Chapter 14: Recreation and Open Space Strategy

14.1 Introduction

The Council, as a Planning Authority, has an important role to play in creating living environments that promote and facilitate active and passive recreation, physical activity and social inclusion. This chapter sets out the strategy and objectives to guide the spatial development of open space and recreation facilities in the county and to facilitate increased participation in physical and recreational activities. These facilities, while contributing to the physical and mental wellbeing of our residents, are also important stimuli in attracting employment and enterprise to the county and in the development of recreation tourism, making the county an attractive place to live, work and visit. 

14.2 Climate Action and Recreation

Recreation and open spaces offer many opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the changing climate. In this regard, the planning authority will, inter alia:

• Ensure that recreation facilities and open spaces are located in existing settlements, close to residential areas and other community facilities to reduce the need to travel, and use sustainable transport modes to get there e.g. public transport, walking and cycling. 
• Prioritise walking and cycling accessibility to both existing and proposed developments.
• Develop a connected network of greenways for safe recreational cycling and walking.

• Develop well-managed, well-located and well-connected open spaces that operate as part of a wider green network in the urban settlements.

• Protect and expand green infrastructure provisions in existing and new recreation and open space areas, including the retention of existing and planting of new trees. 
• Protect and enhance the spaces around our river channels, the riparian zone and buffer from development which would reduce its ability to attenuate and filter flood water.
• Ensure that recreational buildings are climate resilient and energy efficient.

14.3 Policy Context

This chapter has been prepared in line with relevant national, regional and local strategies, in particular, Healthy Ireland, the NPF and the RSES. 

National Physical Activity Plan

‘Get Ireland Active’ is the National Physical Activity Plan (NPAP) for the country and it stems from the Government’s Healthy Ireland-A Framework for Improved Health and Wellbeing 2013-2025. Action 4 of the Plan focuses on the built and natural environment and how the promotion of its use and the promotion of active transport are the most practical and sustainable ways to increase physical activity as part of the everyday routine. The way the built environment is designed, planned and built can also act as a barrier to be active and can reinforce sedentary behaviour and car dependence¹ .

National Sports Policy 2018 – 2027 (Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, 2018)

This policy sets out a Vision for Irish Sport in 2027 along with 57 actions to transform the sporting landscape over the next decade. Action 13 of the Plan focuses on how the wider natural and built environment can facilitate participation in sport and physical activity taking account of the type of activities in which adults are increasingly participating such as running, cycling, outdoor adventure pursuits and recreational walking.

Sport Ireland Policy on Sport and Physical Activity in the Outdoors

This policy recognises and encourages all forms of sport and physical activity in the outdoors undertaken for social, recreational or competitive purposes. It includes sport and recreation facilities that are carried out in a natural or semi-natural environment and involve dealing with natural elements. It also includes sport and recreation activities that take place on infrastructure such as trails, greenways, cycle tracks and roads, both in urban and rural landscapes. The policy highlights the social, physical and health benefits associated with participating in sport and physical activity and it also supports the implementation of policies on participation in sport by people with disabilities and women in sport.

National Planning Framework

Quality of life and place lies at the heart of the NPF.  In line with the NPAP, the NPF outlines that design affects people’s behaviour, and the places in which we live, work and play can affect both our physical and mental wellbeing.  Communities that are designed in a way that supports physical activity e.g. generously sized footpaths and cycle lanes and accessible recreational areas, encourage residents to make healthy choices and live healthier lives.  

Through NSO 8 Enhanced amenities and heritage, the NPF seeks to ensure that towns and villages are attractive and can offer a good quality of life. This will require investment in well-designed public realm which includes public spaces, parks and streets as well as recreational infrastructure. It also includes amenities in rural areas such as national and forest parks and trails such as greenways, blueways and peatways. NPO 26 supports the objectives of public health policy including Healthy Ireland and the NPAP while NPO 27 focuses on prioritising walking and cycling accessibility to both existing and future developments, and integrating physical activity facilities for all ages. 

Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy for the Southern Region

The RSES further outlines that the quality of recreational and sporting facilities contributes to good physical and mental health and wider social, cultural and economic benefits for communities. It outlines that local authorities and partner organisations should seek to provide for a range of open space and sporting and recreational facilities to include: 

• Formal open spaces (passive); 
• Informal (active) open space or recreational areas designed for greater physical movement and sporting activities;
• Access and co-operative arrangements for use of open spaces belonging to privately managed or community/voluntary clubs and organisations;
• Provision for full accessibility to sporting and recreational areas and facilities;
• Sustainable linkages to nearby communities and neighbourhoods including provision of new or enhanced cycling and walking routes; and
• The development of greenways, blueways and peatways and connecting settlements in the region along greenway corridors. 

RPO 198 Sport and community organisations, RPO 199 Larger sports projects, RPO 200 Green infrastructure and recreation and RPO 201 National trails, walking routes, greenway and blueway corridors have been incorporated into this strategy. 

Wexford Local Economic and Community Plan 2016-2021

One of the key priorities of the Wexford LECP is the need to support the general physical and mental health and wellbeing of the county’s citizens. High Level Goal 2 is “to support and promote the development of socially inclusive sustainable communities in County Wexford and ensure that all citizens enjoy optimal health and well-being”. The LECP emphasises the value of community facilities, local sports organisations and recreational open space as important resources to improve health and well-being and to cultivate healthy attitudes. There are a number of direct and indirect objectives and actions in the LECP to implement this goal and the County Development Plan supports the LECP in this regard.

Healthy Wexford County Plan 2020-2022

This Plan supports the implementation of Healthy Ireland, the national health and wellbeing framework, at a local level, to improve the health and wellbeing of all in County Wexford. The Plan has six key priority areas and includes a number of associated actions. These include the development of local infrastructure such as trails, playgrounds, nature corridors and parks, providing access to physical activity infrastructure such as beaches and trails to people with disabilities, integrating physical activity infrastructure (i.e., cycle paths) into new developments and rejuvenating town and village spaces for the enjoyment of the community. The County Development Plan supports the Healthy County Plan in this regard.

Sport Active Wexford

Sports Active Wexford is one of a national network of 29 Local Sports Partnerships established under the aegis of Sports Ireland. It published its Strategic Plan 2017-2021 in November 2017. The aim of the Plan is to increase participation levels in physical activity by all Wexford people regardless of age, gender or ability. The Plan is focused around three themes-(i) empowering communities, (ii) enabling inclusion and (iii) supporting the sports sector. The overall vision is for a county where all people are encouraged and enabled to participate in some form of physical activity, stay physically active across the life stages and succeed in achieving their goals.

14.4 Recreation and Open Space Strategy

The Council is committed to developing sustainable communities who have a good quality of life and personal health and wellbeing.  The provision of a high quality network of open spaces and recreation facilities will contribute to this and will make the county an attractive place to live, work and visit. This strategy sets out the spatial planning approach to the development of open space and recreation facilities. Its focus is to ensure that these spaces and facilities are planned in a strategic manner to allow both urban and rural communities across the county to access a range of high quality, safe and accessible open space and recreational opportunities to improve their quality of life and wellbeing.  

14.4.1 Goal, Strategic Aims and Objectives

The overall goal is to ensure that County Wexford is a healthy county with physical environments, amenities and resources that everyone, regardless of their age or ability, can use and to ensure good physical and mental health and wellbeing. 

The strategic aims to achieve this are to: 

• Develop healthy communities by promoting physical activity and active living as a means of enhancing health, wellbeing and social inclusion.
• Ensure that new developments apply the highest standards of place making integrating a variety of recreational uses of space such as sport, play and passive uses
• Ensure the spatial planning, development and design of our towns and villages promotes active living and physical activity by prioritising cycling and walking and the development of local recreational spaces.
• Provide for the development of facilities that contribute to the improvement of the health and wellbeing of the county’s residents and facilitate participation by all in sport, recreation and play.
• Ensure that open space and recreation developments and activities are carried out in a sustainable manner and ensure the protection of environmental quality, natural and built heritage and residential amenities. 
• Ensure that open spaces are designed as multifunctional spaces which may provide flood relief, sustainable urban drainage systems, biodiversity and ecosystem services as well as their active and passive recreation functions.

