This article is from page 12 of the 2014-11-04 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 12 JPG
THE development of parking facilities at the Cliffs of Moher is still a live project according to Clare County Council, despite delays in gaining planning permission.
The world famous tourist attractions was granted more than half a million euro earlier this year to upgrade facilities in the coach and public parking facility at the cliffs. An application for planning permission for the works was lodged in March with a decision due on May 19 – but no decision has yet been announced.
This planning application is complicated by the original planning permission granted for the construction of the Cliffs of Moher Experience in 2007. Under the 2007 permission granted by Bord Pleanála, the public car park was to be a temporary facility, pending the development of a park and ride facility from Liscannor or Doolin – however, no park and ride has ever been developed.
A spokesperson from Clare County Council yesterday said that the application represented a “tidy up” of the temporary car park, rather than the development of a permanent facility.
“The Part VIII [planning permission] process is very much alive. Observations received from the NPWS required some further assessment work to be undertaken as the site is beside a Special Protection Area for certain species of bird. A specialised environmental consultant is preparing the further detailed data that is required,” said a spokesperson.
“The overall proposal for Part VIII is primarily a ‘tidy up’ of the car park to improve its presentation. Its proximity to an EU designated site requires the detailed analysis which encompasses the potential in combination effects of the recent development of the Cliffs Coastal Walk.”
The cliffs, which attracted in excess of 1 million visitors to Clare last year, has been operating using a gravel public car park for more than seven years now.
A grant of € 550,000 was made available to the facility earlier this year for the development of both the coach car park and the public car park as well the development of a new exhibition in the Cliffs of Moher Visitors Experience.