This article is from page 17 of the 2008-03-25 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 17 JPG
THE retail core of Newmarket-on- Fergus will suffer if a new €10 mil- lion mixed-use development proceeds on the periphery of the village.
That is the view of a Newmarket resident, Patrick J Hannon, in re- sponse to plans by Tom Lavelle and Adrian Callanan to construct 56 units at Boheraroan, Newmarket-on- Fergus.
The plan by the two includes 16 commercial units, 22 duplex apart- ments, 11 apartments, a medical fa- cility and six office units.
However, Mr Hannon of Lough- lash, Newmarket, who is the owner of lands at the rear of the proposed development, has lodged an objec- HCOemr-hexc BD ets nL
Mr Hannon points out, “No details are submitted with the application as to the retail impact the proposal will have on the village of Newmarket- on-Fergus.
“As elsewhere, out-of-centre retail developments should not be allowed as this development is likely to lead to a reduction in the range of local facilities in the town that will affect the diversity of shops and lead to a
loss of general retailing from the vil- lage centre.”
Mr Hannon also contends that the scale of the proposed development will have adverse implications in preserving the existing character of the 18th-century streetscape and roadways within the village of New- market.
“Despite the vibrancy of the town, there is evidence of vacancy both in housing and commercial.
“Development of additional units on the periphery of the town will contribute to further vacancy levels within the village, thereby weaken-
ing the existing vitality of the vil- FTexone
Mr Hannon claims, “The site is functionally detached from the vil- lage centre.
“The linkage is totally dependent on the adjoins development proceed- ing. Therefore, this development is premature until the adjoining devel- opment commences.”
He states, “The proposed develop- ment would introduce a development with a mass, scale and height which would be substantially and detrimen- tally at odds with the defining char- acter of the area.”