Recreation and Open Space Strategic Objectives

It is the objective of the Council: 

14.5 Open Space    

14.5.1 The Role of Open Space

High quality, accessible parks, open spaces and greenways provide health benefits and are important components in the development of quality urban and rural environments. Open space can take many forms and provides a variety of functions, including passive recreation, active recreation, play, visual amenity, ecology, drainage regulation and even meet socio-economic needs (meeting places, allotments and travelling carnivals). 

There are generally three categories of open space provision – public, semi-public or sport club spaces and private open space. Public open space is a vital element in the creation of a quality urban environment, offering opportunities for passive and active recreation, contributing to the quality of life of communities and the identity of towns or villages, whilst also offering environmental and ecological benefits. Private open space provision is a fundamental element of residential amenity, offering the resident an opportunity for safe and private recreation. 

Community clubs and sporting organisations have a crucial role in providing for the sporting and recreational needs of our communities. They usually operate on a membership basis. These spaces are vital for physical activity and are also important for community identity and must be planned for in the development of our towns and villages.

14.5.2 Open Space in Town and Villages

Compact growth², and the consolidation of the existing built-up areas in our towns and villages through increased residential densities and maximising the potential of under-developed lands, requires careful consideration and there must be an increased focus on the delivery of high quality public and private open spaces. 

The Council continues to expand its network of public parks in the main towns including the recently developed Min Ryan Park at Killeens, Wexford Town and the redevelopment of Gorey Town Park and Showgrounds. Library Park in the centre of New Ross Town and the Orchard Peace Park in Enniscorthy Town make a significant contribution to the visual, landscape and recreational amenities of these areas. 

The planning of future open spaces within towns and villages will have regard to a number of different factors including, inter alia, the level of existing open space provision in the area, the location of existing and planned residential areas, the need to provide high quality open spaces within a short walk of most dwellings and the most appropriate locations for new or upgraded open spaces. 

14.5.3 Hierarchy of Public Open Spaces  

The Council will apply the hierarchy of public open spaces set out in Table 14-1 and lands will be zoned accordingly in local area plans for Level 1 and Level 2 open spaces. This is to ensure these open spaces are delivered at appropriate locations. The need for all three levels will depend on the nature, function and size of the settlement. 

A lot of settlements in the county will not have a local area plan and as such there will be no formal hierarchy of open space. This will have to be considered on a case-by-case basis and will depend on the size of the existing settlement and proposals to develop the settlement. 

In general, Service and Strategic Settlements and Large Villages will require one Level 2 Neighbourhood Park which will be required to be integrated or partially integrated into new developments. They will also be required to have a spatial balance of Level 3 Pocket Parks within existing and new residential developments. Small Villages, depending on their existing population level, may only require Level 3 Pocket Parks but all settlements benefit from communal public spaces and the Council will support their provision. In all cases, the Council will consider the appropriate location for the Level 2 Neighbourhood Parks and will work with local community groups and developers of future residential schemes to secure the delivery of both Level 2 and Level 3 open spaces.  

14.5.4 Delivery of Public Open Spaces 

Hub Parks

The delivery of a Hub Park will be either by the Council supported by the Development Contribution Scheme or delivered in tandem with the development of residential lands and other lands.  

Neighbourhoods Parks

Developers will deliver these parks as part of their overall development proposal. The park should therefore be included within the site edge red and full specifications of the design and layout of the park shall be submitted with the planning application. It is noted the location of these parks may not reflect landowner parcels. Where there are two or more land ownerships involved in the neighbourhood parks, a proposal must be submitted with the planning application to address this. The delivery may also be phased within the scheme where appropriate.  

