Students from Queen’s University Planning School visited Letterkenny at the weekend to undertake field work as part of the MSc in Planning & Development.
Supported by Donegal County Council, the students from the Masters Planning course spent two days surveying the town centre in Letterkenny and interviewing locals about the key issues for the area.
Principally focusing on the vitality of the town, its assets, traffic and accessibility, the group also heard from community activists, local politicians, and local business interests to get a rounded picture of the constraints and opportunities in the town centre. Their aim is to identify the priorities for Letterkenny and identify where people saw the potential for the future growth of the town.
It is anticipated that feedback from the project will be available by the summer and that it will also form a contribution to a new Strategic Plan for Letterkenny that is being prepared by the Planning Service of Donegal County Council.
Senior Planner with Donegal County Council Eunan Quinn explains that the Plan for Letterkenny will commence with a significant round of consultations with local stakeholders through the spring of 2018. This will help to shape and inform the draft plan that is targeted for initial publication before the end of the year.
“Throughout the initial consultation period, submissions will be welcomed through organised workshops, in writing, via email, or through a specially designed online facility to help gather local contributions to the making of the Plan” says Eunan Quinn.
Further information on the Plan for Letterkenny and how to engage with the process is available by contacting the Planning Service on 074 9153900 or via planning@donegalcoco.ie.
