Brittas Bay - A DRAFT ACTION PLAN

Prepared by the Brittas Bay Community Development Group, June 2002.

Vision Statement

Executive Summary

Brittas Bay is situated in a rural seaside area about thirty miles or forty five minutes drive from the nations capitol Dublin which has an expanding population of xxx Million people.

The area has a long sandy beach, sloping hillside and a picturesque mountain. area

There are a number of areas of historical interest

Conventional agricultural activity is declining in the area. There is a trend towards alternative methods of farming with farm incomes becoming supplemented by non-farming activity.

In many cases farm activity has been replaced with tourist activity. E.g. Caravan parks, Golf courses.

A significant amount of local employment is generated by the demands of caravan parks and holiday homeowners.

Traditionally the population was agricultural with a temporary tourist population during the summer. In more recent times this pattern has been altered with the decline in agricultural employment and the expansion of Dubin and increased Dublin house prices as well as the expansion of neighbouring towns of Arklow and Wicklow, a more urban type of resident has moved into the area. With local families dying out local authorities have, through planning decisions, encouraged their descendants to find housing in nearby towns.

Despite this trend, with the population which remains as well as those who have moved in to the area and wish to remain there is still the demand for community facilities as well as infrastructure improvements to accommodate present as well as future population needs of the area and future demands from an expanding Dublin. From a planning view, It is therefore prudent to take a twenty year perspective.

The Brittas Bay Community Development Group have in recent years launched a couple of initiatives to meet these demands. These include the restoration of the community hall, which was later taken on by another group, a group water scheme, a newsletter, and this website. They have also liased with Wicklow County Council in the provision and improvement of many infrastructural facilities. One facility. a footpath, was provided by a private developer with the support of the Brittas Bay Community Development Group.

The group recognise that orderly development of the area can only take place in a manner that accommodates the needs of the community in tandem commercial aspirations and local authority wishes.

Within this context the group are considering incorporating a proposed housing development within a community setting, which would cater for local needs.

The group hold regular public meetings and have become a barometer of the needs and wishes of the community. This action plan is the result of that public consultation.

It will however be submitted to the community for public scrutiny and final ratification.

It has been the experience of the Brittas Bay Community Development Group therefore that improvements which would not have been possible by local authorities, business sections or the community on their own, can be achieved by a tripartite approach of community, business and public sectors working in tandem.

This principle is consistent with EU thinking on Rural Development

1. Area Profile

1.1 Location

Brittas Bay is located on the eastern seaboard of County Wicklow. It is equidistant (about eight miles - ) from the maritime towns of Arklow and Wicklow on the R750 road. Brittas Bay is two miles from the N11 Dublin-Rosslare Motorway linking which is proposed under present road improvement schemes to become the Larne-Rosslare Euroroute.

1.2 Natural Landscape

The area consists of 4907 hectares. Physical features include Castletimon Hill, which is 238 metres in height and is situated at the northwestern end of the area. There are two rivers, Potters River and Threemilewater River.” There is a beach and sand dune system to the east, which varies in length from 50 metres in the north to 300 metres in the south. On the landward side of the dunes there is a marsh, which extends halfway down a north south axis. Beyond that grassland and mountain extend to the western boundary. The soil characteristics are dictated by the geological makeup of the area. Ordivician sandstone, siltstone and shale predominate. The area surrounding Potters River contains igneous rock, both acid and basic”.[1]

1.3 Built Landscape

There are seven housing estates with an average of 20 units in each estate. There is a strip of about 40 bungalows on the seaward side of the coast road. The rest of the housing consists of once off units. In the general area there are ten caravan parks, three golf courses

Two village units, the original once contained the primary school, a post office, two shops a parish pump and three houses. Presently one-shop remains, which serves the adjoining Caravan Park and other holiday users.

The other village cluster, which has emerged in more recent times, contains a church, primary school and shop. This is situated a mile north of the original village in Brittas in the townland of Ballinacarrig. Proposals are presently underway to locate a housing development in this area and the Brittas Bay Community Development Group are pursuing the possibility of integrating community facilities within such a development.

There are about twenty farms in the area. These are mostly used for grazing and dairying. The decline in conventional farming leaves room for alternative farming methods. This would help revitalise a farming atmosphere. There has been a burgeoning of equestrian activity on farms in recent times. Pony trekking, Go-karting,

The existence of a National Park in Wicklow creates opportunities for Brittas Bay to showcase itself as an additional attraction for the more nature-orientated visitor or tourist.

1.4 History

The Three Mile Water area is linked with St. Kevin and St. Patrick[2], Dunganstown with the O’Byrne Clan, the Normans and Crusades[3]. Brittas and Ballinacarrig with Jack White[4], Joseph Holt with Redcross[5]. Crown records list many local names and townlands  in the Brittas area with records of United Irish men.