If there is no identified/zoned Neighbourhood Park parcel in the area of the proposed development, the 10% neighbourhood park open space allocation may be provided as follows:

• It may be offset against other neighbourhood parks previously provided by the developer where there is in excess of the 10% of the previous development site and which will serve the proposed development. That Neighbourhood Park must be within a five minute walk of the proposed development. In order to avail of this, it will be necessary to identify the open space in the earlier planning application, identify which lands it serves and to design the space so that is serves both developments in terms of area, quality, linkages and play facilities. 
• The 10% is provided within the residential scheme as a single space.
• The developer may contribute a special financial contribution to be used by the Council in the provision of a neighbourhood park in the area.  

Pocket Parks

These will be delivered by the developer as part of the overall development proposal. 

Deviations from Quantitative Standards

In cases where the density required or site topography or configuration do not allow for the quantitative standards above, the Planning Authority will accept an increase in the qualitative standards of the site in lieu or the payment of a special development contribution to the Planning Authority. In such cases, the onus will be on the applicant to demonstrate that the new development will be high quality. The developer must, at minimum, invest the equivalent monetary value of the deficit in the 15% in improvements to the quality of the scheme. The developer shall submit a valuation of the deficit and add to it the cost of ‘standard landscaping’ (site works and grass/footpaths/planting). The net improvements must be at minimum equivalent to site cost and the landscaping costs. The costing for the land must be based on evidenced current market value and the cost of the landscaping (both standard and proposed) must be provided by a landscape architect or quantity surveyor. Where such a reduction in quantum of space is accepted the Planning Authority will require the proposed design to be of exceptional quality. Examples of improved quality will be high quality paved public realm areas, biodiversity enhancements, play or outdoor gym equipment, high quality seating/outdoor dining areas.

In all cases, full specifications for paving, landscaping, planting etc. will be required to be submitted with the planning application in order for the Planning Authority to fully assess the quality of the space.

14.5.5 Communal Amenity Space in Apartment Developments

The provision and proper future maintenance of well-designed communal amenity space is important in meeting the amenity needs of residents. In particular, accessible, secure and usable outdoor space is a high priority for families with young children and for less mobile older people. The minimum required areas for public communal amenity space are set out in the Sustainable Urban Housing-Design Standards for New Apartments Guidelines for Planning Authorities’ (2020) and Table 14-2.

 Where these standards will result in less than 15% being provided, the Planning Authority will require an improvement in the quality of the scheme in accordance with criteria outlined in Section 14.5.4. In the case of apartment developments, the quality of the open space is particularly important as private amenity space is much smaller and the ‘standard landscape’ costing must comprise site works and paving.  In general, the higher the density the higher the specification for the public spaces shall be.

The applicant will be required to consider innovative solutions such as roof gardens, outdoor exercise facilities, play facilities, and high quality paved surfaces fully designed with high quality street furniture and landscape features. There should be an emphasis on high quality and ease of maintenance.

14.5.6 Merging and Linking Public Open Spaces

Open space is an excellent way of integrating new and older developments by adding new open space to an existing open space. The Council will encourage new developments to merge with existing development where possible. This will be mutually beneficial providing spaces which are large enough to be usable while increasing permeability and integrating communities. This approach could facilitate the provision of an attractive, safe pedestrian linkage to the adjoining new development increasing permeability and making walking and cycling easier, and can be achieved through successful community consultation. 

14.5.7 Designing Public Open Spaces

Open spaces must be designed and laid out to a high standard and emphasis must be placed on quality and long term sustainability of the open space. Public open spaces should be overlooked on all sides and designed to ensure the potential for anti-social behaviour is minimised through passive surveillance. 

The Council will implement the Sustainable Residential Development in Urban Areas-Guidelines for Planning Authorities (Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Community, 2009) which provides detailed guidance on the provision of open space in new residential developments. Planning applications for residential development must also be accompanied by a detailed landscaping plan, prepared by a suitably qualified landscape professional, which specifies all proposed landscaping (both hard and soft). The maintenance of open spaces will be dealt with by condition of the planning permission. 

