A new development plan for the village of Newport will go on public display from next week and members of the local community have been urged to have their say on the plans.
Councillors from the West Mayo Municipal District approved putting the draft plan on display at their January meeting, which took place virtually this week, following being given a presentation on the plan at an in-camera workshop held before their monthly meeting.
Fianna Fáil Councillor Brendan Mulroy said that the draft plan represented a fantastic project and was a great opportunity for the village to take the next step in its development. He urged members of the local community to look at the plan and have their say on it to ensure the plan was what they wanted to see happen.
He was supported by Fine Gael Councillor Peter Flynn, who said that the plan could take Newport to the next level and it could make it the hub in the county for walking, due to its location in the heart of the Great Western Greenway, along with it being the end point of the Bangor Trail and the other Burrishoole loop walks in close vicinity to the village.
Cllr Paul McNamara added that with Newport being in the heart of the Greenway and close to both Castlebar and Westport, it is ideally suited to being a place for people to come and live in with those connections.
Director of services for Mayo County Council, Catherine McConnell, told the meeting that the plan is a blueprint for the village to develop and realise its potential as a tourism hub and place to live, with a great quality of life and access to essential services. She also encouraged the local residents to have their say on the draft plan and to get engaged with it.