Castletimon had a mill as did Brittas, there was a primary school in Balinacarrig prior to the school in Brittas which was opened in 1876. There was a quarry and post office in Tonlagee.[6]

1.5 Demographic Profile

Census returns for the polling district of Brittas Bay are difficult to analyse because they relate to the District Electoral Divisions of Dunganstown East, Dunganstown South and Dunganstown West. Dunganstown East and Dunganstown West both have townlands in Barndarrig Polling District and Brittas Bay Polling District. (See maps).

With this in mind the following random information[7] from the 1996 Small Area Population statistics reveals:-

(Table 1. Socio-economic profile)

1.6 Social and cultural profile

The area has a football club, The BBK that is actively involved in the county league; It uses the facilities of the old school and the adjoining football pitch to host matches and train. The Barndarrig GAA also train there regularly as do the local Athletics Club. A youth club run by local parents also use the old school.

2. Action Plan background

The Brittas Bay Community Development Group was set up to identify local needs. This was done through a public consultation process in which a series of public meetings to which people were invited to express their views on what they wanted for the area.

2.1 Process

The main issues raised were a water supply, a community hall, housing for locals, road safety and access to the council car parks throughout the year.

Following successes and failures the group eventually got a water scheme set up, the hall restoration subcommittee set up another group which succeeded in restoring the hall, the council agreed to a request by the Brittas Bay Community Development Group to open the carpark on weekends during the winter and agreement was also reached with the council on speed limits and signage

The group drew up a mission statement and constitution to focus its direction for the future, revaluated its progress to date ad through further brainstorming sessions within a public consultation setting

The results of these brainstorming sessions produced a list of needs, which were tested to the scrutiny of a SWOT analysis. The results of the SWOT analysis were refined to a list of submissions that the group felt could be addressed to the county council. These submissions also formed the basis of this action plan.

2.2 Objectives

The public consultation procedure identified two main areas, which needed attention both in a short term and a long-term basis. These areas were Infrastructure and Youth. It was felt the addressing of the needs set out would require a plan with a twenty year time frame. It is therefore the objective of the Brittas Bay Community Development Group to produce a full scale Area based development plan for Brittas Bay. This plan will be produced through a detailed public consultation procedure involving door to door research followed up by professional analysis, the setting out of phased community development over that period in which the aims set out in the Brittas Bay Community Development Group vision statement are adhered to.

2.3 Infrastructure

The view most widely expressed during the public consultation process was the threat to the future of community life in the area presented by the gradual disappearance of local families. This was attributed to the lack of employment prospects and social facilities.

 ‘There’s nothing to keep young people here’ was a comment most often expressed. These comments were widened to include references to the lack of employment prospects, social facilities and planning permission to build houses. It was noted that it seemed easier for non-residents and developers to build once off houses or multiple unit schemes than local families.

This view was borne out by a planning audit conducted by the Brittas Bay Community Development Group [8]

It was felt that if this trend continued a centuries old tradition of local families and local character would soon disappear from the area to be replaced by holiday developments and commuters.

2.4.1 Housing and Community

To arrest this decline it was felt that future development should facilitate the inclusion of local housing and community facilities.

It would be necessary to put in place infrastructure, which would facilitate these ends.

2.4.2 Village status

The granting of village status would confer a focal point around which a community identity could be rebuilt.

The Brittas Bay Community Development Group feel a housing development in a new village centre where the church, school and shop are situated should include community facilities such as a community hall, IT Centre, playing field, hairdresser. This should be large enough to cater for the needs of a growing population within a twenty-year time span. A proposal, which has been recently prepared by a developer, has the support in principle of the Brittas Bay Community Development Group. This proposal would allow for development of the area in a planned sustainable and tasteful manner and avoid the tardy piecemeal makeshift development, which is in danger of otherwise happening.

Such a project is in keeping with European thinking where Business, Community and Public sectors work together in a tripartite approach for the mutual benefit of all.

2.4.3 Natural Gas

A spur from natural gas pipeline, which will run along the nearby N11would provide an alternative energy source for a community housing project and other village facilities.

2.4.4 Group Water Scheme

The Brittas Bay Community Development Group has set up the Brittas Bay Group Water Scheme Limited. That company have secured an extensive amount of householders who have applied and been accepted for inclusion in the proposed group water scheme. The company’s design engineering consultants have completed final plan for the scheme, which has been submitted to Wicklow County Council. The provision of the water supply will greatly reduce the risk of contamination from sporadic bore wells; conserve water supply by the use of ‘grey water’ from existing bore wells and improve the quality of life and property values of existing residents. A piped water supply will also reduce pressure on the local water table and reduce contamination of the seawater thereby increasing tourist potential.

