Go-karting track plan hits the rails

CLARE County Council has refused planning permission for a go-karting track at Tullyvarraga.

The application had been made by Kevin Walker and in the notification, Clare County Council claimed the site wasn’t suitable. “The proposed development of ‘go-karting’ track would be contrary to the zoning objective of ED1 ‘Enterprise and Technology’ as set out in the South Clare Local Area plan 2009-2015, whereby the objective for the site is to reserve land for uses such as large-scale offices, logistics and advance manufacturing. The proposed development would also be contrary to the open space wetland zoning located at the western end of the site. The proposed development therefore would not be in the interest of proper planning and orderly development.”
It was also claimed that not enough information had been provided regarding the feelings of the landowner towards the proposal. “The planning authority is not satisfied, based on the information submitted, that the applicant has sufficient legal interest for the making of the application or has the written consent from the relevant landowner to the making of the application.”
Allowing it to go ahead could lead to parking at the roadside. “The planning authority is not ­satisfied that the proposed development, by virtue of the lack of clear proposals to provide adequate car parking and turning areas on site, would not result in roadside parking, which would endanger public safety by reason of traffic hazard, an obstruction of road users.”
In a submission, Anny Wise of An Taisce claimed that allowing it to go ahead could have an impact on water supplies.
She also claimed that the proposed design wasn’t suitable and that it could have an impact on public safety.
Despite her concerns, Ms Wise said that An Taisce felt there was some potential in what was proposed. “We welcome this development as the young people in Shannon would appreciate it but it needs to be more than just a track.”
The proposed track would have been on a site of 1.8 hectares and according to the application would have been used by a maximum of six people an hour. It was proposed to have been open between the hours of 11am and 6pm.