Tag Archives: county development plan

A BID to buy more time to thrash out controversial aspects of the new development plan for Clare has been successful. At a special local authority meeting on Wednesday, a motion invoking new legislation that makes provision for the disruption caused by the pandemic led to the granting of an additional seven months to finalise the blueprint. While the extension of time was granted in strict compliance with the provisions of the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act, 2021, several council members have pledged  to use the additional time to ensure the new plan is as favourable as possible in terms of the development of rural Clare. There were some dissenting voices from the Ennis district with two members reluctantly backing the extension and expressing reservations about potential delays in major projects for the county town. At the council’s July meeting, 11 members had tabled a motion seeking a stay on the plan for 12 months. Councillors Murphy, Hayes, Cooney, Gerry …

ANGER has been expressed by West Clare councillors over national planning policies which they fear will stifle population growth. Tabling a joint motion at the recent municipal district meeting, Councillors Cillian Murphy, Ian Lynch, Shane Talty and Joe Garrihy sought details of population growth targets under the forthcoming County Development Plan. All voiced frustration at the reply, which was described as “a non-response”. “We’ve been briefed on now the new plan will have to tie in with the regional spatial strategy and so we’re now looking for clarity on the population allocation for West Clare,” Councillor Murphy said. “It’s kind of mind-boggling that any national policy would restrict any county’s ambition to develop. We are the district most likely to be affected if Ennis gets city status. That puts the development focus on the Limerick-Shannon-Ennis corridor. We have to question where we will get a chance to be ambitious for the growth of our area.” Councillor Lynch described as “a …

THE risk that some lands owned by council could drop substantially in value, because of new national planning policies, has been flagged by a member of the West Clare Municipal District. Councillor Cillian Murphy told a meeting of the district committee that huge opportunity presented by the pandemic to bring people back to rural Clare could be lost if lands have to be zoned under the terms of the National Planning Framework (NPF), which will shape the forthcoming county development plan. The Fianna Fáil member asked the authority for details of all lands owned by the local authority and details of their zoning, whether residential, industrial or residential. “The impetus for this,” he explained, “is that we need to look at what lands the council owns in the context of the NPF. There is a huge drive from government to deliver affordable housing and a huge opportunity because of the pandemic, for people to live and work in rural Ireland.” …

LOCAL geography has come to life for second years at Scariff Community College, where students are making a submission to a review of the County Development Plan. Under the guidance of teacher Darina Sheridan and with support from Carmel Brislane, a planner with the council, the students are making their voices heard on the future of the school’s catchment area of Scariff, Mountshannon and Whitegate. Geography teacher Darina sees the call for submissions to the plan, which will cover 2022-2028, as an opportunity for some real-world learning. “I had looked that the plan previously with a Transition Year (TY) group and realised that there was potential here for the students to look at their own areas and to get to know then and what kind of amenities they would like to see,” she explained. Working with Clare County Council, Darina began to develop practical exercises built around the submission. “We have had Zoom calls with Carmel, which were great,” she …

Clare County Council has commenced a public consultation process in relation to the newly amended Draft Clare County Development Plan 2017-2023. The Draft Plan has been placed on public display until Wednesday, October 12 and When adopted the six-year blueprint will replace the existing County Development Plan 2011-2017. It will be the seventh such plan since 1964. Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council Bill Chambers is encouraging members of the public to make themselves familiar with the details of the Draft Plan and the proposed amendments. “The Draft Plan has been the subject of an extensive consultation process involving councillors, planners and the general public during the past 18 months. The public’s input is central to the planning authority and elected members in their consideration of this important strategy, which will have a positive impact on every community in County Clare in the years ahead.” Brian McCarthy, senior planner, Clare County Council, noted that the Draft Plan has been the subject …

Dan  Danaher CLARE County Council has approved a long-term strategy to harness County Clare’s renewable energy resources. The Clare County Renewable Energy Strategy 2014-2020 has been incorporated into the Clare County Development Plan following a four-week long public consultation process earlier this year. The strategy outlines the potential for a range of renewable resources, including bioenergy and anaerobic digestion, micro renewables, geothermal, solar, hydro, energy storage, onshore and offshore wind, wave and tidal energy. Mayor of Clare, Councillor Joe Arkins lauded the council for taking a “pro-active approach” to facilitating renewable energy development, as well as becoming one of the first local authorities in Ireland to incorporate such a strategy into their County Development Plan. “The development of this Strategy has been one of the primary objectives of this Council during the past 5 years and complements the ongoing implementation of Clare’s first Wind Energy Strategy, which has already been incorporated into the County Development Plan,” he said. Mayor Arkins …