This article is from page 2 of the 2006-09-19 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 2 JPG
THE Ennis couple who received over €100,000 after withdrawing their objection to a housing development have failed in their attempt to prevent Clare County Council re-routing a road near their lands.
Earlier this year, the council announced its intention to re-route a planned road that would facilitate road-users accessing the Quin Road Business Park off the Ennis by-pass.
However, a number of local residents with property adjacent to the route voiced their opposition. They included Vincent and Anne Coffey, Clonroad, who in 2004 received over €100,000 and two free sites from Luxury Homes (Galway) Ltd after withdrawing their objection to a €20 million development at Doora.
Details of the payment emerged in a planning appeals report which stated that at no time did the Coffeys approach the developers with the intention of securing payment, gifts or other inducements.
Now, the County Manager’s report, summarising their views on the rerouting of the road, states that “the proposed route is in the Fergus flood plain and development will interfere with existing draining and encourage additional landfilling which will adversely impact on their land and that the proposal would be detrimental to flora and fauna habitats in the area”.
In response, the planner’s report recommended no change to the road. and stated that measures would be put in place to deal with the natural drainage of the area and ensure that adjoining lands are not at risk from flooding.”
Other to make a submission included locals Gerry and Breda Woods, who claimed no provision had been made for road linkages to lands to the west of the proposed route.
However, the planners have recommended no change and have pointed out that by re-routing the southern section of the road through the land zoned commercial, the earlier completion of this section will be facilitated and zoned lands opened up for development. At the council’s September meeting, councillors ratified the new route.