This article is from page 13 of the 2005-09-13 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 13 JPG
PLANS to build the long-delayed €25m sewage plant at Clareabbey, Ennis, have taken a major step for- ward, it was confirmed this week.
A developer has dropped a series of objections against Compulsory Purchase Orders for the plant, made by Clare County Council.
The new plant will replace the creaking system already serving Ennis’s fast-increasing population and help reduce pollution into the River Fergus. It will cater for a pop- ulation of 50,000.
Earlier this year, the bid to de-
velop the sewage treatment plant was Stalled after the Killaloe Di- ocesan Trust and local landowner, Peter Anthony Liddy objected to the CPO in its current form going ahead.
The Trust subsequently sold 35 acres of land to a property devel- oper for €8.5 million and the de- veloper took on the objection.
The objections lodged resulted in An Bord Pleanala calling an oral hearing into the case held on Tues- day, September 6. However, County Engineer Tom Carey confirmed this week that the two objections were withdrawn at the oral hearing.
Mr Carey said that it was hoped that work would proceed on the new system next year. Currently, the contract documents are with the Department of the Environment and the Council is awaiting their go-ahead to proceed.
With the 35 acres of land being sold for €8.5 million, it is expected to cost the Council over €2 million to compulsorily acquire the lands.
The Environmental Impact State- ment (EIS) into the scheme was published at the end of 2002 and planning permission was secured for the proposal last year.
The EIS states that a ‘do noth-
ing’ option in relation to the current sewage works “is not viable” and “the existing problems will be ex- acerbated over the next few years as increasing demands are put on the drainage system and treated plants due to expanded environment”.
The EIS also point out that the failure to put in place the proposed new water treatment plant will re- sult in the Council contravening the EU Council Directive concering waste-water treatment.
In his objection, Peter Anthony Liddy described the Council’s CPO as “ill-conceived, uninformed and Ure ALN koe