Ambitious blueprint to open new chapter for Cullohill

A new and exciting chapter opened for Cullohill last week with the launch of a new community plan.

Enhanced community facilities combined with proposals that would allow people to work in the village are key components of the document drawn up by O'Leary and Associates in consultation with the community.

“This Community Plan is to provide a blueprint for the future development of Cullohill with a focus on priority initiatives and actions that will shape the future of the community as a place to work, live and visit over the coming years and into the future,” says the introdu ction.

The plan says the document was commissioned by the Cullohill Community Council to provide an outlet for local people to express a vision of how they would like the community to develop.

Top of the priority actions proposed is the renovation and expansion of the community hall.

Two properties were investigated as part of proposals to faciliate the following : a community space, enterprise location, sports and recreation, youth space, active retired space.

Two properties were investigated. One was the existing community hall and the second was a vacant retail and residential property in the village centre.

Two options are proposed. The first is to remodel the front of the old school building and space upstairs to provide additional space.

The second option is a two-storey extension to the handball court at the end of the building, including a reception and viewing areas.

The committee has already decided to proceed with both of these options, raising more than €22,000 as seed funding.

Plans have been drawn up and costings decided.

Other work is also planned for the community centre.

A total investment of up to €270,000 is planned for the building to faciliate the various community needs identified.

An application has been made for grant aid funding.

The building is also earmarked for a co-working hub that would allow local entrepreneurs, freelance and homeworkers to work in the village.

Locating it in the centre is seen as the most cost effective solution.

However, the plan says the area identified would not be a long term solution as there is no private office space.

The second option is to include a co-working space into a proposed development in a vacant shop / residential site in the village centre. The property is on the market.

It is proposed to develop, demolish and redevelop the residential part of the building for co-workers. The retail would be retained and converted into a small artisan cafe catering for the local market and visitors.

An investment of up to €400,000 would be needed to develop the co-working hub part of the property.

The plan says that it could accommodate up to 13 businesses operating full time, or many more if the desks were shared.

It says the building could attract software developers, consultancy services and internet traders.

The plan also identifies Cullohill as an ideal location for small scale food producers. Such food producers would benefit from the shared co-working hub.

A shed across from the building could be used as an information kiosk and bike hire centre as Cullohill mountain is on a Coillte list of sites that have a potential to become bike trails.

Central to the potential of the village is the need for highspeed broadband. The plan calls for the roll out of Eir fibre to the village.

The lack of broadband is seen by the community as 'huge barrier' to development in the area. The plan says it is an 'obstacle' to job creation.

There are also big plans for sports and recreation facilities.

The plan says that considerable investment has been made in The Harps GAA grounds in Durrow but the pitch and facilities in Cullohilll are in poor condition and require investment.

Pitch levelling, drainage and resurfacing is called for. Upgrade of the dressing rooms is proposed as is new lighting. A hurling wall and an all weather skills pitch is proposed.

The plan says the community identified the need for an all-weather playing pitch that could be used for all sports by schools, clubs and the wider community.

To achieve this the option of developing an astro turf pitch on the school grounds was investigated. The plan says the project could gets grant support if at least one club uses it for a minimum of 30 hours a week. A €200,000 estimate is put on the development of the facility.

The need for a mult-purpose sports facility was identifed during public consultation carried out to help prepare the plan.

A multi-purpose full-sized pitch with a walking track, sprint track, dressing rooms and car park would cost around €200,000, based on what has been spent on similar facilities.

The plan identifies Cullohill as having tourism potential.

It says the village's location close to big urban centres and the motorway is one of the key strengths. It is believed that Cullohill would be suited to independent travellers traveling by camper van or hikers. To this end, the development of a camping park is proposed that would allow visitors to stay in the village in the absence of other accommodation.

The plan says the focus of the tourism strategy should be to target day trippers. The focus should be on people in search of adventure, heritage and cultural.

The Cullohill Community Plan was part funded by Laois Partnership under the National Rural Development Programme.