Residents seek removal of Gillogue ‘monstrosity’

RESIDENTS are seeking the removal of an embankment outside a Gillogue Industrial Estate, which has been described as an “eyesore” and a “monstrosity”.

Residents are up in arms with Zinc Properties over the delay in removing a very large mound of clay, mud and topsoil, which has covered over valves and connections for utilities such as water, sewerage and electricity.

Clare County Council has been monitoring the issue with a view to getting a resolution without recourse to planning enforcement.

However, last week Killaloe Electoral Area senior executive engineer, Hugh McGrath, recommended that enforcement action should be considered by the planning department.

Mr McGrath confirmed the planning department are investigating this issue and he will provide his input from an engineering perspective.

Brian Whelan of Zinc Properties said the company is committed to improving the overall appearance of the embankment, which he acknowledged is not fully finished due to circumstances outside of their control.

Mr Whelan explained the company had reached an agreement with the ESB to provide an underground cable for electricity connection, which may go through the industrial estate.

He pointed out the company couldn’t start work on this embankment unless it knows exactly where this cable is going.

“We got planning permission for the car park and the embankment to facilitate residents by stopping cars parking all over the road. The car park is free at the moment and we are working on ways to improve access from the car park to the University of Limerick.

“I don’t think kerbing would have been a solution because motorists can park up on a kerb,” he said.
Councillor Michael Begley submitted a planning application for the car park, an embankment of 0.75metre by one metre wide, which was granted by the local planning authority.

He told management the embankment wasn’t in compliance with planning permission. 

Councillor Cathal Crowe, who described the huge mound as a “monstrosity”, said he made the council aware of this problem about six months ago and noted he and residents were led to be believe on a number of occasions this issue would be resolved.

Councillor Crowe warned the topsoil heap is creating a traffic hazard and said it should have been at knee-high level, grassed and landscaped.

He described the two-tier barrier as “garish” and supported residents’ calls for it to be moved back closer to the fence.

Councillor Pascal Fitzgerald described the embankment as an “eyesore” and pledged to raise this matter at the next Killaloe Electoral Area meeting. He proposed kerbing could be designed in a way to prevent parking instead of the embankment.

While residents support the car park once it is used, they have a number of concerns.

Resident Pat McNamara spoke to a senior council engineer last November, who pledged the council would monitor the situation.

Resident Caroline O’Brien said the road is now very dangerous as a result of the embankment because cars find it difficult to pass out. A number of trees have already died having been covered with mud.

Noel Shinnors, who is considering running as a candidate in the Shannon Electoral Area at the next Local Elections, has expressed concerns about the ability of the council to switch off water and sewerage connections fully in the event of an emergency in houses that are located across the roads from the council.
Mr Shinnors complained the embankment is too big, too high and is very unsightly.

Despite the new car park, people are still parking indiscriminately along the barrier. One resident said she has extreme difficulty coming out of her house in the morning because cars parking opposite her entrance are blocking her sight distance.