This article is from page 2 of the 2008-08-12 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 2 JPG
WEST Clare has seen little commer- cial development under the current area development plan during a time of national prosperity.
According to Eilis O Nuallain, from the Forward Planning Section of Clare County Council there was a lack of applications for commercial planning permission since the area plan was enacted in March 2003.
“Within a period of growth it is strange that we didn’t get more com- mercial applicants within the settle- ments,” she said.
The planning expert was addressing a special meeting of the Kilrush area
councillors called to address the new west Clare area plan. The new plan must be adopted by March 2009, and the draft in place by September 25.
“It does seem that west Clare is not capturing what it should given its ad- vantage,” said Ms O Nuallain.
She told the councillors as part of her research she examined all of the planning permission requests in west Clare to see where the pressure points were.
“In situations where there was no pressure is it worth having land zoned?” she asked.
There are 36 settlements and five clusters in west Clare.
“If a cluster has not preformed or
developed in the period of a plan we need to discuss it. Leaving is as it is not doing any good,’ she said.
Cllr Christy Curtin (Ind) asked for a document outlining all the flood planes and storm drains in the area to be provided before the councillors agreed to any new plan.
Rezoning of land was also an issue of concern to council members.
“We need to take a serious look at what is zoned. There is land out in Cree that will never be sold and there are areas trying to develop,’ he said.
Director of Services and Kilrush Town Manager, Bernadette Kinsella assured the councillors that the plan would be the “members plan” and
the council officials would imple- ment it “whether we agree with all of it or not”’.
The west Clare area is now invited to have its say on the 2003 plans and how it worked or more importantly didn’t. On August 26, 27 and 28 council officials will be in Kilkee, Kildysat and Kilmhil to meet with the public to discuss the old plan and how the 2009 plan may work more SLUGS AUU DAY
People are invited to “drop in” be- tween 7.30pm and 9pm at locations yet to be organised and to make sug- gestions.
A draft plan will then be drawn up and the plan will go on display.