This article is from page 12 of the 2008-03-25 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 12 JPG
ENNIS Town Council has been ac- cused of “taking unfair advantage” by demanding over €300,000 in planning levies after “forcing” a fam- ily to lodge a planning application.
Earlier this year, Ennis Town Council granted Michelle Madden planning permission to redevelop the family-run furniture showrooms at Station Road, Ennis.
Mrs Madden lodged the application
after the council issued a Compulso- ry Purchase Order (CPO) for lands at the address to facilitate the develop- ment of the Ennis inner relief road.
However, the local business family were shocked after the local author- ity demanded €332,020 in levies if they wished to proceed with the de- velopment.
The family face a bill of €255,500 for car-parking facilities although the council don’t plan to provide car- parking in the area. The council is
also demanding €76,520 for a con- tribution to public facilities benefit- ing the development.
It is not known how much money the Maddens received in compensa- tion for the CPO.
However, consultants for Mrs Mad- den state in an appeal lodged to An Bord Pleanala seeking to delete the council’s financial demands, that the council “is taking unfair advantage of the situation”.
The consultants state that “Mrs
Madden has been forced to apply for planning permission in this instance and that all financial contributions should be dispensed with in this or Won
‘No allowance has been made for the fact that Mrs Madden’s business premises is long in existence. No al- lowance has been made for the dem- olition of existing areas of the build- ing and no allowance for the fact that substantial areas of the building are to be retained and compromised by the demolition to allow the CPO to proceed and further compromised by the resultant development”
The consultants states that Mrs Madden has been compelled to apply for the application by the actions of the council.
In response, Ennis Town Council has told An Bord Pleanala that the contributions were calculated in good faith, properly applied and that there was “no exemption from develop- ment contributions in circumstances where there is a CPO on site.”
The council asks, “Why should one development not be charged for parking when other businesses who extend their floor area or build new are charged for parking as per the scheme or provide it on site.”
They argue that the application has to be dealt with as an issue that is completely independent of any road development proposals.
A decision is due on the appeal later this year.