Clare TD Joe Carey is the latest representative to call on Clare County Council to make use of the derelict Cois Fheargais site in Clarecastle.
Known locally as Devine’s Field, the site was expected to be one of the county’s biggest developments during the Celtic Tiger. Planning permission was secured for 25 commercial and 92 residential units on the eight acre site but the developers ran into financially difficulty and Grant Thornton were appointed receivers.
Nothing has happened with the site in recent years with locals describing it as an “eyesore”. A five year extension of the planning permission granted by Clare County Council expired last April.
Clarecastle TD Joe Carey is urging Clare County Council to declare the site as a priority for demolition in the best interests of the community. “This is a huge issue in terms of public safety and it also detracts from the overall appearance of the area as it’s on the entrance to the village. The site has been abandoned for several years and it really takes from future development plans and enhancement works. The development has no hope of progressing further and poses a serious health hazard and eyesore to the community of Clarecastle.
“It is the strong desire of the local community that it would be returned to a green-field area and it’s important that Clare County Council would advance plans to bring this situation about at the earliest opportunity,” Deputy Carey added.
He said that when the extension to the original planning permission expired, the site was offered for sale by auction on April 28 with a €65,000 reserve but withdrawn from sale by Allsop auctioneers. The site is listed on the Register of Unfinished Housing Developments and little or no recent works have been carried out to address local concerns.
“Earlier this year, I was advised by the council’s planning department that they carried out an inspection of the unfinished development and wrote to the receivers, Grant Thornton, seeking their proposals for a long-term resolution of the matter and issues that required immediate attention.
“As far as I’m aware, the council is still waiting for Grant Thornton to submit a definitive Site Resolution Plan, with substantial proposals to either complete the project within the given timeframe or return it to greenfield site. The local community has been more than patient and it is now time for the council to make a formal submission to the Department identifying and listing this unfinished site as a priority for demolition”, Carey concluded.