Two years of construction estimated for Blake’s Corner improvements

*Photograph: Bob Singer

CONSTRUCTION of the inner relief road in Ennistymon for Blake’s Corner will have a two year period if works are given the green light.

An oral hearing for the N67/N85 Inner Relief Road Ennistymon (Blake’s Corner) compulsory purchase order (CPO) was held by An Bord Pleanála via Microsoft Teams on June 9th and 10th of last year yet no outcome as been reached seven months on. It took twelve months for the oral hearing took place after Clare County Council published the CPO. The CPO will be either granted or rejected by the planning authority.

Seán Lenihan of Clare County Council’s project management office outlined that if a positive decision arose, there would be a period of one year set aside for detailed design plus tender documents and competition. From here, a subsequent period of two years would be set aside for construction.

Speaking at a recent sitting of the West Clare Municipal District, Lenihan said “much progress has been made of late” regarding Blake’s Corner. “It is a long-standing legacy problem but we’ve made serious inroads to a solution,” he added. Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) are “one hundred percent behind this,” Lenihan assured elected representatives.

Cllr Liam Grant (GP) queried if a date put on an Ennistymon Facebook group by Cathal Crowe TD (FF) regarding a potential An Bord Pleanála decision was accurate, this did not corroborate with information received by the Council, Lenihan replied.