‘A disgraceful plan’ – councillors slam Shannon Town Masterplan

*Photograph: Joe Buckley

Public consultation for the Draft Shannon Town Masterplan closes tomorrow (Friday) with strong criticism aired about its contents by elected representatives.

This closing date was pushed back in the wake of negative feedback surrounding the plan. It proposes the development of a main street for the town to the front of the Town Centre with an ‘Innovation District’ on the other side of the road.

A definition and sense of place is lacking in Shannon, the document stated. “This masterplan vision aims to give it that definition, by managing future growth and establish a place that captures and secures the benefit of growth for the local community. Shannon has been a place of innovation and promoting a healthy lifestyle since its inception, yet its town centre has never been the source of pride that Shannon deserves. This masterplan vision is an attempt to improve the local townscape with new retail, community, housing, and public spaces for locals and visitors to enjoy”.

In order to develop a new main street, the plan suggests downgrading the R471 passing through Shannon Town and remove the roundabout linking it with the R472 connecting to the N19 which it believes would allow the road to become a street focusing on pedestrians, cyclists, and enable new retail and service amenities to have a presence to the street.

An expanded and reinvigorated green town square is also proposed for where the Farmers Market is currently held.

There is a plan for a multifunctional building, which will serve various community uses and be known as the One Shannon Hub.

Strong criticism of the plan was voiced by Cllr Gerry Flynn (IND) who believed there had been more of a focus on meetings with stakeholders rather than public representatives and that the removal of the roundabout from the town centre would take away connectivity. “We’ve a proposal to downgrade this road outside here which is a fine road and could be used for main street, we’re talking about a main street from the Aviation Museum to the town centre not this SOP proposed as an innovation centre”.

He referenced a campaign two decades ago to stop the Council taking what was then the Town Park which was christened Rineanna Park. Plans to take away a large section of the new town park were also rebuked by the Shannon town representative. “This is what I’d describe as a disgraceful plan”. Cllr Pat O’Gorman (FF) was also against altering the current Town Park, “We need more amenities in Shannon not to be taking them away. The Loop Walk is used by a lot of people. The more amenities in Shannon the better, we shouldn’t be proposing in any shape or form to take them away”.

Flynn added, “The location of our civic offices used to be Fr Harry Bohan’s home, it was a hub for Fr Harry and the great work he did to regenerate Clare in a lot of areas like Sixmilebridge, Newmarket-on-Fergus and Connolloy, it was purchased by Town Commissioners but unfortunately Town Council was abolished in 2014, the Council acquired the property, it was owned by the public and still is”. He disagreed with the need to secure a property in the town centre to enhance a civic presence.