Cappoquin

Location
The town of Cappoquin is one of the larger settlements in West Waterford. It is located approximately 19 kilometres from Dungarvan, and is strategically located on the National Secondary Route N.72) connecting Mallow and Fermoy in County Cork to Dungarvan and Waterford City. (Download Cappoquin (1,105 kbs) Map Here) and also download the pages relating to Zoning Objectives (183 kbs). The Zoning Objectives and Landuse Zoning Matrix need to be used when looking at the individual settlement zonings.

Characteristics
Most of Cappoquin town itself is located within a designated scenic route area. In addition, an area designated as being an NHA (Natural Heritage Area) and SAC (Special Area of Conservation), occurs immediately to the south and south-west of the N72 and town.  Part of this area is also designated as sensitive in terms of the Development Plan Scenic Evaluation Assessment.  Cappoquin is largely linear in character, and has a rich architectural history and built heritage. 

Services
Cappoquin functions as a county service centre within the western area of County Waterford. It has a wide service base and a range of community facilities, including the Cappoquin boathouse.  A new community center for the town (including provision for change rooms, playschool, crèche and playground), has been granted planning approval and will be completed in the near future.

Infrastructure
Public and private water supply in Cappoquin is problematic. Although production and yields from the borewell at the Monument and Affane are good, the water has levels of nitrates between 25 and 50 mg/l. This is largely as a result of the underlying limestone geology of the area and also possibly from organic waste and fertilisers. As a result of the aforementioned, and like many other settlements in County Waterford, Cappoquin is unsuitable for a high density of septic tanks as the area has also been identified as containing a regional aquifer, of extreme to high, groundwater pollution vulnerability. Consultants have been appointed to prepare proposals for upgrading the water supply to the Lismore/ Cappoquin/ Ballyduff area, which is expected to be realized during the currency of this Plan.

Cappoquin's waste-water treatment system is approaching capacity, however, the town is one of those within the County's 'Seven Villages Sewerage Scheme', and as such, wastewater treatment and capacity, will be upgraded within this Development Plan period.  Dewatering facilities for wastewater sludges from the area will be incorporated in the treatment plant site.

Despite the above, any constraint to development is associated with the infrastructural deficit as outlined above, and development proposals will need to cater for this in any applications for permission along with satisfying the Planning Authority as to the standards for new development at Section 9.2. These matters will have to be discussed and approved with the Sanitary Services Section of Waterford County Council, prior to any development proposal being submitted for Planning Permission.

Development Strategy
Given Cappoquins topography and underlying geology, any significant further expansion or development of the town, is likely to be limited. In order to ensure that there is a sufficient amount of land available for housing, residential development will be allowed to take place on the lands adjoining Richmond House to the south of Cappoquin. These lands are also accessible and serviceable by existing infrastructure. The Council will encourage the development of these lands at low densities that are consistent with an urban area with no more than two access points onto the public road network. Residential development will also be permitted on the lands adjacent to the river on the opposite side of the road.

A strategic road access point shall be provided and retained for possible future use, through any zoned lands, for back lands that do not have road frontage or a future means of access.  Development proposals for these types of zoned lands should incorporate this consideration into any future development proposals. The development strategy for Cappoquin is as indicated on the Cappoquin Land Use Zoning Map.