*Save Ennis Town protesting against Ennis 2040 plans for Abbey Street and Harvey’s Quay.
CONTROVERSIAL PLANS to develop on public car parks in Abbey Street and Harvey’s Quay (Parnell Street) have been officially scrapped from the Ennis 2040 Strategy along with a mooted boardwalk along The Post Office Field.
One year on from the decision to pause the planned developments on Abbey Street and Harvey’s Quay, Clare County Council have confirmed that they have now been removed from the Ennis 2040 strategy.
At the same time as the pause, it was announced that The Post Office Field plans would be reviewed and now the local authority have announced the proposed boardwalk and amenities which would have connected Bank Place with Harvey’s Quay while also including an amphitheatre-style public space along Bindon Street with outdoor seating and direct access to the boardwalk have been scrapped altogether.
All three developments were among the initial nine transformational projects in the economic and spatial strategy. The car park plans were the subject of much public criticism including a silent march and the compiling of a petition with 3,700 signatures.
Significant money has been spent devising the plans prior to the Council reaching the decision to pull them from the Ennis 2040 strategy.
Chief Executive of Clare County Council, Gordon Daly confirmed that the projects would be omitted from the Ennis 2040 strategy. He said a review of Ennis 2040 DAC is ongoing, the outcome of which will be informed in part by the proposed variation to the Development Plan.
On Friday, the Chief Executive is to publish a proposed variation to the Clare County Development Plan 2023-2029. If adopted, the variation will see 1,280 acres (518 hectares) of land designated to support the delivery of new homes in towns and villages across the county.
Of the 1,280 acres of land subject to change as part of the variation process, 324 acres (131 hectares) of additional land has been identified for residential use; 336 acres (136 hectares) previously identified as long term strategic and sustainable development sites have been identified for residential use; and 212 acres (86 hectares) are being proposed as Village Growth Area lands. The remaining land has been identified as suitable for future housing development outside of this plan’s period.
This proposed variation has been used to announce the end of the car park projects, a year following the decision to pause them. “The proposed variation seeks to bring clarity and certainty to the future of these key locations in the town, allowing for a renewed focus on the continued development of Ennis as a vibrant place to live, invest and visit,” Daly stated.
In addition, the Ennis Local Transport Plan forms part of the proposed variation. Once adopted, it too will become a statutory plan forming part of the County Development Plan. The proposed changes to the County Development Plan have been developed in close consultation with the elected members of Clare County Council, whose function will be to adopt the variation to the plan.
Zoning the additional land “is an important enabler for accelerating the delivery of housing in the county. The proposed variation also reflects a request by Government to amend county development plans to increase the availability of land for housing,” the Chief Executive said.
The proposed variation comes on the back of the establishment of a new Housing Activation Office within Clare County Council, the purpose of which is to work with all landowners, the house building industry, communities and other stakeholders to accelerate housing delivery in the county. “Increasing house activation is not just about building homes, it is also a catalyst for regenerating our towns, tackling rural depopulation, and fostering economic development across County Clare. By designating additional land for housing, we are providing greater options for housing development and laying the foundation for vibrant, sustainable communities and a stronger local economy, ” the Tuamgraney native added.
Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council Cllr Paul Murphy (FG) said, “I would encourage all interested parties to make submissions during the allotted period between March 6 and April 7, 2026. This is a huge opportunity for stakeholders and the public to help shape housing activation and the future development of the county and county town”.
A copy of the proposed Variation No.1 to the Clare County Development Plan 2023-2029 will be on public display at all council offices and public libraries from March 6 to April 7 2026 inclusive, and available to view online at https://clarecdp2023-2029.clarecoco.ie/variation1/display/ .
Submission/observation can be made by email to: devplan@clarecoco.ie or in writing to the Planning Department of Clare County Council.*
