East Clare social housing plan sent back to drawing board

AN APPROVED housing body seeking to build 11 social houses and two apartments in Mountshannon has been sent back to the drawing board by Clare County Council.

In March, Inis Housing Association lodged plans for housing of varying size and design, and a single building containing the two apartments. The site, which is three quarters of a hectare, is close to St Caimin’s Church of Ireland on Main Street. After an initial assessment of the plans, the Council has now requested Further Information on nine aspects of the project. 

Planners said that “having regard to the scale, extent and location of the proposed development, it is possible that subsurface archaeological remains could be encountered during the construction phase” of the works. 

They have asked that Inis Housing Association to commission an Archaeological Impact Assessment (AIA) involving test excavations. The request follows a submission on the project from The Development Applications Unit (DAU) of the Department of Housing, Heritage and Local Government (DHHLG).

The unit noted that “the potential cumulative impact must be considered as a significant factor as the immediately adjacent lands to the north c. 3.5 hectares (in ownership of the applicant) are noted as a site for future development and the proposed development incorporates elements to facilitate this”. 

An archaeological is required to inspect the site and to details the archeological and historical background, as well as reviewing maps and aerial photos. The DAU has stipulated that the test excavations must be carried out under licence from the DHHLG.

Where archaeological material is discovered, the archaeologist must seek further advice from the DHHLG. Once work is completed, the archaeologist must submit a written report to the DHHLG.

County planners themselves also raised queries in relation to water and wastewater services and a full set of drawings has been requested.

Information already submitted in relation to roads and access must also be supplemented, planners have said. They have asked for more details on the site entrance layout and road gradient, as well as proof that trucks will be able to turn. Additional details of signage and lining layout has also be requested.

The developers have been asked to revise road surfacing proposals on the main access road to show that parking provision meets the required standards. The width of proposed footpaths must be increased to 1.8m and further details of the management of surface water must also be provided.

More information has been requested on surfacing materials throughout the development. In addition, floor plans for all units have been requested as well as a revised site layout plan which would incorporate a gate for the garden of the proposed ground floor apartment.

Full details of boundary treatments and landscaping have also been sought. Inis Housing now has six months to provide the requested material to Clare County Council. 

There were no objections to the development and representations have been made by Senators Timmy Dooley and Róisín Garvey, as well as Deputy Cathal Crowe.