This article is from page 29 of the 2007-10-16 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 29 JPG
THE Department of the Environment has stated that a planned €20 million business park near the 12th century Clareabbey should not proceed.
Earlier this year, David Costelloe lodged plans to develop 74 light in- dustrial units with a total floor area of 25,876 sq metres in the townland of Clonroadmore.
In the planner’s report lodged with the scheme, it states that the proposed development will be in excess of 103 metres from the abbey structure and that “the buffer will afford adequate protection to the abbey and protect its historical setting”.
The report states, “The proposed development has been carefully de-
signed from the project concept tak- ing account of all relevant factors including market demand, planning policy and site constraints and op- portunities.
However, a submission from the Department claims that the proposal “would significantly detract from the character, setting and amenity of a major national monument and rec- ommends that planning permission should not be granted”’.
The Department states that from reviewing the documents, they are “are extremely concerned at the po- tential negative visual impact of the proposed development on the char- acter, integrity and setting of Clare falas
The Department point out that
Clareabbey is a National Monument is in the ownership of the Minister. It states, “Any development within the vicinity of this National Monu- ment will also require Ministerial Soon
The Department states, ““The pro- posed development site lies within 100m of the National Monument. The Abbey is one of the most impor- tant Augustinian Foundations in the country and is set at a strategic loca- tion along the River Fergus, close to Clarecastle, an area that has been of pivotal importance during the medi- eval period.”
“The proposed development is for an industrial estate, which would in- clude 74 warehousing units arranged in 12 buildings at an average height
of up to 8.0 metres per unit.
“This large-scale development is inappropriate so close to a site as 1m- portant as Clare Abbey which is sub- ject to the highest level of statutory protection available under the Na- tional Monuments Acts 1930-2004.
“The boundary of the development proposed would be only 100metres from Clare Abbey.
“In our opinion the proposed mitigation measures, including an earthen embankment and planting to ‘screen’ the new development from view of the National Monu- ment, would further detract from the setting and amenity of the National AY Ceyelt baste lime
A decision is due on the application later this year.