Plotting a future vision for Cullohill village in south Laois

Last year the Cullohill Community Council sought funding from Laois Partnership to carry out a community plan for Cullohill.

The Community Council was successful in its application and has contracted the services of Tom O'Leary of O’Leary & Associates to carry out a five year Community Plan for the village.

Tom O’Leary is based in Kerry and has over 20 years’ experience of community development and social enterprise planning. He has produced numerous plans for rural towns and villages across Kerry and Limerick and will bring a wealth of ideas and proposals to the process of developing a community plan.

The key aim of the community plan is to identify what can be done to sustain Cullohill as a place to live in, to work in, to create employment and to attract visitors to the area. Mr Leary says the purpose of the plan is to identify what needs to be improved and what are the opportunities within the community that can be developed.

Community Plans are developed by the people living in the community. It is their voice, opinions, concerns and ideas that are listened to. The process is an opportunity for people to have their say in the future direction of their community.

The Community Plan is essential to support the development of local projects and initiatives and the final plan will act as a supporting document to future potential local, regional and national funding applications.

RIVER NORE VISION

Cullohill as a village and a community has many positives, its location, its natural environment, existing heritage, walking trails and a community hall with scope for development.

The first stage of the planning process is to hold a public consultation meeting.

The success of the plan will depend on the buy in and support of the local community. The Cullohill Community Council welcome and encourage as many as possible to attend a public meeting on Friday, February 2 at 8.30pm in the Community Hall.

The workshop will an opportunity to discuss your views on what project proposals are key to support the ongoing social and economic development of the area.

For further information on the Community Plan and on the consultation process, please contact Tom O Leary by email at tom@olatc.ie or on mobile (086) 8092023.