This article is from page 2 of the 2014-04-22 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 2 JPG
A DECISION on the construction of Clare’s first ever crematorium in Clarecastle could yet be months away, and will likely rest on the validity of a similar application made to construct a crematorium in Shannon in 2007.
Planners at Clare County Council have written to Fenloe Properties Ltd, the company behind the the proposed Clarecastle crematorium, looking for further information about 21 separate issues which have arisen on the back of their December 2013 planning application.
An Taisce have also made two separate representations to the planners regarding the crematorium – with both letters highlighting the need to clarify the validity of the 2007 planning application before permission for a second crematorium in the area can be granted.
This comes in the wake of a legal letter sent by Fenloe Properties Ltd to Clare County Council last October, regarding plans by the local authority to sell land in Shannon to an unnamed developer for the creation of a crematorium.
While the local authority had already approved an extension of planning for the Shannon crematorium, Fenloe objected to the proposed sale of the land itself.
It is as yet unclear if this development could yet go ahead – which raises the possibility of two crematoriums being built within 19 kilome- tres of each other.
The Clarecastle application has also prompted a number of objections from local residents – with four separate representation being made to Clare County Council.
Councillors Pat Daly (FF) and Tom McNamara (FF) have both applied to make representation in relation to the application.
In her representations, local Taisce officer Anny Wise, raised concerns about the prospect of rival Clare crematoriums.
“Foremost there should be certainty that the Shannon Crematorium has become out of date and is no longer relevant.
“There is a market for a crematorium in the area as we have several hundred Indian individuals living in this area.
“There would no be enough for two so the Shannon [proposal] must be confirmed as not viable before going ahead with this one,” she said in a letter to council planner earlier this month.
Senior planing staff officer with Clare County Council, Siobhan O’Reilly, wrote to Fenloe Properties Ltd earlier this month with a number of questions regarding the proposed development.
These questions included information about the type of furnace planned, the possibility of harmful emissions and other environmental issues.
A decision had been expected in February, but will now not likely be made before the end of the year.