Clonlara development plans run aground

Plans for the development of a multi-million euro residential development, containing 103 houses in total near the Head Race Canal, are now dead in the water.

The collapse of the construction boom years has been illustrated in the demise of plans for a large-scale development that would have changed the landscape of Clonlara’s environs.

Clare County Council has refused to extend planning permission for five years concerning two separate but related developments on the outskirts of Clonlara.

Paul Kennedy, from RSM Farrell Grant Sparks, Longford was appointed receiver and manager by ACC Bank Plc over all the assets of John Walsh last May.

Mr Kennedy had applied for a five-year extension to build 69 houses in one development and 34 two-storey houses, a two-storey building with crèche at the ground floor and a gym at Knockbrack Lower, Clonlara.
However, the council ruled, in both applications, that this proposed development is no longer considered a sustainable development following the rezoning of lands to ‘Low Density Residential’ and ministerial guidelines issued concerning the sustainable residential development in urban areas.

No construction work had commenced on either of the two developments.

According to a council planning report, the development, as granted, was for a high-density development but the lands were subsequently rezoned low density in the South Clare Local Area Plan 2012 to 2018.

The housing scheme was also in conflict with ministerial guidelines issued in 2009 having regard to the scale of the development, which is not considered to be in accordance with the “pattern and grain of existing development”, the density of 16.8 units per hectare on the edge of a village.

It was felt the layout and design didn’t provide a sense of identity and place with a generic design approach, while the scale of development wasn’t considered to provide a positive contribution to its surroundings.
The local planning authority gave John Walsh, St James, South Circular Road, Limerick the green light for the construction of 34 two-storey houses, a two-storey building with crèche at the ground floor and a gym at Knockbrack Lower, Clonlara in 2008.

This increased by another 75 houses after Blossom Developments got the go-ahead for a separate planning application in the same area.

The same applicant also had an option on an adjoining six acres, which were not zoned for residential development.

A masterplan for the construction of another 60 houses was also drafted for a proposed phase three of another development.

Plans for the provision of 25 local authority houses were also approved by local county councillors, despite an objection from two local residents.

Clare County Councillors gave the go-ahead to the public housing scheme at Knockbrack Lower, Clonlara under Part Eight of the 2001 Planning and Development Act at a council meeting in 2008.

According to a council planning report in 2008, while the current site for the 34 houses formed part of the overall original site area, the current applicant subdivided it to increase the density and changed the proposed layout so the current application would be part of a larger development on the overall land.

The approved second development consists of 28 three-bedroom semi-detached and six four-bedroom semi-detached dwellings, site entrance and boundary walls, access road, landscaping and necessary ancillary works at Knockbrack Lower.

However, the local planning authority also attached 47 planning conditions, including a stipulation that no development shall take place on the site until the sewerage infrastructure required to facilitate the development is in place and this is confirmed in writing from the council’s water services section.

A contribution of €236,172 had to be lodged with the council in respect of public infrastructure and facilities benefiting the development as had a special contribution of €214,200 towards the improvement of sewerage facilities in the local area, while an agreement had also to be reached concerning the provision of some social housing in accordance with Part Five of the 2000 Planning and Development Act.

Two residents lodged an objection to the development on January 30, 2007 on the grounds of traffic safety, sewerage and water, character of the proposed development and services in Clonlara to facilitate the development. This objection was withdrawn on February 15, 2007. Another resident made a submission concerning boundary treatments, residential amenity, road construction and road widening on January 19, 2007, which was also withdrawn on February 15, 2007.