Eighteen settlements in Fermanagh are to be demoted from their village status if proposals contained in an evaluation paper get the go-ahead.
Lack, Tamlaght and Monea are just three areas in Fermanagh which could be stripped of their current village status under the Strategic Settlement Evaluation.
None of Fermanagh’s settlements have been ‘promoted’ to a higher settlement status.
The 147-page document contains a detailed evaluation of each settlement in the Fermanagh and Omagh district.
Belleek Main Street
“The Rural Development Strategy (RDS) recognises that a strong network of smaller towns supported by villages helps to sustain and service the rural community,” states the paper.
The RDS identifies Enniskillen not only as a hub but also as an “inter-regional gateway to the Republic of Ireland”, being only one hour’s drive to Sligo.
Omagh has also been identified as a hub, being a “major administrative centre and situated on the Western Economic Corridor”.
The paper recognises that under the previous area plans for the Fermanagh and Omagh districts, unlike Fermanagh, the Omagh Area Plan had small settlements or hamlets designated below village level – a fourth tier in the settlement hierarchy.
Fermanagh has 39 villages compared to nine in Omagh, all varying greatly in size, form and function and capacity to accommodate growth, according to the paper.
“Some of the larger settlements such as Ballinamallard and Belleek are fairly urban in character, accommodating important local industries and a range of shops and services,” says the paper.
“However, there are many smaller settlements such as Whitehill and Ardess which could be described as hamlets or clusters based around crossroads that are more rural in character,” it adds.
The most important facilities in a village are outlined in the paper as being: a school; convenience shop; a pub, café, or restaurant; and a hall.
An ATM, in lieu of a bank, is now viewed as an important service, according to the paper.
The evaluation also looks at whether the landscape and topography surrounding a settlement can absorb more development and do so without having a detrimental effect on character, appearance and setting.
Main Street Ballinamallard
During a Settlement Workshop in August 2014, discussions were held on the classification of each settlement and where they should sit in a new settlement hierarchy.
The workshop included discussion on Belleek and whether it should be investigated for potential small town classification.
The discussion also involved some of the smaller villages in Fermanagh and whether they should be reclassified as small settlements, while other small settlements in the former Omagh district should be reclassified as villages.
In a more recent workshop in October this year however, while there was broad agreement on a number of villages which should be reclassified as small settlements, opinion was divided in relation to considering Belleek’s reclassification from village to small town.
As such, it is now recommended that it remains a village.
According to the paper, views were also divided on whether Kilskeery should be classified as a village or small settlement. But given its size and level of service provision, it was recommended that it remain as a ‘small settlement’.
Donagh, Co. Fermanagh
Opinion was divided over Donagh, too and whether it should be demoted to small settlement status.
But, given its size and level of service provision, it was recommended it remain as a village.
Although the overall view at the workshop was to have Lack remain as a village, it was recommended that given its population size and absence of a convenience shop, it should now become a small settlement.
Holywell, an outlier of Belcoo, comprising a small grouping of dwellings and no shops or services of its own, was recommended to be reclassified as a small settlement, separate from Belcoo.
Overall, the areas in Fermanagh which stand to be demoted from village to small settlement are:
Ardess, Arney/Skea, Ballycassidy/Laragh/Trory, Carrontremall, Carrybridge, Church Hill, Florencecourt/Drumlaghy, Killadeas, Killesher, Lack, Letterbreen, Magheraveely, Mullanaskea, Monea, Springfield, Tamlaght, Teemore and Whitehill.
According to the paper, initial investigation within the Housing Allocation Paper and the settlement evaluations also suggest that a number of settlements will need additional housing (more than 10 dwellings).
These include Ballycassidy, Belcoo, Lack, Lisbellaw, Lisnarick and Tempo.
(Source – Impartial Reporter – Julie Kenwell – 05/12/2015)