Tidy Towns Competition 2007

Adjudication Report

Centre: Leixlip Ref: 376

County: Kildare Mark: 250

Category: G Date(s): Tues 19/06/2007

Wed 12/7/06 & Thu 10/8/06

Maximum Mark % %

Mark Awarded 2007 2006

Overall Development Approach 50 40 80.0% 78.0%

The Built Environment 50 28 56.0 54.0

Landscaping 50 35 70.0 66.0

Wildlife and Natural Amenities 50 30 60.0 44.0

Litter Control 50 23 46.0 42.0

Waste Minimisation 20 8 40.0 40.0

Tidiness 30 18 60.0 46.7

Residential Areas 40 28 70.0 65.0

Roads, Streets and Back Areas 50 33 66.0 60.0

General Impression 10 7 70.0 70.0

TOTAL MARK 400 250 62.5% 56.8%

Overall Development Approach:

Leixlip is welcome to the 2007 National Tidy Towns Competition. Thank you for your excellent submission.

Leixlip enjoys an enviable location on three important waterways, the Royal Canal Way, the Rye River and the River Liffey. The town boasts of many heritage buildings and has attractive stretches of high old stone walls. Your partnership approach with various agencies, the community and schools is acknowledged.

The Built Environment:

The village centre looks very well and shop fronts are nicely presented in general, however, there are still too

many above fascia signs, in a small stretch of three premises from the Spar premises to the DNG premises,

nine signs were noted. The sign on the Sams premises is out of scale with the proportions of the shop front.

Do encourage retailers to use see through security shutters if these are considered necessary together with

internal lighting at night to enhance the streetscape, remembering that this is good for business also as it

encourages window shopping. The church at the top of Captains Hill is excellent in its presentation.

Congratulations on the renovation of the Salmon Leap Bridge, which is a wonderful addition with the built

environment together with the Plaza, the latter provides an important focal point in the centre of the main

street. Well done on work accomplished for the Scouts Den restoration project. We wish you well on the

completion of restoration to St. Mary’s Church and the reinstatement of The Mass Steps. Hopefully

derelict/vacant buildings will receive a new lease of life in the not too distant future.

Landscaping:

The flower display in tubs at the ESB substation and at the top of the Celbridge Road together with the flower

displays elsewhere in the town were admired for their colour and profusion and excellent maintenance,

congratulations to those involved. Well done on planting in the Confey G.A.A. grounds together with work

achieved for the verge near the Easton Road G.A.A. property and the Easton Road Median strip: the Station

Road shrubbery is also acknowledged. Pride of place must go to the Rye River walk entrance and Linear

Park with interpretative boards. We wish you every success with the installation of themed sculptures on

roundabouts.

Wildlife and Natural Amenities:

The William Francis Roantree Park is an exciting initiative and we look further to its further development over

the coming years, this will of course improve the recreational amenity value for the town. Now that the trees

have been restored along the Mall Terrace perhaps bird boxes could be placed in situ to attract a variety of

bird species into the core of the town. Congratulations on the acquisition of funding for the compilation of a

biodiversity study of the Sileachan Valley; we look forward to the outcome of this undertaking and being

informed of the diversity of wildlife habitats here. The proposed biodiversity of the Rye Valley to encompass

forested areas on both sides of the river is exciting also; your plan to disseminate information on both

biodiversity studies to the wider community using leaflets and information boards are admirable.

Litter Control:

On the day of adjudication, the town centre was quite littered particularly along the main street and at the

Plaza and the car park behind, your litter control activities may need to be reviewed. We acknowledge your

litter picking and Community Monday initiatives together with Broomsday and joint cleanups, which involve

major clearance at specific locations.

Waste Minimisation:

Congratulations to the ten schools registered in the Green Flag schools programme and particularly to the five that have been awarded Green Flag status. Your bottle bank recycling facilities were quite well presented.

The committee makes a strong case for the provision of recycling facilities in the car parks of supermarkets.

Tidiness:

The overall appearance of Leixlip is one of tidiness, you seem to be in control of the graffiti problem and it was a pleasure to note that the wire scape free aspect of your main street together with attractive heritage lamp standards, Well done on the removal of cable ties and posters after elections. The refurbishment of the car park on Captain’s Hill behind Extra Vision and its clean status is acknowledged. Commiserations are offered on the work of vandals as depicted in your before and after photograph. It is good to note your activities regarding the involvement of Residents Associations in the life of the town and particularly in representing them to the council. Your Tidy Estates competition and your involvement in National Spring Clean together with your Adopt an Area competition is appreciated.

Residential Areas:

your adopt an area competition is an excellent initiative and will bring about great results. The Mall looked

wonderful for adjudication; period dwellings are an attractive feature of Leixlip. Residential estates are nicely

presented in all respects.

Roads, Streets and Back Areas:

The bridge has been beautifully restored and railings with the fish motif look wonderful. The lights on the

bridge at the bottom of the main street might be refurbished. The footpath at the entrance to the Rye River

Walk looks well. A number of items of street furniture are in need of attention.

General Impression:

Leixlip is a handsome town with fine heritage in terms of culture amenities and the built environment. The

Committee is aware of what needs to be achieve over the next few years and we wish you well in the

implementation of your plan.