*The green area at Waterpark House which will be removed.
AN ENNIS councillor who has actively criticised the dearth of parking spaces in the county town has lodged a formal objection to plans to build a car park with 136 spaces.
Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) has lodged an objection to Clare County Council’s plans to create 136 car parking spaces on the grounds of Waterpark House, Drumbiggle Rd in Ennis. All spaces will only be available on weekends and public holidays.
Alternative parking solutions exist at the former Boys National school and the Showgrounds site, he said. Provision of park and ride at the Our Lady’s Site on the Gort Rd and the Mart site on the Quin Rd have not been explored, he lamented.
500 residents have also signed an objection which will be lodged with the County Council while Bridget Ginnity (GP) who is contesting the local elections in the Ennis Municipal District for the Greens has also submitting an objection.
Waterpark House was developed into a new town hall in 1989 after it was acquired by the former Ennis Urban District Council. The construction of the public park was awarded to Mid-West Landscapers at a cost of £60,000 and was completed in 1989.
Speaking at this month’s meeting of the Ennis MD, Cllr Ann Norton (IND) outlined that residents of Clancy Park are anxious to meet with councillors to discuss their objections to the proposed development.
In his objection, Cllr Flynn criticised the planned removal of a purpose built Ennis Town Park and scarce public green area in Ennis West “located in the grounds of the historic 200 year old Waterpark House and its curtilage. Interestingly this historic house and grounds owned by the Council is not included in the record of protected structures unlike less important structures in the Ennis area”.
He stated, “The proposal involves loss of a Town Park, scarce green space, destruction of mature specimen trees, loss of garden/curtilage associated with the 200 year old Waterpark House and loss of biodiversity. I am a vocal critic of the failure of the former Ennis Town Council and Clare County Council to meet their various obligations to provide adequate public carparking in and around Ennis. In fact my research identifies a deficit of 2044 car parking spaces in Ennis”.
Building parking on an existing green space at the gardens of Waterpark House “is not proper planning and development from an environmental perspective, a traffic generation impact and (it will have) a negative impact on the residential amenity of local residents particularly in the Cornmarket area,” Cllr Flynn detailed.
Highlighting his grounds for objection, Cllr Flynn said the development would lead to the destruction of “a scarce town park” in the Ennis West area, “it is a safe and secure public green area not part of an individual housing estate”. Biodiversity loss plus the removal of mature specimen trees was also flagged by the former Mayor of Ennis. Adjoining homes will lose a residential amenity while the opening of a car park will create the risk of criminal activity by opening up access to the rear of adjoining homes, he warned.
Green Party representative, Ginnity said, “The proposal does not protect and conserve the biodiversity in Clare as required by the Clare Climate Action The proposal results in a loss of urban green space in contravention of the Nature Restoration Law”.
Removing ten parkland and mature trees is against the aim of protecting and conserving the biodiversity in Clare as specified in the Clare Climate Action Plan, Bridget said. “The Nature Restoration Law requires that there is no net loss of urban green space and of urban tree canopy cover. Although the law is yet to be enacted, it is reasonable to assume that a responsible Council would have regard to it. This proposal is directly contrary to that legislative requirement”.
Beith Tree Consultancy who did a tree survey on behalf of Ennis 2040 DAC concluded “the overall impact of the proposed development on local landscape character is moderate” which prompted Bridget to point out, “a moderate adverse impact is not acceptable when surfaced, vacant and derelict sites are available within Ennis, including the operations yard within the site”.
