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Tag Archives: planning permission

Flexibility sought in rural waste water treatment options

A CALL has been made for more flexibility in the kinds of waste water treatment processes considerable acceptable when applications for rural housing are being considered by Clare County Council. Councillor Cillian Murphy made an appeal, at the July meeting of the local authority, for more consideration to be given to alternative systems, which he said are increasing in sophistication and effectiveness all the time. “There are farmers out there with sons and daughters who want to stay in West Clare,” he said. “There is a perception that they are unlikely to get planning permission because a number of other applicants on nearby sites have already had failed percolation tests. There is a sense that assessors can tell by looking at the maps, what the local drainage is like, and whether a percolation test is likely to pass or fail.” The Fianna Fáil member stressed that he was in no way advocating that environmental guidelines be bypassed, but pleaded with …

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Knockanean school development gets green light

A LONG awaited multi-million euro re-development of Knockanean National School has been given the green light by Clare County Council. The plans submitted by the Office of Public Works (OPW) include the construction of eight new classrooms, with an existing four-classroom block built in 2011 retained and integrated into the new build. The new development will not result in an increase in student numbers at the school, with a condition of planning limiting school enrolments to 297 pupils. The number of enrolments can only be changed with another planning permission. According to the planning authority, “In the interests of traffic safety and free flow, the protection of adjacent amenities and to control the intensity of use of the site, it is considered appropriate to restrict pupil numbers to current enrolment levels in order to provide for a qualitative improvement of school facilities.” Councillor Johnny Flynn, part of the project team established to realise the new development, has described the planned …

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Killaloe councillors seek briefing on East Clare windfarm

KILLALOE councillors are to seek a briefing from the developers of a multi-million euro wind farm development planned for a site on the slopes of Slieve Bernagh, just over two kilometres from Bodyke. Earlier this month, Coillte confirmed that it is to lodge an application shortly, to An Bord Pleanála, under the Strategic Infrastructure Act. Raising the proposed Carrownagowan Wind Farm at the May meeting of the Killaloe Municipal District, Councillor Pat Hayes asked for details of communications and correspondence between officials and the developer. “I would like those details to be revealed,” the Caher-based member said. “The lack of consultation has been very remiss of Coillte.” The Fianna Fáil councillor insisted that communication with officials was not sufficient and ignored the role of elected members. “This day last year, we were re-elected and have never had personal communication [with Coillte],” he said. “Consultation behind the scenes with different departments is one thing, but we are the voice of the …

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Knockanean school plans will alleviate traffic problems say OPW

THE Office of Public Works has insisted that plans to re-develop Knockanean National School will alleviate traffic problems outside of the school after concerns about the proposal were raised by the local authority. The Office of Public Works (OPW) submitted a planning application for the re-development of Knockanean National School earlier this year. The plans include the construction of eight new classrooms, with an existing four-classroom block retained and integrated into the new build. Clare County Council sought further information on the new plans, and according to the response the OPW have insisted that just renovating the existing school would not “help in any way in alleviating the traffic ad hoc parking on the main public road”. It points out that the school currently has 11 classrooms and the proposal will result in just one additional classroom. “By moving the location of the building back further in to the site it creates space at the front and in doing so …

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East Clare wind farm planning application to be lodged in June

PLANS for a multimillion Euro East Clare wind farm are to be lodged next month, The Clare Champion has learned. Coillte has confirmed that it is currently finalising an application for 19 turbines on a 750 hectare site, around a-mile-and-a-half from Bodyke, on the slopes of Slieve Bearnagh. The proposal, which will seek 30-year permission for The Carrownagowan Wind Farm, will be lodged directly to An Bórd Pleanála as strategic infrastructure. “Our project team is targeting a submission date towards the end of June and this will be advertised prior to final submission,” outlined Andy Fox, Community Engagement Manager with Coillte. Mr Fox also noted that a detailed brochure on the project had recently been widely distributed across East Clare, and that consultations were continuing, in line with the restrictions imposed by Covid-19. The site is described by Coillte as an appropriate location to access the national grid via the substation at Ardnacrusha. The company also notes it is designated …

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Site rezoned for Data Centre despite local concerns

THE objections of local residents to a new 1,000,000ft² data centre counted for little on Monday, as a proposal to vary the County Development Plan to facilitate the project at Toureen, on the outskirts of Ennis, was unanimously passed by Clare County Council. The council claims that the project could deliver 200 permanent data centre jobs, another 150 ancillary jobs and 50 maintenance jobs. Some 1,100 construction jobs would be supported over five years of construction. At the council meeting, director of service Liam Conneally reiterated his view that if the project goes ahead, it will be “a game changer” for Clare and Ennis. However, the data centre would not be one of the three largest employers in the county even if what is projected comes to pass. Prior to the meeting, members of the council got a report from chief executive Pat Dowling, which summarised a number of submissions that had come in from the public, including one from …

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council advised to link data centre plans with renewable energy sources

Plans by Clare County Council to attract new large-scale data centres to the county should be accompanied by a link to generate the required energy through renewable sources. That’s according to An Taisce heritage officer Iam Lumley, who stressed that lessons need to be learned, following Apple’s decision to abandon its plans for an €850 million data centre in Athenry. The company, which was facing a fresh Supreme Court and European Court appeal to a facility it announced more than three years ago, is proceeding with a second data centre in Denmark. “Several years ago, we applied to build a data centre at Athenry. Despite our best efforts, delays in the approval process have forced us to make other plans and we will not be able to move forward with the data centre,” said the company in a statement. Mr Lumley said that, if a data centre is being planned for a county, it should be linked to the provision …

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Aldi gets approval for Killaloe store

PLANS for the development of a new Killaloe store, which could, it is claimed, generate a projected turnover of €9.12 million in 2019, has been approved by An Bord Pleanála, despite objections from local traders. Welcoming the decision, an Aldi spokesperson said the company believes competition is good for consumers. “Aldi will now move forward with our plans to open a new store in Killaloe, bringing our range of award-winning products at unbeatable prices to the local community. “The opening of every new Aldi store has brought greater choice, quality and value to more and more consumers across Ireland. Since 1999, we have invested €1.2 billion in our store opening programme and, last year, we spent over €700m with Irish suppliers,” the spokesperson continued. “Aldi are engaged in a three-year €100m expansion programme, with plans to open 20 new stores and creating 400 new jobs by the end of 2019.” This was the second time the German multinational submitted plans …

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