8 Socio-Economic Assessment
8.2 County Kildare
The most recent population figure
for County Kildare was recorded in the 1996 Census of Population
as 134,992 persons, a 29.6 per cent increase on the 1981 population
figure of 104,122 persons. It is recognised that the population
of the county since 1996 has experienced a further significant
increase. This is mainly due to the influence of Dublin as
a centre of employment and economic activity and which is
giving rise to demands for housing in the county. Economic
activity within the county, especially in the areas closely
related to Dublin, has also been increasing. The majority
of the growth has been confined to the northern portion of
the county in centres such as Naas, Droichead Nua, Leixlip,
Kilcock, Celbridge and Maynooth. In recent years, however,
the commuter zone has begun to extend over the entire county
having a significant impact on centres such as Castledermot
and Athy. Population totals for each of the larger centres
are given below:
Population of County Kildare,
1981-1996
|
Settlement
|
County
|
Pop
1981
|
Pop
1986
|
Pop
1991
|
Pop
1996
|
%
change 1981-1986
|
%
change 1986-1991
|
%
change 1991-1996
|
%
change 1981-1996
|
|
County
|
Kildare
|
104,122
|
116,247
|
122,656
|
134,992
|
11.6
|
5.5
|
10
|
29.6
|
|
Kildare
|
Kildare
|
4,042
|
4,268
|
4,196
|
4,278
|
5.6
|
-1.7
|
2.0
|
5.8
|
|
Kilcullen
|
Kildare
|
1,528
|
1,693
|
1,664
|
1,604
|
10.8
|
-1.7
|
-3.6
|
4.9
|
|
Athy
|
Kildare
|
5,565
|
5,449
|
5,204
|
5,306
|
-2.1
|
-4.5
|
2.0
|
-4.6
|
|
Castledermot
|
Kildare
|
805
|
792
|
741
|
733
|
-1.6
|
-6.4
|
-1.1
|
-8.9
|
Development in County Kildare
is controlled by the Kildare County Development Plan 1998.
As Kildare forms part of the Greater Dublin Area it broadly
aligns its development strategy to the guidelines set out
in the Strategic Planning Guidelines for the Greater Dublin
Area published in 1999 and the subsequent Review, issued in
April 2000. This regional strategy aims to achieve continued
growth throughout the region in a sustainable manner setting
guidelines for the provision of additional infrastructure
in and between larger urban centres in order to cater for
further increases in population over the next 10-15 years.
During the County Development
Plan period there are proposals to continue to design and
construct major road schemes, which will in effect by-pass
all major towns. The current plan mentions the N9, National
Primary Route, within the context of ongoing improvements
but does not refer to a complete realignment. The specific
objective relating to this proposes to improve the N9 from
the Athy Road Interchange to the Carlow County Boundary, including
the Moone-Timolin By Pass and the Castledermot By Pass.
Kildare Town
Kildare Town lies at the western
edge of the Curragh, approximately 50 kilometres from Dublin.
Kildare has a history stemming from the pre Christian period
to the present day. Kildare town is located on the heavily
trafficked national primary route N7 linking Dublin with Cork
and Limerick. The town is also a strategic mainline rail transportation
node linking Dublin with the west, south-west and south-east
of the country.
Kildare Town acts as a service
centre to the surrounding areas. Horse-breeding is the basis
on which the economy of the town thrives. The Irish National
Stud is a short distance outside the town centre.
Kildare is located within the
Mid-East Region and is identified in the Strategic Planning
Guidelines for the Greater Dublin Area as forming part of
the Kildare - Monasterevin secondary development centre within
the Dublin Hinterland Area. The strategy advocates the promotion
of development within the centre to facilitate a high level
of employment activity, high order shopping and a full range
of social facilities. The longer-term objective will be to
create a town, as self-sufficient as possible, with only limited
commuting to the Metropolitan Dublin area. The town will require
to be well linked to Dublin by good road and rail infrastructure
to meet additional growth. With the growth of Dublin, Kildare
town with its strategic location and position in terms of
accessibility and transportation infrastructure, has become
an increasingly desirable place to live.
In 1996 Kildare town had a total
of 4,278 persons. This represents a 6 per cent increase since
1981. Kildare town was identified in the 1999 Kildare County
Development Plan as a primary growth centre. The Plan established
a target population for Kildare town of 12,500 by 2006. This
represents a planned population increase of almost 192 per
cent over the 1996 population within 10 years.
Future plans for Kildare town
aim to further its growth and promote its strategic location.
