Longford Town Local Area Plan 2025-2031

Stage 3: Draft Plan Public Consultation

The Draft Longford Town Local Area Plan 2025-2031 and all accompanying reports are on public display from Friday, 6 September 2024 until 4pm on Friday, 18 October 2024 (both dates inclusive) during normal opening hours at:

  • Planning Department, Longford County Council, Áras an Chontae, Great Water Street, Longford N39 NH56
  • All County Longford Libraries: Longford, Ballymahon, Drumlish, Edgeworthstown, Granard and Lanesborough 

You can also view an online of the Draft Longford Town Local Area Plan 2025-2031 and accompanying reports below:

Public Consultation Drop-In Event

Longford County Council are holding a public consultation drop-in event for the Draft Longford Town Local Area Plan at the Longford Town Library on Thursday, 3 October from 2.30pm to 5.30pm. At this event, you can discuss any issues related to this Draft Local Area Plan with a Longford County Council employee. 

If you have accessibility requirements, email lap@longfordcoco.ie.

How and When to Make a Submission

Submissions can be made from Friday, 6 September 2024 until 4pm on Friday, 18 October 2024 via one of the following methods:

  • In writing to 'Draft Longford Town Local Area Plan', Administrative Officer, Forward Planning, Planning Department, Longford County Council, Áras an Chontae, Great Water Street, Longford, N39 NH56
  • By email to lap@longfordcoco.ie  (with the subject line: 'Draft Longford Town Local Area Plan').

Submissions received during this period will be considered before the Plan is adopted. Late submissions will not be accepted. 

Children, or groups or associations representing the interests of children, are entitled to make submissions or observations.

Submissions and observations must include the full name and address of those making the submission. Where relevant, include the name of the organisation being represented. However, do not include any other personal, confidential or other sensitive information in submissions. See further information below under Data Protection. 

Please click here to view submissions received.

Data Protection

A report will be prepared on submissions received and will include the names of those who made submissions. This report will be published on Longfordcoco.ie.

To assist us with complying with Data Protection and GDPR, please include your name and contact details on a separate sheet to the content of your submission/observation.

This processing of your personal data is lawful under Article 6(1)(e) of the GDPR regulations. 

For information on how Longford County Council processes personal data, refer to our Data Protection policies, available on Longfordcoco.ie's Data Protection section.

Key Stages in the Local Area Plan Process

1. Pre-Draft Stage  

Forming the issues to be addressed in the Plan and gathering information from consultation with relevant stakeholders and interested parties.

2. Draft Plan Stage

Following a review of information collected at the pre-draft stage, a Draft Longford Town Local Area Plan 2025-2031 has been prepared by Longford County Council, as the planning authority. This Draft will afford the public the first opportunity to gauge the direction of the final Plan.

3. Notice of Draft Plan (Current Stage)

The Draft Longford Town Local Area Plan 2025-2031 will now be available for inspection for at least six weeks. We will advertise this in local newspapers letting you know that the Draft is available for inspection and inviting your submissions.

4. Chief Executive’s Report

A Chief Executive’s Report will be prepared based on the submissions received and containing the opinion of the Chief Executive and his recommendations in relation to the Plan.

5. Consideration by Elected Members

The Elected Members will consider the Chief Executive’s Report and then make, amend or revoke the Plan as appropriate in accordance with the recommendations of the Chief Executive.

6. Material Alterations

In the event of material alterations or amendments, we will publish notice of this and invite further submissions. A similar process to that outlined at stages 4 and 5 is then repeated.

7. Final Plan

Following consultation on Material Alterations, a further Chief Executive’s Report will be prepared, to be considered by the Elected Members. The Elected Members will consider the report and then adopt the Plan.

Previous Stages

1. Pre-Draft Stage

It involved gathering information from various consultations with stakeholders and understanding the issues to be addressed by the plan to help shape Longford Town into the future. This included giving opportunities for stakeholders to have their say on important issues such as climate action, infrastructure, heritage, housing, transportation, environmental protection, employment and enterprise, community, tourism, recreation, regeneration, and retail. 

An Issues Paper was prepared to assist in preparing the new Plan and to stimulate debate. For this, a public consultation period took place from October to November 2022

A Scoping Report for the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) has been prepared, as required by legislation. This report sets out the context and scope of the SEA, as well as the assessment framework for later stages of the SEA. For the Scoping Report, consultation with environmental authorities took place, with their submissions and observations taken into consideration for the final Scoping Report.