate needs for future provision of recreational lands as part of an Action Area Plan.
5. To continue to improve suitable landscaping and amenity facilities to improve the entrance to the town.
6. To carry out amenity improvements

Continuing unplanned ribbon development of road frontages threatens the long term in-depth development of lands for which services are planned and will therefore be restricted in order to ensure that the overall development of the area is not compromised.

There is currently no further sewage capacity to cater for further housing development in the area. Public water supplies are also limited. Development has thus been restricted to a small number of individual houses serviced by private wells and septic tanks. However, with the proposed augmentation scheme and the completion of the New Ross Main Drainage Scheme, services will be available in the future to provide for larger developments. However until then, residential development is therefore likely to continue to take place mainly as infill within New Ross town or within its environs in Wexford. (See sanitary services section below for further details)

Whether for single houses or for clustered development/multiple development, the Planning Authority must be satisfied that satisfactory sewage disposal arrangements are to be put in place to service the needs of the development and to prevent pollution. Such houses will be required to be connected to mains sewerage when this is installed.

The Council has purchased a parcel of land (circa 2 hectares) in Millbanks through compulsory purchase in order to provide for social housing.

Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (the Act) requires that housing strategies be drawn up by planning authorities and integrated into their development plans. The strategy is to have regard to the proper planning and sustainable development of an area and will be concerned with the overall supply of housing within the administrative area of the Local Authority.

1. To prepare an Action Area Plan for the residential areas in order to ensure orderly and economic use of lands for which sanitary services are planned. The Action Plan will include assessment of needs for neighbourhood shopping and other community facilities.
2. Ensure that residential developments are suitably located and that they provide a satisfactory, safe and visually pleasing environment for residents and the community in general.
3. It is an objective of the Council to implement the housing strategy contained in appendix A of the County Development Plan.
4. The Council will require that 18.7% of the land zoned for residential use or for a mixture of residential and other uses be made available for the provision of social and affordable housing.

The lack of sanitary services has so far precluded any substantial residential development of the area.

Residential development in the environs is serviced by septic tanks and soakpits. The closeness of the rock to the surface in the residential area places limitations on the potential for such development.

The New Ross Main Drainage Scheme is well advanced in Co. Wexford. Completion of the scheme is expected circa 2004. This scheme includes a new treatment works at Marshmeadows and a quay interceptor sewer. This work will form the major element of the scheme and provides for the collection and secondary treatment of all sewage effluent of all sewage effluent at Marshmeadows prior to discharge to the river Barrow downstream of the town. These will be owned and operated by New Ross Urban District Council but the Kilkenny parts of the New Ross environs will be able to connect into these services.

Currently the New Ross Water Supply derives its raw water from the upland catchment at Poulmonty and Dranagh, Co. Carlow. The proposed augmentation scheme provides for the development of the Camross/Adamstown aquifer in Co. Wexford to cater for the West Central Regional Water Supply Scheme, which includes New Ross and environs.
The existing water requirements of the Rosbercon area are presently served from two sources:

1. The main water distribution network of the town of New Ross via extensions to this network across the Barrow Bridge.
2. Private wells within the area itself.
The system in Kilkenny is adequate only to service the area below the 40-45 O.D. contour line.

1. To liaise with New Ross U.D.C. and Wexford County Council to commence the servicing of the development area with foul and storm water sewers.
2. To liaise with New Ross U.D.C. and Wexford County Council to extend water supplies as necessary throughout the development area.
3. To require all industrial discharges to be reduced to domestic standards before discharge into any future public pipe network.
4. To seek to ensure that a good quality of environment, including water quality, is maintained.

The principal road running through the area is the National Primary Route (N25) from New Ross to Waterford, which is part of the strategic coastal route linking Rosslare with Limerick and Cork and is a part of the designated Trans European Network (TENS). This road is also becoming commonly used as a route from Waterford to Dublin via Enniscorthy. The other connector is the regional road, R704, between Mullinavat and New Ross. The third route is County Road 681 from Thomastown to Mullinavat.

The river is also an important element of the transport structure. Its strategic location facilitates an expensive navigable river system connecting the Barrow and Nore River Valleys. New Ross port, situated 32 km inland on the river Barrow, is recognized as one of the country’s major ports and is well located for the transportation of goods relative to Dublin, Cork and Limerick. A rail spur runs from Waterford to Raheen.

The entrances to the town vary greatly in appearance, some of the roads from Kilkenny County into New Ross being rural and undeveloped in character and the N25 in particular having an industrial and utilitarian appearance. In recent years tree planting in Wexford alongside the N25 has begun to ameliorate the visual effects of industrial and portal development as viewed from the main road and similar additional tree planting is required in the Environs.

Roads in the main have no surface water drainage system and remain free from flooding only due to their steep gradients. Servicing is necessary for future development to prevent danger of flooding in the lower areas. A new storm sewer has been proposed to reduce excess flows in the existing Rosbercon sewage system.

It is proposed to construct a by-pass for New Ross.

1. To ensure a safe and comprehensive road system of satisfying requirements of both vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
2. Realignment of New Ross - Mullinavat Road (R705)
3. Realignment of New Ross - Shanbogh Road
4. Realignment of New Ross -Bawnjames Road
5. Upgrading of the N25 between Waterford and New Ross to dual carriageway standard
6. Investigate the feasibility of the provision of an additional river crossing and reservation for a by pass for New Ross in conjunction with Wexford County Council, New Ross UDC and the National Roads Authority.