*Photograph: Bob Singer.
AN BORD PLEANÁLA have yet to make a decision following an oral hearing held in June to determine the future of Blake’s Corner.
A virtual oral hearing took place on June 9th and 10th via Microsoft Teams. It followed a compulsory purchase order by Clare County Council for two properties at Blake’s Corner in Ennistymon, fourteen objections had been issued for the CPO.
Speaking to The Clare Echo on Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for Clare County Council confirmed that the local authority has not received an updated position from An Bord Pleanála to the hearing.
“Clare County Council is still awaiting the An Bord Pleanála decision regarding confirmation or otherwise of the CPO following the Oral Hearing which was held in early June 2021. A decision is hopefully expected from An Bord Pleanála before the end of the year and this will inform our next course of action in relation to the overall project,” the spokesperson outlined.
Chairperson of Save Ennistymon’s Heritage, Denis Vaughan was concerned that no update had been provided to the local authority. He referenced Saturday’s incident where a car mounted the wall at Blake’s Corner, “besides causing traffic chaos at the busiest corner in Ireland and creating avoidable congestion, it is clearly dangerous! This situation is likely to continue and we shouldn’t have to put up with it”.
“Two years ago, Clare County Council voted to build a bypass in Ennistymon. And what had been done since? Not enough. Surely two years is long enough to get construction started. We are calling for the Council to get Ennistymon moving again as a matter of urgency,” Vaughan added. “Ennistymon has waited for over 70 years for this development. We have waited long enough. Enough is enough”.
