This article is from page 15 of the 2011-09-27 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 15 JPG
A SURVEY carried out by Ennis Chamber of Commerce indicates that there are currently 44 vacant units in the town centre.
The survey, which excludes Parson’s Quay, hotels, public houses and community buildings, appears to show an approximate vacancy rate of 15.3 per cent in the county capital. The figures are taken from a survey carried out on September 4 and are included as part of Ennis Chamber’s submission to a proposed variation to the Ennis and Environs Development Plan.
The submission, prepared by architect Michael Leahy, states;
“This alarming level of vacancy represents an approximate vacant area in the ground floor premises of the town centre of some 3,600 sq meters.”
Mr Leahy states that it is generally accepted that a vacancy rate of 15 per cent “is not sustainable into the medium to long term” and could lead to the development of “ghost shopping estates”.
He explains, “As we all know the period 2002 to 2008 was a period of unprecedented building activity across all sectors and we are now facing the consequences of excessive construction in the housing market in the form of ghost estates with the real possibility that many construction projects will have to be demolished. Can we not draw a similar conclusion in regard to the overprovision of retail space within County Clare and a likely development of “ghost” shopping areas particularly at town centre locations?”
The Chamber says they have prepared the submission to highlight modifications to the plan, which the business community feels “will have a significant negative impact on the vitality of Ennis town centre”.
The submission states that the changing of zoning provisions in the existing plan, which could facilitate the development of a proposed new district centre at the junction of Tobertascáin Road and Limerick Road, “will tend to attract traffic from the existing town centre”.
The submission also highlights concerns over access to and from the proposal site, which is currently the subject of planning application. The Chamber argue that “Any develop- ment of “ about 10,000 sq m” at an out of centre location would clearly have a devastating effect on the retail vitality of the centre of Ennis”.
In conclusion, Mr Leahy states, “It is our opinion that the modifications implemented have the potential to have a significantly detrimental effect on town centre retail.
“This will in turn lead to great difficulties in ensuring the survival of the building fabric in the historic town centre. Decreased viability of the town centre will in turn lead to negative effects on the sense of community within the town of Ennis.”