This article is from page 14 of the 2006-10-31 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 14 JPG
CLARE County Council has expressed “serious reservations” over plans to construct a €50 million retail park on the outskirts of Clarecastle.
Earlier this year, Galway developer Stephen Harris unveiled a €50 million master-plan for a series of developments on a 48-acre site near the village of Clarecastle.
The 48-acre site was purchased last year from Clarecastle man JJ McCabe for over €18 million and is zoned commercial under the 2003 Ennis and Environs Development Plan.
Now the council has requested a raft of further information on the scheme, and has expressed serious concern at the retail impact of the development, its impact on traffic flows and volumes in the area and on the flooding regimes of the area.
The council points out that the Retail Impact Assessment (RIA) fails to take into account several other retail developments, including the Curley Development, Kilrush Rd, the Westgate Development, Kilrush Rd, a retail warehousing plan for Shannon and Clonroadmore Business Park.
The council has also requested Mr Harris to factor in the Gort Road mixed-use development in Ennis and the proposed Lyne/Connellan retail development south of Ennis.
The authority points out that, in the layout for the current development, little effort has been made to avoid areas of ecological value and the main fen area will be impacted directly.
“Within the overall 48-acre site, it would be possible, through the consideration of alternatives, to avoid major habitat losses.”
The council says that a comprehensive flood risk assessment for the entire area development and surrounding areas is required and should be based upon supporting detailed data to establish and assess these risks.
Plans lodged to Clare County Council by Mr Harris show a retail warehouse park, a motor sales village, a travel lodge hotel, drivethru restaurants, storage and distribution, and a petrol station for the 48-acre site at Skehanagh, Clarecastle.
Planning permission is only being sought for the retail park at this time in the south-east quadrant of the site.