2.4.5 Group Sewerage scheme

The possibility of a Group Sewerage Scheme is something, which needs consideration and the desirability of such a scheme to consolidate proposed development requires further investigation within a longer time span.

2.4.6 Traffic Control

Traffic control was raised as a matter of local concern. The need for footpaths and cyclepaths for tourists, pedestrians, shoppers, horseriders was expressed. Concern was expressed with the amount of traffic on the narrow Jack White's-Brittas Bay Road, which copes with Daytrip traffic, Cars and buses, Agricultural traffic, cyclists and pedestrians, some with prambs from caravan parks and chalet schemes. Part of this problem was ameliorated by the provision of a footpath by a local developer. The need for a footpath the entire length of the road is necessary to facilitate residents from three housing schemes and two caravan parks, which abut the road. While there are difficulties with the local authority providing footpaths, this particular road is the most widely used access from the metropolis to the countries leading coastal resort and for this reason it is essential that pedestrian use of the road be recognised by the provision of a footpath.  In addition to a footpath, there is also concern with speeding and the necessity of traffic calming measures in addition to the speedlimit. Similar problems exist on the Brittas Bay section of the R750 the coast road which has eight caravan parks, two shops, a pub, a church and a school.

2.5 Youth Facilities

The attractiveness of our natural resources should be capitalised on to benefit from the demand generated.

2.5.1 Access to beach

Improved access to the beach carparks should be created throughout the year. This applies to local as well as motorised visitors. The increased population of neighbouring towns resulted in increased demand. The provision of footpaths would facilitate the increased demand of local people to access the beach and reduce the use of motorised traffic. The provision of cycle paths would have a similar effect.

2.5.2 Sporting facilities

In line with recent trends, there is scope for the provision of sporting facilities alongside natural resource amenities such as tennis and pitch and putt.

The negative impact of adverse weather on our tourist potential could be offset by the provision of all-weather recreational facilities.

2.5.3 Airfield

The demand for an airfield is recognised in the county development plan. The existence of an airfield until recently demonstrated the potential of such a facility. It closed down due to lack of coordinated support from other services. This would have to be put in place to attract an airfield to the area in the future.

2.5.4 Employment and Industry

The retention of youth in the area requires employment opportunities by the provision of an enterprise development centre. An IT Centre, which would cater for the demands of youth as well as holidaymakers, would be desirable.

3.0 Community projects so far

3.1 Community hall restoration

The Brittas Bay Community Development Group set up a sub-committee to restore the old school as a community centre. The group drew down Leader funding for the project, but had to return it when difficulties arose. Another group restored the hall without Leader funding and the building is now a busy community centre.

3.2 Group Water Scheme

The Brittas Bay Community Development Group set up a sub committee to start a group water scheme. Local Councillors supported the scheme. The sub-committee formed the Brittas Bay Group Water Scheme Limited. A design engineer was commissioned to draw up preliminary plans. The County Council gave the Company tacit approval for the scheme and the company collected 112 Deposits from applicants for the water scheme. The design engineer has recently lodged final plans with the County Council. Pending council approval, tenders will be invited and when a contractor has been chosen, work is expected to begin early in the Autumn. The scheme is 85% EU funded.

3.3 Cycle path

To accommodate the concerns expressed for road safety (see 2.4.6). It is recommended that when the road is being re-surfaced after the pipes for the group water scheme have been laid; a cycle path be provided. This would overcome the financial difficulty posed by the council in providing a footpath and as the lane is being created when the road is being filled in anyway, much of the cost will be absorbed.

3.4 Community/County Council initiatives

The group and the county council have been in contact over the following issues since the group’s inception:-

• The provision of speed limit signs. These signs are a improvement, but the council have since agreed to representations by the Brittas Bay Community Development Group to extend them.
• The county council erected directional signage at Magheramore at the behest of the Brittas Bay Community Development Group
• The County Council opened the car parks on weekends throughout the year
• The council have kept the group informed on their efforts to look after the roads in the area

3.5 Newsletter

The group are presently preparing a newsletter, which will be an organ for local communication. It should appear shortly

3.6 Website

The group have an elaborate new website http://homepage.eircom.net/~brittasbaycdg. Which has been kindly built by Mr PJ.McHugh. It is expected that this will be expanded and updated in conjunction with the newsletter in being an organ of communication of the Brittas Bay Community Development Group and the community it serves.

3.7 Business/County Council Initiatives

The demand for footpaths was partly met by the provision of a footpath beside a housing development at the Jack White's road. This is an example of a local authority incorporating a community need within the aspirations of the business sector in a manner, which would not have been possible solely within the financial scope of the local authority.

(Table 3. Time scale of Projects)

Map 1. Area Of Brittas Bay CDG

Bibliography