This article is from page 18 of the 2014-09-02 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 18 JPG
PLANS to construct a massive € 5 million graveyard and crematorium in Ennis have risen from the ashes with developers, Fenloe Property Development, appealing a decision made by Clare County Council last July to An mBord Pleanála.
The developers have lodged an appeal with the national planning authority which, if successful, could see the creation of a 4,000 plot large graveyard, as well as a crematorium just outside of Ennis.
The site, which is located at Ballaghfadda between Ennis and Clarecastle, is currently zoned residential and a material contravention of the Clare County Development Plan was required in order for the planning to go ahead through the normal planning process.
However, a planning application for the facility was already at an advanced stage when the matter went before the July meeting of Clare County Council, and the CEO of Clare County Council, Tom Coughlan, stated before the debate that planing would almost certainly be granted if the councillors had voted for the re-zoning.
A number of issues were raised in relation to the proposed Clarecastle site including the potential for pollution reaching the local water system, the traffic management of the site and a previous planning application for 250 houses on the site.
A number of procedural issues were also raised in relation to the proposal, including the proposal being advertised in the national and not the local media – with some claiming that more locals would would have made submissions on the proposal if it had been advertised locally.
The matter was put to a vote with 11 councillors voting to grant the material contravention and 15 voting against it.
The planned crematorium would see the construction of a a gated entrance, car park, chapel, offices, store, crematorium unit and furnace, memorial gardens and a large cemetery. The case is due to be decided by December of this year.