Lough Muckno project – Council appoints environmental and planning consultants

The move to realise a new vision for Lough Muckno has moved a step closer. Monaghan County Council has now appointed consultants to undertake stage 1 of the feasibility study process which involves a strategic and high-level environmental and planning assessment of the development concepts proposed by international tourism consultants for Lough Muckno.

In 2019, with a view to harnessing the enormous potential of the Muckno Estate, Monaghan County Council and Fáilte Ireland appointed Stevens & Associates – International Tourism Consultants – to create a sustainable vision for the Estate that would be a “game changing visitor attraction for Castleblayney, Monaghan, Ireland’s Ancient East and the wider border region.”

The overall aim of the vision report, published in 2021, was to develop a credible, achievable and realistic vision for the Lough Muckno Estate which could become an exemplar of a new type of tourism development that will be required by communities and tourists in the near future.

The consultants – Fehily Timoney & Company – will commence work in the coming weeks and stakeholder and public consultation will be undertaken as part of the process. This will be advertised widely in local press and radio and on social media in advance.

Eamonn O’Sullivan, Chief Executive of Monaghan County Council, stated, “This step in seeking environmental and planning input is part of the Council’s overall approach to assessing the feasibility of the options developed by Stevens and Associates, Tourism Consultants. We are conscious of the superb asset that exists at Lough Muckno and wish to ensure that any proposals are appropriate for this sensitive site and positively contribute to the overall offering to be enjoyed by locals and visitors. The appointed consultants will be required to consult with relevant stakeholders and business and community interests as part of the process. This environmental and planning assessment will enable MCC make decisions on the elements of the vision report that can be progressed to the next stage”.