Location and Layout of Open Spaces

The location and layout of open spaces should be among the first consideration in the design of a scheme. Open spaces should be located so that they are accessible by the largest possible number of people in the scheme. The space should be considered first, in particular how the buildings will be used to define it. There should be a positive and defined relationship between the buildings and spaces and opportunities to create interesting urban form such as squares and crescents should be taken where appropriate. Such positive relationships create a sense of enclosure and comfort, a sense ownership by the residents and increase the place value and quality of the scheme. 

Use of Existing Features 

The design of the scheme should optimise the existing features and topography of the site. Features such as rivers, streams, rock outcrops, trees and hedgerows should be retained for their biodiversity value but also because they add to the sense of place in a way that designed features cannot. Spaces should be orientated so as they maximise solar gain and extend time of use. Public spaces should be fully usable and the Planning Authority will not accept sites which are too sloped or otherwise unusable in fulfilment of the quantitative space requirements. 

Biodiversity in Open Spaces 

Our open spaces offer the opportunity to increase biodiversity in our towns and villages. Biodiversity must in the first instance be considered at the neighbourhood scale. The designer must try and link the open spaces and landscape features and planting to existing features in the wider neighbourhood. Such linking allows for the spread of plant and animal diversity throughout our towns and villages, and these corridors and stepping stones are vital for wildlife.

The next step is to consider the biodiversity within the site and what opportunities there are to retain and enhance the existing features. Opportunities to retain existing features should be optimised. Such features include rivers, streams, wetlands, trees, rock outcrops and stone walls. The retention of and appropriate treatment of such features may in some instances be offset against quantitative standards for open space.

Biodiversity must also be considered in the design of the scheme. The importance of connectivity for urban wildlife cannot be underestimated. The design should ensure that there are green corridors linking the spaces in the scheme through the provision of new hedgerows, planting and street trees.

Primarily native tree species should be used in the planting of the scheme. The exception to this will be street trees where other varieties may be more important due to potential for interference with buildings or for dramatic aesthetic effect.  The scheme should also integrate pollinators of different flowering times throughout the scheme. The Planning Authority will encourage the development of ecotones⁶ and the appropriate grading of habitats. Locations close to edges and hedges should be allowed a level of growth which will facilitate the movement and shelter of small mammals. 

The Planning Authority will also encourage the use of measures specifically designed to enhance wildlife in residential schemes such as holes left in boundary walls to allow for passage of hedgehogs between gardens, bat and swift boxes.

Sustainable Drainage Systems, Flood Attenuation and Riparian Zones in Open Spaces

The planning and design of schemes needs to consider the integration of sustainable drainage systems (SuDS), flood attenuation and the protection of watercourses and their associated riparian zones. 

The Planning Authority will consider the integration of SuDS where possible and appropriate in public open spaces, and only where it contributes to the design and quality of the open space. 

Where there is a watercourse within or adjoining the site, flood attenuation and the importance of the riparian zone for both this and biodiversity needs to be considered and protected. In this regard, designers will be required to have regard to the ‘Planning for Watercourse in the Urban Environment Guidelines (Inland Fisheries Ireland, 2020) and ensure that the guidance with regard to the function, width, vegetative target and allowable uses for each sub-zone (streamside zone, middle zone and outer zone) is adhered to. 

Allotments and Community Gardens as Open Spaces

Allotments and community gardens offer the opportunity to provide education in horticulture as well as on the sustainable value of home food production. Working in an allotment or a community garden is a healthy physical recreation for all age groups and gives people the opportunity for social contact and interaction with other members of the community. Facilities required may include the provision of a water supply, parking area, on-site storage, composting and toilet facilities.

The Planning Authority will also consider the provision of allotments/community gardens as part of the open space provision in a residential scheme. The facility should be appropriately located within the scheme, allowing for ease of access by residents, whilst also ensuring that the amenities of residents and visual amenities of the scheme are protected. 

