Planning initiative for Scariff and Mountshannon

Mountshannon and Scariff have been chosen as two of the nine towns and villages throughout the county to participate in the Clare Villages and Towns Strategic Plan Initiative 2012.

 

The innovative scheme is aimed at rejuvenating the physical appearance of the selected towns and villages across Clare and has been organised by Clare Local Development Company (CLDC), in association with Clare County Council.

The successful towns and villages receive additional expert guidance and mentoring from Cunnane Stratton Reynolds (CSR) Landscape Architects and Town Planning consultants.

CSR will assist the groups to critically examine their town or village, identify opportunities to improve and enhance their urban and landscape environments and draw up a strategic three-year action plan for their area to assist them in this effort.

The purpose of the scheme is to stimulate and encourage Clare communities to enhance the physical appearance of their town while at the same time complement existing initiatives such as Pride of Place, Tidy Towns and Clare in Bloom. The initiative is expected to be delivered over a 12-month period.

Through the initiative, assistance will be given to the chosen areas to help them identify suitable projects to enhance the local environment as well as their physical and infrastructural development.
Speaking about their selection as part of the Clare Villages and Towns Strategic Plan, John Harvey, chairman of Mountshannon Community Council, said they are delighted to have been selected, having applied earlier in the summer.

They will have a meeting with representatives from Cunnane Stratton Reynolds Landscape Architects at the end of August to assess which areas of the village will be enhanced and improved as part of the initiative.

Mr Harvey said this meeting would set the framework of what can be achieved through the scheme.
Meanwhile, in Scariff, Harry O’Meara, chairman of the Scariff Community Council, said they were equally delighted to be included in the strategic plan and he felt it would be of significant benefit to the East Clare town.

“This is definitely going to give Scariff a boost and this will be a stepping stone for us. We are very happy we were chosen,” he said.

Scariff Community Council is due to meet with a representative of Cunnane Stratton Reynolds Landscape Architects in early September to discuss how to proceed with the initiative there.