This article is from page 14 of the 2007-04-10 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 14 JPG
TWO Clare developers have told Clare County Council that searches for a protected butterfly on lands they intend to develop in Clarecastle turned up blank.
Developers Sean Lyne and Nowel Connellan said that the Marsh Fritil- lary butterfly was sought out during fieldwork on the site. The council had put the development on hold, cit- ing concerns about the EU protected butterfly.
The developers state in a submis- sion to the council that, “a special visit was made to look for flying adults on a sunny day in June when the insects were seen elsewhere in Clare. None was found.
‘The butterfly did occur on the site of the Clareabbey link road and cat- erpillars were translocated in 2004 before constructed began. The new site is SOO m to the north of the link road, but south of the Bunnow River. The development will not have any impact on the survival of the species there.”
The submission also reveals that the developers have agreed to pay landowner, Michael Lyons, €1.175
million for a 2.35 acres site at Ske- hanagh, Clarecastle.
They still intend to construct a link road to the Ennis by-pass that will facilitate businesses from the Quin Road area.
The council told the developers last year that it wasn’t favourably dis- posed towards the development, due to the location of the proposed link road.
However, the developers have stat- ed that: “The applicant is the major- ity land owner within the area and will accommodate almost half of the length of the road on his own land and that the applicant has agreement with other land owners within the area in place that allows the delivery of the full length of the link between Quin Road and Skehanagh rounda- xe) Ul a
“This allows the council to avoid a lengthy compulsory purchase or- der process in order to obtain the land and provides the opportunity to submit a Part 8 Roads and Services application, which could speed the delivery of the link road.”
A decision is due on the application later this year.