*Photograph: John Mangan
CAMPER VAN parking in Lahinch will “be crazy this summer,” a local councillor has warned.
Relocated camper van parking is targeted to be in place for summer 2027 with Cllr Bill Slattery warning that “serious altercations” are on the cards over the coming months before such a move comes to fruition.
An update was sought by Cllr Slattery on plans for the provision of camper van parking on the promenade car park on the Liscannor Rd car park for the summer months.
Acting senior engineer in the West Clare Municipal District, Paddy Tiernan advised that they are in the process of preparing a design to regularise parking arrangements at both the Promenade and Liscannor Road car parks, including provisions for camper vans and buses.
Tiernan explained, “As part of these proposals, it is intended to relocate camper van parking from the Promenade car park to the Liscannor Road car park. Once the design work has been finalised, it is our intention to proceed with a Section 38 public consultation process. Subject to the outcome of this process and the necessary approvals, it is anticipated that any associated physical works will follow. It is hoped that the revised arrangements will be in place for the 2027 summer season. In the meantime, parking arrangements at both locations will remain unchanged for this summer”.
Such plans are welcome, Cllr Slattery stated but he warned that issues will persist until the new measures are introduced. “It is turmoil there, it is going to be crazy this summer where part of the Liscannor car park will be taken over by the Golf Club for their hospitality. We will be in for serious altercations between campervan owners, Gardaí and Clare County Council”.
Since his return to the local authority two years ago, Lahinch based Bill has been vocal in calling out camper van owners. “Some of the camper vans are parking for 24 hours for €4, they put in €4 in the morning and are there for 24 hours, the income from car park is down from what it was before, that is because the spaces aren’t there and they were there before. We have nearly 1800 members of Lahinch Leisure Centre which is flying it, they have to put in €2 for three hours but there is no space for them, they are paying membership to a state of the art centre and unfortunately those members and visitors can’t get parking because of the campervans taking up thirty to forty parking spaces”.
Cllr Shane Talty (FF) said it was timely for Cllr Slattery to highlight the matter. Round-table meetings were held in Lahinch last summer to try come up with an alternative plan for the Liscannor Rd car park, he recalled but noted, “the Walker Cup has made it impossible to have arrangements in place”.
