Blake’s Corner solution set to cost €700,000?

THE long-running controversy to provide a permanent solution for the most dangerous junction in Ennistymon now looks set to cost in the region €700,000, it emerged this week.
The latest revelation that Clare County Council will have to spend an extra €100,000 on a new environmental impact study (EIS) to facilitate proposed improvement works at Blake’s Corner provoked outrage amongst local county councillors this week.
Councillors condemned the latest move, following new national planning regulations introduced last September as “bureaucracy gone mad”.
Speaking after the Ennistymon Electoral Area meeting, Councillor Bill Slattery warned the final bill could exceed €700,000 when the cost of purchasing the two derelict houses – Blake’s and Linnane’s, estimated at €250,000 and €350,000, was taken into account.
This doesn’t include the cost of a report commissioned by the county council, at a cost of between €10,000 and €15,000, recommending that the Blake’s and Linane’s buildings are deconstructed and reconstructed back from the narrow junction and the road widened.
Councillor Slattery claimed it was very much a case of “bureaucracy gone mad” following the decision to embark on an EIS.
Senior engineer, Tom Tiernan has argued the council could provide “strong justification” for the need to go ahead with the required works subject to a Part 8 planning application, despite a warning from Heritage Minister Jimmy Deenihan stating such a move would be “contrary to the thrust of the Planning and Development Act 2000”.
It now looks likely that a decision on plans for the long-awaited improvement works may not be made until the end of the year following confirmation from Mr Tiernan it could take between three to four months to prepare an EIS for An Bord Pleanála with the board taking another six months to reach a decision.
Mr Tiernan told councillors at the meeting it would cost €40,000 to prepare an EIS in addition to an application fee of another €60,000.
He admitted the situation concerning progressing Blake’s Corner was not good and had got more complicated following a change in planning legislation last September.
Following an assessment by council officials of all the options taking into account such as archaeological and other factors, it was decided the best course of action was the completion of an EIS.
Electoral Area chairman, Councillor Michael Kelly warned “common sense” had gone out the window following the introduction of yet another obstacle hindering the promotion and development of tourism in Ennistymon and Lahinch.
The revelation was described as “astounding” by Councillor Richard Nagle who felt it was yet another example of the unacceptable addition of another unnecessary layer of bureaucracy.
Following a series of delays concerning the proposed Part 8 planning application from last June to September, December and January 2012, Councillor Nagle warned nobody seemed to be taking into account the health and safety of hundreds of local schoolchildren, elderly people trying to get to mass and thousands of tourists heading to Lahinch.
Councillor Michael Hillery warned vital tourist revenue would be lost unless funding was provided for this project.
Councillor Kelly asked if there was any way the council could avoid the EIS option.
Acknowledging this latest delay was “disappointing”, Mr Tiernan said it was felt in the long run this option was the shortest route.
Councillor Slattery asked if any conservation group had requested the council to complete an EIS.
Mr Tiernan replied they hadn’t and were waiting for the lodging of the Part Eight planning application.
Councillor Nagle asked if the National Roads Authority (NRA) had been requested to provide the necessary funding.
Mr Tiernan confirmed he had contacted the NRA and pledged to pursue securing the money as vigorously as possible. While a commitment was given by the NRA to fund this project two years ago, Mr Tiernan explained this didn’t translate into money until a local authority had gone through all the statutory processes and obtained the necessary planning permission.
Asked by Councillor Nagle if the NRA would allocate the necessary money to fund the EIS, Mr Tiernan replied he hoped they would and stressed the NRA was well aware of the urgency of the project and the fact it involved improving a dangerous junction connecting the N67 and N85.
Councillor Kelly stressed some thing had to be done to eliminate red tape and bureaucracy, which were acting as a “stalling device” preventing this project from going ahead.
“It looks like the council is no longer in charge.  This could have been solved long ago if we had no stalling devices,” he said.
Mr Tiernan noted a decision on funding certain projects was usually made at this time of the year and expected an announcement from the NRA on certain projects over the coming weeks.