Enniscorthy’s population to rise to 20,000 as council lay out plans for widescale housing delivery

By Simon Bourke, Wexford People

The population of Enniscorthy is set to double in the next 10-20 years as Wexford County Council (WCC) begins a process which will see the entire municipal district rezoned for housing purposes. Following instructions from housing minister James Browne TD, the Wexford County Development Plan 2022-28 is to be updated with more land freed up for housing across the county.

Identifying the Enniscorthy Municipal District (EMD) as a key priority the council has been carrying out land surveys, and infrastructure, environmental and flood risk assessments in the area as it prepares to present a revised development plan to councillors in the coming weeks.

Speaking at the December meeting of the EMD, director of planning Liz Hore said WCC the County Development Plan will be “aligned to facilitate an increase in housing and Enniscorthy is the first area we will be looking at”.

"We will be looking at existing serviced lands and lands with the potential to be serviced and developed in future,” she continued. “We will bring forward these plans in January for public consultation and then, once we have received submissions from the public, to the councillors for approval.”

Senior planner Diarmuid Houston said the ability to build more houses in Enniscorthy could see the population increase by 250 pc in the coming years.

“We have a lot of developers willing to build in Enniscorthy,” he said. “We’ve been given revised housing targets by the minister and basically been told to get on with it.”

Explaining that a lack of zoned land had stymied housing developments in the past, Mr Houston said Enniscorthy had effectively been held back while neighbouring Wexford and Gorey flourished.

“The treatment plant not being built for 14 years prevented houses being developed here, and, as a result, Enniscorthy doesn’t have the population it should have; it’s only slowly coming back now, the town is beginning to grow, population is increasing. We’re talking about increasing the population by 250 pc possibly, but we have to deliver the services in tandem with this growth.

"Obviously the increase in population would mean a requirement for jobs in the town, so we have identified a zone on the old Dublin Road for industrial development which would be kept separate from residential areas.”

Aware that not everyone in Enniscorthy will be in favour of widescale housing and industrial developments, Mr Houston said the public would have the opportunity to voice their concerns when the plan was put out for consultation in the coming weeks. But, should the proposed changes bear fruit, Enniscorthy will be completely reinvented.

“As a result of this Enniscorthy will be classed a key town for housing development, which is important if investment is to be acquired,” added Mr Houston. “To make this work as a key town you need 20,000-22,000 people living here, that’s for it to thrive. That’s how you get industry to come here.”

Ms Hore had the final say, stressing that the business end of things would be assessed as the town continued to grow.

“It’s very encouraging the level of interest we have received in terms of economic ventures, for us it’s about working in a joined up way with the economic side of WCC.”