*Photograph: Páraic McMahon
PLANS FOR the controversial Abbey Street car park development as part of the Ennis 2040 Strategy are to go on public consultation next week and are already causing a stir.
Some board members claimed they had to see revisions to the proposal as late as Wednesday morning.
Already there is backlash from elected members of the Ennis Municipal District who have yet to see such ambitious plans while Save Ennis Town have welcomed the engagement but reiterated their opposition to the plans. Over 3,700 signatures on a petition opposed to the development has been compiled.
Launched in October 2021 by then Tánaiste Leo Varadkar (FG), the economic and spatial strategy aspires to make Ennis “one of the best places in the world to live, work and visit”. It identified nine transformational projects from its inception with the plans to construct on car parks in Abbey Street and Harvey’s Quay gaining fierce opposition.
Public engagement drop-in events for the proposed Abbey Street Car Park development in Ennis will take place next week in The Temple Gate Hotel on Tuesday January 30th from 3pm until 7pm, in the Community Centre in Barefield on Wednesday January 31st from 6pm until 8pm and in Clarecastle National School on Thursday February 1st from 7pm to 9pm
Details of these events were flagged with local media on Tuesday but were embargoed until Wednesday evening and did not contain any information on the proposed plans which are set to go live on www.ennis2040.ie and www.clarecoco.ie from Thursday. Information boards will also be available in the foyer of Clare County Council from February 6th until February 9th. The public will be able to provide feedback on the plans on Clare County Council’s Have Your Say portal from 29th January 2024.
A spokesperson for Ennis 2040 DAC said that the proposed building on Abbey St car park will consist of a large retail space at ground and first floor levels together with office accommodation on the upper floors carefully designed to respect and integrate with the existing architecture of Ennis. A raised river walkway is also proposed along the northern edge of the building to provide views of the River Fergus as well as substantial space for recreation and leisure.
According to Ennis 2040 DAC COO, Kevin Corrigan “considerable progress” has been made over the last year “in developing the concept for the Abbey Street Car Park site. We are looking forward to sharing these exciting plans for the future economic development of the town”.
Chief Executive of Clare County Council, Pat Dowling described the Abbey St car park development as “a special project which has the potential to set the standard for brownfield development in county towns”. He stated, “Our vision for Ennis is to strengthen its role as a key regional economic driver and major tourist destination in the Mid-West through the expansion and diversification of its economic offering”.
Chair of Save Ennis Town, Gearoid Mannion told The Clare Echo that they welcome the forthcoming meetings and urged the public to attend to air their views. “We have been calling for public consultation on this controversial development for many months now. It’s time for the public to have their say”.
Mannion outlined, “Save Ennis Town remains completely opposed to the removal of parking at Abbey Street Car Park – unless of course those spaces are replaced with alternative parking in the immediate vicinity. It makes no sense whatsoever for the Council and Ennis 2040 to pretend that there is plenty parking in town when the dogs in the street know that it is already difficult to get parking on any given day. Shoppers are the lifeblood of the retail sector in Ennis and unless shoppers have convenient parking available to them in the town centre, they will take their business to Limerick or Galway. You can talk all you want about buses, pedestrianisation and cycle lanes and they all have an important role to play but the reality is that the car is still the preferred mode of transport for the majority of people, in many cases the only option they have. The area is also an is an important town centre civic space which has hosted many events over the years and plans to replace this with a private commercial development – of dubious merit – is concerning to say the least”.
“We 100 percent welcome the development of the town and there are many exciting aspects of the Ennis 2040 plans, but building on both Abbey Street and Parnell St Car Parks isn’t one of them. I met a man in the street yesterday who compared these plans with what happened when Ennis A&E was closed years ago, everyone knew it was a bad idea, but the experts told us that Limerick A&E would be a wonderful ‘Centre of Excellence’. Well we all know how that worked out don’t we,” Mannion added.
Speaking to The Clare Echo, Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) confirmed that neither he or Mayor of the Ennis MD, Cllr Pat Daly (FF) had received a briefing on the plans. “As of midday Wednesday this week prior to papers going to press, I understand that neither the Mayor Pat Daly, I as Deputy Mayor nor most of the elected Ennis Councillors had seen sight of the referred to plans for a proposed multi-storey building to be built by Ennis 2040 in the pubic carpark at Abbey Street with the potential loss of 128 scarce parking spaces. This proposal is designed by Ennis 2040 DAC, a private company. Maybe the three Ennis councillors on the Ennis 2040 DAC Board have seen them. I await proper briefing and proper sight of the proposed plans next week at a number of planned public events to see if any of my and many other persons concerns have been taken on board”.
Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy (FF), Cllr Mary Howard (FG) and Cllr Ann Norton (IND) sit on the Board of the Ennis 2040 DAC. Both Cllr Colleran Molloy and Cllr Norton confirmed to The Clare Echo on Wednesday morning that they had yet to see the revised plans for Abbey St while Cllr Howard said they would be available to the public in the coming days.
The Clare Echo understands that a behind closed doors briefing was held for all Ennis MD councillors on Wednesday afternoon where they received an overview of the plans. One attendee described the gathering as “hot and heavy”.
