This article is from page 24 of the 2012-12-11 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 24 JPG
THE potential for Shannon to develop into a new international gateway and once again become the main driver of the economy in the mid-west region has been highlighted in the new blueprint for the development of the airport town and its hinterland for much of the next decade.
Shannon Town & Environs Local Area Plan contains a new roadmap for Shannon’s development up to 2018, by charting out the attainable goals as Clare’s international airport gains independence from the Dublin Airport Authority and the part that Clare County Council will have to play in kick-starting new developments.
The local plan has pledged “to facil- itate the development and expansion of Shannon” over the next number of years. “The Council are fully supportive of the continued need for Shannon Airport to maximise its strategic location in the region. The designation of a Strategic Development Area encompassing the Airport lands reinforces this commitmen,” the plan states.
And part of these expansion plans for the airport envisaged in the council blueprint include the development of “an international air freight cargo hub” and “the development of innovative initiatives that harness the potential of the airport including a residential flight school, global logistics centre for humanitarian aid, unmanned aerospace systems and a centre for space collaboration”.
The plan goes on to say, “Appro- priate potential uses for the Airport Zoned Lands include airport operational activities and uses complimentary to the operation of the airport, aircraft maintenance/cargo handling facilities, business park use, primarily related to airport servicing, management and maintenance activities, long-term aircraft maintenance, airfreight cargo handling facilities and other innovative initiatives’.
As part of paving the way for these ambitious plans for the airport, what has been termed a “core strategy” of the local area plan is to “ensure that sufficient lands are zoned at appropriate locations to meet all envisaged land use requirements of the area over the lifetime of the local area plan”.
The local area plan has also pledged “in collaboration with other agen- cies, to prepare a high level Strategic Plan, to identify key priority projects and developments capable of being accommodated at the Shannon Airport lands, Shannon Free Zone and Westpark”.
The draft goes on to highlight Shannon as “a key hub” both for national and international air travel, “a gateway to Ireland’s primary tourist locations” and “a driver” for county and region’s economic development.
“In this regard the plan will seek to ensure the growth and development of Shannon Airport and to harness its full potential, in line with national, regional and county development policy. The designation of a Strategic Development Area encompassing the airport lands reinforces this commitment,” it says.
‘Strategic Development Areas’ are areas identified within the plan area where specific planning and development objectives, land use policies and or master development plans have been identified for the future development of such designated area.
Commenting on the zoning of a 2,000-acre landbank adjacent to the airport for aviation sector use, Clare County Council Senior Planner, Gordon Daly said, “This new Plan further underlines the Council’s longstanding vision for the development and expansion of Shannon Airport.
“The Council is exercising leadership to achieve this vision through the zoning of lands which is a key requirement for the future expansion of services at the airport. In doing so, we have worked very closely with the airport authority and other agencies”.