Open Space Objectives

It is an objective of the Council:

14.6 Play Facilities

The Council’s Playground Strategy 2017-2022 is based on a vision that “all children will be given the opportunity to play together in challenging and fun environments, irrespective of their social backgrounds or level of ability”. The Strategy provides a hierarchy of playgrounds and guidance on their location and scale. This is set out in Table 14-3. 

The Council will provide Destination Playgrounds and will assist community groups to develop Community and Neighbourhood playgrounds by providing funding through the Playground Development and Refurbishment Policy. All new playgrounds and retrofits will be disability proofed at the design stage.  The Strategy also sets out the general design and play value objectives that new playgrounds/retrofits should strive to meet.  

Play Facilities in Residential Schemes 

The Council will require the provision of suitably designed and landscaped play areas in new residential schemes that families are likely to occupy. Play areas should be located where they can be overlooked by dwellings but will not cause unreasonable nuisance problems for residents. Such facilities should be inclusive and accessible to all children. The play needs of children must be considered as part of the communal amenity space within apartment schemes.  The Apartment Guidelines for Planning Authorities set out standards for children’s play areas.

Objectives ROS23 relates to play facilities in residential schemes (either houses or a mixture of houses and apartments) while Objective ROS24 relates to play facilities in apartment only residential schemes. 

Play Facilities Objectives

It is an objective of the Council:

14.7 Sports and Leisure Facilities

The Council recognises that sport is an essential component of everyday life, playing a valuable social, cultural and economic role, providing enjoyment for people, a livelihood for some and promoting a healthy lifestyle. The Council is committed to enhancing a range and quality of accessible sports facilities in the county facilitating the development of the range of facilities from GAA, rugby, soccer and hockey playing fields to boxing clubs, walking tracks, athletics tracks, indoor sports facilities, sailing and diving and ensuring that there is reasonable public access to sport. Outdoor recreational activity is dealt with in Chapter 7 Tourism Development. 

Sport facilities should be located at accessible locations which are easy to get to, contribute to the local community’s identity and are socially inclusive, providing opportunities for meeting up. The development of sports facilities shall be accompanied by appropriate infrastructure including car parking, bicycle parking and changing rooms.  

Commercial leisure facilities are those run on a profit basis and include cinemas, family entertainment centres such as bowling, indoor children’s play centres, fitness centres, gyms, swimming pools etc. These facilities should be located in the main towns and tourist centres in order to attract the critical mass to make them viable. Horse racing courses and equine sports facilities along with field sports such as GAA, rugby, soccer and other field sports are considered appropriate in rural locations subject to traffic generation and safety and normal planning criteria.

Sports and Leisure Facilities Objectives

It is an objective of the Council:

14.8 Walking and Cycling Routes

There are many walking trails and cycling routes throughout the county that provide recreational and amenity opportunities for residents and visitors and there are opportunities to further expand this network of trails and routes.  Walking and cycling are discussed in this chapter, Chapter 7 Tourism Development and Chapter 8 Transportation Strategy. 

Walking trails include established forest trails, scenic mountain passes, coastal paths and heritage walks. Wexford’s Coastal Pathway (Slí Charman), which was established in 1993, extends for 221km from Kilmichael Point in the North East corner of the county to Ballyhack in the South-West and is a significant recreational and tourism asset for the county. 

The National Trail Offices maintains a National Trails Register which lists all waymarked trails in Ireland including accredited trails which meet certain management standards, new trails which are under development and existing trails which are being extensively redeveloped. There are currently 41 accredited walking/hiking trails in the county - there are 21 locations some of which have multiple trail route options⁸ . There are seven Slí na Slainte routes in the county.

