Clare County Council has moved to purchase two buildings which will be demolished in order to begin works at one of the most notorious traffic black spots in the county.
Blake’s Corner in Ennistymon is the focus of much scrutiny at the height of the tourist season in particular with huge backlogs coming into the North Clare town a common sight.
It has also seen several instances of buses unable to take the bend on the busy tourist route which has led to long standing calls for something to be done to alleviate the issue.
Planning permission was initially granted in 2018 for a plan of works which were estimated to cost in the region of €7 million which would involve building a new bridge over the river to relieve congestion.
This will require the two buildings now under CPO from the Council to be demolished.
The two buildings at the corner, Blakes and Linnanes, are protected buildings and will be retained.
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.