This article is from page 6 of the 2012-09-11 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 6 JPG
MEMBERS of Clare County Council voted by the smallest margin possible to overturn the advice of the county manager relating to the Shannon Town and Environs Local Area Plan 2012 to 2018.
In his report, Tom Coughlan recommended that land at Drumgeely Hill in Shannon be divided in two with part of it zoned community and part zoned open space. The Shannon members of the council objected to this element of the plan and proposed an amendment that would zone all of the land open space.
Cllr Patricia McCarthy (Ind) raised concerns that there would be no space available for car park spaces should the land zoned community be used for a community centre.
“A community hall there would only serve a small catchments albeit an important group,” she said.
Cllr Sean McLoughlin (FG) also recommended voting for the amendment. He said, “I don’t think it is fair for these senior citizens (residents of Drumgeely Hill) to have to fight planning for the next five years of the plan.”
Cllr Gerry Flynn (Ind) called on all of his council colleagues to support the Shannon councillors move, as they, he said, had the local knowledge. He said many of the residents had spent 50 years living in the area.
“I hope the councillors can live with allowing them to continue to fight planning for the next number of years,” he added.
Senior planner with Clare County Council Gordon Daly said it was the belief of the planners that the split zoning gave the best option to that area of the community. He admitted that a lot of trust would have to be given to the planners should a planning application reach the council relating to that area.
The 15 members of Clare County Council present voted 12 to 11 in favour of the amendment and against the recommendation of the council executive.
Two councillors – Cllr James Breen (Ind) and Cllr Tony Mulqueen (FG) abstained.