The Clare Champion Clare news, sport, entertainment and local notes
The Office of Public Works is to provide capital funding for flood protection measures for Springfield Clonlara and has also approved the preferred measures subject to a number of conditions.
“The OPW has confirmed that the proposed CFRAM measure for Springfield, Clonlara may now be progressed by Clare County Council. The funding of the project costs will not fall under the Minor Works heading, but the work will be funded instead as a capital project under the OPW capital works programme. This is very welcome news,” said Minister for Trade, Employment, Business, EU Digital Single Market & Data Protection Pat Breen.
“The favoured solution will now require more detailed project-level assessment and design before it can be confirmed as technically, economically and environmentally viable and suitable for progression through planning. In this regard, approval is being given in the first instance to bring the project forward with the undertaking of this necessary project-level assessment.
“Once the project is confirmed to be feasible, Clare County Council will revert to the OPW for approval to advance the works through planning and implementation, with funding from the OPW,” added Minister Breen.
The proposed solution at Springfield includes an impermeable embankment measuring about 1 kilometre in length and 1.75 metres in height. A second smaller land bank would also be constructed nearby, measuring approximately 180 metres in length by 0.4 metres high. The proposal also includes the construction of a nearby pumping station.
