*Ennistymon.
45 new car parking spaces are to be delivered in Ennistymon by the end of 2025 but concerns that traffic will be “choked” in the North Clare town prior to then have been voiced.
At a special meeting of Clare County Council on Friday, Part VIII planning permission was secured for streetscape and public realm works in Ennistymon. Approval had to be secured at this sitting to obtain grant funding of €495,000 which could not have been held over until the next Council meeting in September.
The proposed development will comprise of footpath upgrades, provision of a pedestrian friendly raised table area with controlled crossing, provision of a pedestrian friendly raised table with new courtesy crossing, a raised courtesy crossings, revisions to on-street car parking layouts, paved surfaces, relocation of existing and provision of new street lighting and street furniture and all associated services, site development and landscaping works.
Works will take place on Parliament Street, the Square, Church Street and McInerney’s. Some of the lands are located within the Ennistymon Architectural Conservation Area.
Friday’s meeting lasted under quarter of an hour and was attended by twelve of the twenty eight councillors. Those present in the Chamber were Cathaoirleach, Cllr Alan O’Callaghan (FF), Cllr Bill Slattery (FG), Cllr Tom O’Callaghan (FF), Cllr Dinny Gould (FG), Cllr David Griffin (FF) and Cllr Antoinette Baker Bashua (FF).
Elected members attending online were Cllr Shane Talty (FF), Cllr Joe Garrihy (FG), Cllr Joe Killeen (FF), Cllr Rita McInerney (FF), Cllr Paul Murphy (FG) and Cllr Tony Mulcahy (FG).
Proposing the development, Cllr Talty said it came on the back of three years work between staff in the Council and the Ennistymon Town Team. He said the full enhancement strategy was launched for Ennistymon following “extensive public consultation. Critically, it comes along with a planning permission two years ago for an off-street car park on Monastery Lane is about to be developed in the coming winter and into next year, that has been delayed subject to finding a solution to rehousing of bats that are on the buildings there which have to be knocked, a solution for that is in train so the off-street car park will be developed and we will get upgraded streets and streetscaping on Parliament Street and the Square in Ennistymon”.
He added, “The planning application was open to the public, we only got two submissions which were generally positive with some suggestions, there was extensive public consultation on the strategy itself. On the back of the works done on Main Street this is another step along the way of upgrading the public realm in Ennistymon, the funding is in place since spring, it would be remiss of us not to back the permission now and lose the money and leave Ennistymon sitting for another ten years without getting the enhancement that is needed around the street. It is a positive development”.
Support was voiced by Cllr Garrihy. “I am delighted to second the proposal which will build on the investment and ongoing success of Ennistymon over the last number of years. This approval will facilitate securing the €500,000 of funding approved under town and village renewal in 2023 following on from the Destination town project of €500,000 and town and village renewal of €250,000 in 2022. It is essential that the additional car parking facilities under development are completed in advance of potential impact and disruption of these improvements. I am happy to see another exciting project in Ennistymon to underpin its success and vibrancy while also keeping momentum in dealing with mobility and traffic challenges resulting”.
Cathaoirleach of the West Clare MD, Cllr McInerney said she was “very supportive of the redevelopment”. She observed that signage and a water fountain were among the items cropping up. “The upgrading of footpaths and the landscape is forward thinking,” maintained Cllr Tom O’Callaghan, he was content that concerns raised on parking were addressed and labelled it “a good news story”.
Concerns were voiced by Cllr Slattery. “I support any initiative on the streetscape but I am concerned, I wasn’t part of this as a councillor, I am concerned by the lack of parking. What is the timeframe for this car park being delivered, what is the timeframe for the work starting, the town is totally choked up every single day, if it goes ahead without the car park then the people are very concerned, objections are in from An Taisce on bats and everything else, we’re putting the cart before the horse, I’m not against this don’t get me wrong but we need the car park, we’re going to lose spaces which is a serious problem”.
He continued, “You can’t go left at Monastery Lane anymore only for residents, that will be a serious issue”. Slattery warned, “it is going to cause mayhem again”.
Chief Executive of Clare County Council, Pat Dowling described the public realm development in Ennistymon as “very important”. He said, “In a perfect world it would be great if everything came together at the one time but that is not possible”.
Dowling said the ambition was to deliver 45 spaces in the car park by the end of 2025, “it will certainly alleviate a lot of the difficulties you are referring to. It is about priority of cars and public access over people. It is about facilitating the community and not just cars”. He said Monastery Lane will be progressed “at the earliest opportunity and our ambition is to have started within the next year”.
When pressed by Cllr Slattery on when the programme itself would start, Dowling responded, “at the earliest opportunity”.
Speaking to The Clare Echo, Cllr Slattery stressed that works should not start until the new car park is up and running. “It will cause serious congestion, the town is completely choked with traffic”.
An urgent rethink of the planned public realm works has been requested by the Labour Party’s branch in North Clare. “Specifically we demand that the proposed new pavings should be the local Moher Slate similar that has been successfully used on Main street Ennistymon as well as the retention of the Square which should remain open to traffic and traders and used as a meeting place. Let’s see how much they listen to the people who will be most impacted by the public works. We encourage all concerned to lend their voices in the form of short letters of support for these demands to the Planning Department, Clare County Council, New Rd., Ennis, Co Clare,” said Denis Vaughan (LAB).
