This article is from page 16 of the 2006-08-01 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 16 JPG
PLANS for a €20 million housing development on Ennis’s Quin Rd that Ennis couple, Vincent and Anne Coffey lodged an objection against, have been withdrawn, it emerged yesterday.
Last year, Luxury Homes Ltd lodged new plans with Clare County Council for 108 two-bedroom apartments at Doora on the Quin Rd.
Previously, the Coffeys received over €100,000 and two free sites from Luxury Homes after withdrawing their objection to a €20 million housing development, which has now been fully constructed.
However, the Coffeys successfully blocked a subsequent application by the same developers in June 2004 to build a new €10 million development on zoned lands in Ennis, after their appeal to An Bord Pleanala on the application was upheld.
The application that was before the council in recent months was on lands adjacent to that which concerned the 2004 application.
The Coffeys – who operate a business in close proximity to the propsed development – and a number of other local residents, objected to the current proposal.
In their objection, the Coffeys stated: “The density of the proposal is excessive when taken in context with the established pattern of development in the area. This submission simply seeks to maximize density to the detriment of the future residents of the area.
“This disintegrated zonal separation of residential areas, traffic routes and open space being created by the proposal is undesirable and no effort is being made to integrate it with the adjoining permitted development, carried out by the current applicant.”
The payment to the Coffeys only emerged in correspondence received by An Bord Pleanala while it was adjudicating on the 88-residential unit development that was refused in 2004.
According to the Board Pleanala Inspector’s report, a letter from the Coffeys pointed out that at no time did they approach the developers with the intention of securing payment of money, gifts, consideration of other inducement by any person.
In relation to the current application, the council took on board a number of the concerns expressed by the Coffeys and the other local residents, requesting a raft of further information from Luxury Homes.
The company had proposed new access arrangements for the development and route the traffic through the existing Bruach na hAbhainn estate.
A decision was due on the application last Thursday, however it was withdrawn by the company two days previous.
Often applications are withdrawn when there is an indication that the plan is set to be refused planning permission.