*Photograph: Maura Harvey
VACANT PROPERTIES along Moore Street in Kilrush are to be examined for their potential for redevelopment.
A study of Moore St in Kilrush is being carried out by the Vacant Homes Office of Clare County “with a view to identifying vacant properties with potential for redevelopment,” administrative officer with the Council’s housing section, Mairead Corbett confirmed. She stated, “Assessment is ongoing on a number of properties to determine their potential and decide on future action”.
Consideration of Moore St in a scheme “to address town centre dereliction” was requested by Cllr Ian Lynch (IND). He also asked that an investigation take place to see “what is required to underground the overhead on Moore Street, investigating works that were previously completed as part of the road resurfacing”.
Senior executive engineer in the West Clare Municipal District, Alan Kennelly committed to contacting the ESB relating to the possible undergrounding of the overhead electricity cables. “I have been in touch with a number of those involved with the Moore Street / Stewart Street resurfacing project (2011) but, to date, I have been unable to establish definitively if ducting to accommodate the undergrounded cables was laid as part of the project,” he outlined. A funding source will needed to complete the works, he advised.
“Moore Street is the main street of Kilrush, it was extremely vibrant but new main streets have developed,” Lynch said. He believed there was “huge opportunity” when it came to two-bed houses in this part of the West Clare town. On the 2011 project, he was unable to recall if the ducting was for overhead cables or a telecommunications service, the footpaths were not completed, he highlighted.
Local knowledge can be utilised to gain new ideas for future development, Cllr Gabriel Keating (FG) maintained. He recalled a motion from 2009 where he requested the Council to do a study on the number of vacant homes and properties in the county. “Moore Street leads a lot of traffic into town, I think it is up in Mayo where one of the towns is all closed up and it gives you a bad feeling to an extent,” he said while seconding the proposal and urging the local authority to engage with Kilrush Town Teams.
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