PLANS FOR EUROPE’s first University town which will be located in Co Clare have caught the attention of the Office of the Planning Regulator.
In February, a joint application was lodged by Clare County Council and the University of the Limerick for a strategic development zone (SDZ) which has the potential to create up to 3,500 jobs n South Clare. Economic forecasts have suggested that the site could generate a gross added value of €1.795 billion annually to the Irish economy.
However, elected representatives in Limerick City and County Council have had their noses out of joint with the plans from the get-go, the lack of regional unity and cohesion on the project has frustrated their Clare counterparts.
A new stumbling block has emerged with the Office of the Planning Regulator (OPR) stating that the development is “inappropriate” in the context of the upcoming Clare County Development Plan. The OPR has recommended reference to South Clare SDZ be removed from the Development Plan.
In its submission to the Development Plan, the OPR report outlined, “The office acknowledges the general ambition of the planning authority to establish an economic SDZ for South Clare/University of Limerick consistent with the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy, to be developed over the long term, and notes the making of an application to the Minister in this regard. However for reasons outlined below, it is considered inappropriate at this stage to take account of the future SDZ in the Core Strategy.”
A spokesperson for Clare County Council confirmed to The Clare Echo that a submission had been received from the OPR. “When completed, this Chief Executive’s Report will summarise the issues raised in each of the submissions received and will also give the response of the Chief Executive to those issues. As this is an ongoing process provided for within planning legislation, it is not appropriate to comment on a particular submission in advance of the Chief Executive’s Report being completed. It is expected that this report will be completed in July 2022”.
