*Ashfield House has been acquired by Ennis 2040 DAC. Photograph: John O’Neill.
A FOCUS on housing forms part of the revised vision for Ennis 2040 with Causeway Quarter and Ashfield House central to this along with ongoing land acquisition at Claureen.
Both Causeway Quarter which is also known as the Francis Street and Ashfield House were acquired by Ennis 2040 DAC. Plans for a major housing development of 200 units is also earmarked for Claureen.
Interim Chief Operating Officer of Ennis 2040 DAC, Padraic McElwee has briefed elected members of the Ennis Municipal District and Clare County Council in behind closed doors sessions in recent weeks over plans for the controversial economic and spatial strategy.
Providing enhanced residential accommodation which is accessible, affordable, sustainable and is for all tenures is among the new primary focuses of Ennis 2040. A shortage of housing is restricting economic growth in Ennis.
The activation of key sites be they brownfield, restoration or vacant has also emerged as a primary theme. Work is ongoing to determine what sites can ‘add value’ to enhance the economic vibrancy of Ennis.
Ennis’ economic base needs to be diversified, by enhancing the retail offering and increasing footfall, the briefings were told. AIB Insights have indicated the spend in Ennis is below the national average.
Population projections for Ennis are expected to reach 45,904 by 2040, the population for the county town increased from 30,910 in 2016 to 33,939 in 2022.
Meanwhile, Co Clare’s population projections are forecast to hit 163,088 by 2040 while the county figure jumped from 118,817 in 2016 to 127,938 in 2022.
The Causeway Quarter site is owned by Clare County Council, a judicial review has been withdrawn which is allowing plans to progress. Ennis 2040 DAC intend to apply for Section 179A planning to construct 39 units which are duplexes and apartments, the mix includes five one-bedroom units, thirty two-bedroom units, four three-bedroom units while the site will also have thirty nine car spaces.
It is expected that the properties will be available under the Secure Tenancy Affordable Rental Investment Scheme (STAR). STAR is intended to bring forward Cost Rental dwellings with the aim of assisting eligible households who are experiencing acute affordability pressures in the private rental sector, particularly in urban centres where prevailing rents are especially high. These dwellings will be more affordable to the tenant than current market rents, being at least 25% below market rents in a given area.
Ashfield House’s acquisition was first reported by The Clare Echo. The listed building had been formerly the Deegan family home, that of well-respected freelance journalist Gordon Deegan. It has been speculated that the property will be used to aid companies struggling to source accommodation for their employees in the region.
At the behind closed doors briefing, elected members were told the restoration of the old period house in close proximity to the town centre will meet the demand for short-term accommodation. The operator will require a public tender, the briefing was told.
In 2017, approval for the Claureen project was given where it was sanctioned for funding of €3.66m. The development is taking place under the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF). Initially 200 units can be delivered but the site at Claureen when unlocked has potential to deliver 500 units overall with 29 hectares due to benefit from the delivery of the road.
Land acquisition is ongoing for lands in Claureen with officials hopeful of signing a construction contract for the scheme this month with a scheduled completion date of March 2026.
Claureen is identified in the Ennis Municipal District Settlement Plan as one of the strategic neighbourhoods in Ennis. There is no history of flooding at the site and CFRAMS mapping and climate change adjusted modelling did not identify any risk to the subject lands. There is also no impact on statutory environmental designations such as Special Protection Areas (SPAs), Natural Heritage Areas (NHAs) or Special Area of Conservation (SACs) or no protected structure or recorded monuments.
