This article is from page 4 of the 2006-01-17 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 4 JPG
PADDY Whelan has confirmed that a planning application is to be shortly re-lodged for an explosives factory at Cahercon, Kildysart.
Speaking exclusively to The Clare People , Mr Whelan also stated that plans would be lodged for other industries along the Clare side of the Shannon Estuary.
“We will be proceeding in the near future for industries and the explosives factory,” he said.
Last week’s decision by Clare County Council not to list Cahercon Pier as a protected structure has left the way open for the Whelan Group to lodge its ambitious plans.
On the council decision, Mr Whelan said: “It should never have been listed and the only thing I would say is that if Clare County Council wishes to list piers on this side of the River Shannon, when on the Limerick side, there is no pier listed, where are we going at this side of the river? We have failed miserably to create industry at this side of the river and it would appear that anything any company tries to do on this side of the river, these objectors are there.
They have the right to object, but they seem to get preferential treatment from Clare County Council that we cannot understand.”
Mr Whelan said already there has been substantial jobs lost to the area due to the actions of the County Council and objectors in the area. He said: “The council should know better.”
On the industries that have been lost to the area, he added: “The council is well aware of one that has been lost that would have provided substantial jobs because of council’s attitude towards enforcement notices.”
In 2000, the council granted planning permission for the plans lodged by Shannon Explosives in the face of much local opposition.
However, it was turned down by An Bord Pleanala in 2002, although the Board did not object in principle to the scheme. Already, the company has spent €4 million on the project.
The decision to re-lodge plans for the site is sure to re-ignite the long-running planning battle concerning the explosives facility.
Asked would the plans be lodged for the explosives factory in the next number of weeks, Mr Whelan said: “I won’t say in the next few weeks, I will say in the near future.”