The N7 National Primary Route, Dublin to Cork-Limerick, will
ultimately by-pass the town and facilitate the future development
of Kildare as a successful employment and residential centre.
Kilcullen
Located 44 kilometres from Dublin
in the west of County Kildare, Kilcullen is a market/residential
centre on the River Liffey. It is bypassed by the M9, Motorway
Route. Kilcullen falls within the Mid-East Region and is identified
in the Strategic Planning Guidelines for the Greater Dublin
Area as forming part of the Naas - Droichead Nua - Kilcullen
primary development centre outside the Dublin Metropolitan
Area. The strategy advocates the promotion of development
within the overall centre of Naas-Droichead Nua-Kilcullen
to facilitate a high level of employment activity, high order
shopping and a full range of social facilities. The longer-term
objective will be to create a centre, as self-sufficient as
possible, with only limited commuting to the Dublin Metropolitan
area. The three towns forming the centre will require to be
well linked to Dublin by good transportation infrastructure
to meet future development needs.
Kilcullen is identified in the
1999 Kildare County Development Plan as a primary
growth centre having a good base in manufacturing and service
sector employment and is strategically located in the county.
The Plan established a target population for Kilcullen of
3,800 by 2006. This represents a population increase of almost
136 per cent over the 1996 population of 1,604 persons in
ten years.
The town is identified in the
Plan as being a town of 'Special Townscape/Heritage Character'.
It is a policy of the County Development Plan that the character
of the centre be respected and that new development in the
centre will be sympathetic to the towns vernacular.
The town, which is well served
with community facilities, has a thriving business community
and it is host to an important livestock mart. Local industry
is principally located on the Naas road and the County Council
plan the development of a further business/ industrial facility
on a site close to the M9, Athy Interchange.
Athy
Athy, situated in the south-west
of the County, is a market town at the convergence of the
River Barrow and Grand Canal. The town developed from a 12th
century Anglo-Norman settlement to an important military outpost
on the border of the Pale. The first town charter dates from
the 16th century and the town hall was constructed in the
early 18th century. The completion of the Grand Canal in 1791
and arrival of the railway in 1846 enhanced the importance
of the town as a commercial centre.
Athy is located on the intersection
of the N78 and the R417 linking it with Dublin, Kilkenny,
Carlow and Monasterevin. Athy is also served by the main line
rail connecting Dublin with Waterford.
Athy is located within the Mid-East
Region and is identified in the Strategic Planning Guidelines
for the Greater Dublin Area as a secondary development centre
outside the Dublin Metropolitan Area and states that "in the
long term Athy, in particular, could become a major development
centre". The strategy advocates the promotion of development
within the centre to facilitate a high level of employment
activity, high order shopping and a full range of social facilities.
The longer-term objective will be to create a town, as self-sufficient
as possible, with only limited commuting to the Metropolitan
area. The town will require to be well linked to Dublin by
good road and rail infrastructure to meet the additional growth.
Athy, an Urban District, was
identified in the 1999 Kildare County Development Plan as
a primary growth centre. The plan foresees that there is ample
room for future expansion of the town within its development
boundary for the foreseeable future.
The population was 5,306 in
1996, this represented a decrease of 4.5 per cent since 1981.
The Urban District Development Plan establishes a target population
for Athy of 12,500 by 2006. This represents a planned population
increase of almost 136 per cent over the 1996 population in
the 10 years.
Castledermot
Castledermot is located on the
N9 in the extreme south of County Kildare. The village lies
32 km from Kilcullen, 10 km from Carlow Town and 11 km from
Athy. Castledermot is a service centre for the surrounding
rural hinterland. Recently the town has developed as a commuter
town for workers in Carlow town.
Castledermot is also located
within the Mid-East Region and is identified in the Strategic
Planning Guidelines for the Greater Dublin Area as being within
the 'Strategic Green Belt Area'. The strategy advocated by
the guidelines is to restrict development within these areas
to meet local needs only. The guidelines call for strict control
of development in green belt areas so as to secure a clear
distinction between urban areas and rural areas.
Castledermot is identified in
the 1999 Kildare County Development Plan as being a secondary
growth centre. The town is also identified in the Plan as
being a town of 'Special Townscape/Heritage Character'.
The Development Plan establishes
a target population for Castledermot of 2,150 by 2006. This
represents a population increase of almost 200 per cent over
the 1996 population in ten years. Over 500 new housing units
will be required to accommodate this population increase.
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