PROGRESS of the One Shannon Hub is “dragging” which is leading to rising frustration among local elected representatives but senior officials in Clare County Council say they remain “one hundred percent committed” to the project.
In July 2023, contracts were signed between Clare County Council and BDP (Integrated Design Team) and Tom McNamara & Partners (Integrated QS & Project Manager) for the design of a multi-functional building known as the ‘One Shannon Hub’.
BDP in 2022 were tasked by the Council with creating a Shannon Town Centre Masterplan which saw the Hub emerge as a key element.
However no planning application has yet been lodged for the development of the multi-purpose civic, performance and community space. The building is due to include a town hall, an adaptable performance and community space, library, and flexible co-working spaces. Public realm improvements to the town square adjacent to the site will also be undertaken pending a successful funding application. The site on which the Hub will be located is in the ownership of Shannon Commercial Properties but they agreed a 999 year lease with Clare County Council from August 2022.
Raising the matter at a meeting of the Shannon Municipal District, Cllr Tony Mulcahy (FG) noted that councillors at a behind-closed-doors briefing expressed the “wish for that to go to planning. We were getting some advice on what to do. Cllr Crowe proposed spending the GMA money which wasn’t the way to do it, it was the wish that we go for planning on this because of the timeline on it”.
Figures on the expenditure to date were sought by Cllr Mulcahy who questioned the “ongoing sustainability of the project”. He added, “If we ask for something, we would like to get it and that we don’t keep dragging”.
Cathaoirleach of the Shannon MD, Cllr Pat O’Gorman (FF) admitted, “You’d be frightened coming out of the meeting on whether it would ever happen”. He commented, “We’re not interested in the cost of it, we want to get it up and running”. The Cratloe man said, “We’re here meeting in the Park inn because we haven’t the room for all of us to meet in the Town Hall. Every councillor is 100% behind the One Shannon Hub to get up and running, we have to get it up for planning because the timelines aren’t too favourable”.
Shannon needs to get its fair share, Cllr John Crowe (FG) maintained, “We haven’t looked for too much in the Shannon MD if you compare us to the rest of the county as regards projects like this, this is a massive project for the whole Municipal District, there’s 10,000 people living in Shannon, it is the second biggest town in the county, it is something that is needed to enhance what we have already there”. He said, “I don’t think it is a big ask when you look at the whole county and what we are looking for. We are looking for something to drive this Municipal District”.
Director of Service, Alan Farrell stressed Clare County Council were “one hundred percent committed that we need to make this happen for multiple uses”. He reminded councillors their briefing was with the Council’s Head of Finance who highlighted “the overall financial package for Clare County Council and the concerns, we’ll be pushing it from my side”. He added, “Rest assured, I’m as committed as yourselves, I do hear that you want to get to planning, you don’t have to wait for a Council meeting, you can talk to us at any stage for an update”. He said he would revert back to Cllr Mulcahy “to get figures on expenditure”.