Wexford Walking Trails (WWT) is part of the Wexford Trail Brand⁹ . It is network of walking trails throughout the county, which was established under a Wexford Local Development training programme, in collaboration with  the Council, Local Sports Partnerships, Fáilte Ireland, Waterford Institute of Technology, National Parks and Wildlife Services, National Trails Office and Coillte. Further development of this trails network will focus on enhancing the visitor experience and raising awareness of the quality, diversity and location of our trails. Only those trails which have National Trails Office approval and registration can become members. The walking routes are available to view at www.wexfordwalkingtrails.ie

The National Cycle Framework (2009) aims to provide designated rural cycle networks for visitors and recreational cycling. Fáilte Ireland notes that cycling tourism represents a growing and valuable market segment for rural areas as it offers opportunities for the development of cycle hire and cycling holiday operations. There are three Fáilte Ireland approved looped cycling routes in the county: Route 1 Slaney (53km), Route 2 Coastal (35km) and Route 3 South Wexford (78km). 

Wexford Cycling Trails has two approved cycling trails. The Eurovelo 1 route has been developed in the south of the county. The route, which is 120km in distance,  starts at Rosslare Europort and follows quiet, scenic coastal country roads and villages finishing at Ballyhack Ferry (to County Waterford). The Nine Stones Loop is the second trail in the north of the County. The trail traverses County Wexford for the most part, but also enters parts of County Carlow and County Wicklow. The cycle loop is a total of 118km of sign-posted cycle route. 

The proposed greenways in the county will also add to the selection of cycling routes. These greenways are discussed in Chapter 7 Tourism Development and Chapter 8 Transportation Strategy with objectives to support the development of greenways subject to a number of provisos including compliance with the Habitats Directive and the use should not preclude the reopening of railway lines in the future. 

Off-road cycling in the form of mountain biking is also growing in popularity. Coillte’s Off-Road Cycling Strategy (2012) recognises that the development of a high-quality, off-road cycle trail network would support rural tourism, increase active participation in sport for citizens and potentially develop a revenue stream to fund management and maintenance of trails. The Strategy identifies potential locations for development of off-road cycle trails over the next ten years on lands which are in the ownership of Coillte. In County Wexford, Forth Mountain is identified as a potential location for an off-road cycling centre of regional scale¹⁰ while Bree Hill and Deerpark/Kilbrannish are identified as potential club trails¹¹.  The Strategy also recognises the potential for community or family trails, which could be developed in partnership with local development companies, community groups or local authorities, to provide for local and community recreation.

The Council will prepare strategies for walking and cycling in the county to inform and co-ordinated the development of the necessary accessible infrastructure to facilitate and encourage more walking and cycling for both everyday transport and leisure purposes.

Walking and Cycling Objectives

It is an objective of the Council:

14.9 Public Rights of Way

Public rights of way constitute an important amenity and are an economic asset. They enable enjoyment of the county’s high quality landscapes and cultural heritage and are important for tourism development and recreation. A public right of way is a person's right of passage along a road or path, even if the road or path is not in public ownership. They can be created by use from time immemorial (the distant past beyond memory or record), by statute or by dedication by the full owner of the land. 

The formal process for designating rights of way is dealt with in Section 14 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended). The Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2010 introduced a new mandatory requirement for Development Plans to include an objective for the preservation of public rights of way which give access to seashore, mountain, lakeshore, riverbank or other places of natural beauty or recreational utility. These public rights of way must be identified both by marking them on at least one of the maps forming part of the Development Plan and by indicating their location on a list appended to the Development Plan. The Council will endeavour to list and map public rights of way during the life of this Plan. 

Wexford County Council recognises the legal rights of all landowners and that rights of access to their lands may only be obtained with their permission where an existing right of way does not exist. The Council also commends the ‘open access’ policy of Coillte and recognises that this policy does not equate to a public right of way.

Public Rights of Way Objectives

It is an objective of the Council: 

14.10 Natural Amenities 

County Wexford has a range of natural amenities which can be enjoyed for leisure or recreation purposes. With its extensive coastline, mountains and river valleys there is potential to develop outdoor activities and maximise the use of our natural surroundings while at the same time ensuring the protection of the environment. The Council will seek to sustain the quality of these natural amenities such as beaches, dunes and mountainsides for their recreational qualities.

It is an objective of the Council: