Concern over 'haphazard' rezonings

PLANNERS IN Clare have raised concerns over a flurry of rezonings voted through by councillors to the greater Ennis development plan.

At Clare County Council’s July meeting, councillors voted through a series of last-minute changes, rezoning almost 100 acres of land around Ennis for housing before 2014.

In the draft variation to the Ennis and Environs Development Plan, the 95 acres were part of 720 acres of land to be frozen for development until after 2014.

The proposed freezing of the lands followed the intervention by the Department of the Environment, which expressed concerns in relation to overzoning in the greater Ennis area.

Now, in a strategic environmental assessment report on the councillors’ late amendments, council planners have stated that the zoned lands recommended by councillors “represent a segregated and haphazard approach to sequential planning”.

The report, along with the material amendments, have now gone before the public.

The report states: “It is contrary to the aim of the core strategy which encourages sequential development from the centre out and this has the potential to cause significant environmental effects.”

The planners state the environmental effects include development in an ad hoc and unrestrictive manner without regard to the current available levels of infrastructure and utilities; to environmental and ecological designations, sensitivities and constraints and to the likely significant impacts on water resources.

The planners state the councillors’ late amendments “would result in a segregated and haphazard approach to sequential planning and result in significant increases in the pressures on existing infrastructure and overall significant adverse environmental effects.

“While the proposed modifications provide for a total amount of land in phase one which is within the core strategy requirements, the location and distribution of these lands are contrary to the aims of the core strategy which encourages sequential development from the centre out and this option has the potential to cause significant environmental effects including development in an ad-hoc and unrestrictive manner.”

The planners add that the inclusion of one site for housing before 2014 that adjoins Girroga Lake Special Area of Conservation on the northern outskirts of Ennis “is likely to result in significant negative effects on a Natura 2000 site and therefore should not be included”.

The public has until September 9th to make submissions.

Irish Times

www.buckplanning.ie

Ennis Chamber fears retail zoning will cause ‘doughnut effect’

THE chief executive of Ennis Chamber of Commerce, Rita McInerney, has expressed concern over the "doughnut effect" in the town due to the negative impact of out-of-town retail centres.

Her comments came after planners with Clare County Council warned a last-minute amendment by councillors on retailing in the greater Ennis development plan may deter, small and medium enterprises being set up locally.

As part of a variation to the plan, councillors insisted that a large site on the outskirts of Ennis would be zoned for a district centre or a large food store.

Currently, Ennis Town Council is adjudicating on a €40 million retail park plan for the site by Michael Lynch developers.

The plan is to provide 180-200 jobs when operational and 300 jobs during the construction phase.

However, a stream of local organisations including the chamber, the O’Connell Street Traders’ Association, the Abbey Street Traders, along with independent retailers’ group RGDATA, have lodged objections.

The proposed rezoning would possibly make it easier for the planning application to secure planning permission for a district centre.

However, in evaluating the councillors’ move to rezone the site for a district centre in a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), council planners stated the assessment "considers that this type of development may deter small and medium sized enterprise" which is encouraged in the Ennis and Environs Development Plan.

The SEA states: "It is therefore noted that any potential development must not only undertake an assessment of retail impact, but comply with all of the objectives in the Ennis and Environs Development Plan 2008-14."

The statement continues: "Consideration must also be given to the increased level of vehicles in the area which may give rise to increased levels of air pollution and implications [for] the quality of life [of] nearby residents."

Ms McInerney said the chamber had fears of a "doughnut effect" in Ennis, where businesses in the centre of the town would lose custom to out-of-town retail facilities. "The town must grow organically and Ennis can learn from the mistakes of others," said Ms McInerney.

The rezoning, she said, was taking place on a site where a live planning application was currently under active consideration.

Ms McInerney said the businesses in Ennis town centre have found trading difficult "but the summer has been good".

The Lynch plan is currently on hold pending the company lodging a raft of further information on the plan with the council.

Irish Examiner

www.buckplanning.ie