In a significant step to accelerate housing supply, the elected members of Clare County Council have adopted a variation to the Clare County Development Plan 2023-2029.
A total of 257 acres (104ha) of new land has been zoned for housing with a further 358 acres (145ha) of land moved from Strategic Residential Reserve to Residential Zoned land. This additional residential zoning is spread across 134 parcels of land in 30 of the county’s larger towns and villages.
An additional 158 acres (64 hectares) have also been identified as Village Growth Area lands in 20 smaller towns and villages across the county.
The council has also identified just over 360 acres (146ha) Long Term Strategic and Sustainable Sites for future plans.
The variation to the County Development Plan also includes the incorporation of Ennis 2040, An Economic and Spatial Strategy, the first statutory recognition of the strategy since it was published in 2021.
Plans for the Abbey Street Carpark and Harvey’s Quay Carpark, previously paused by the Council, are omitted from the Ennis 2040 Strategy under the variation. Similarly, plans relating to the Post Office Field in the Ennis 2040 Strategy, which were under review, are also omitted.
Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council Cllr Paul Murphy said, “The zoning of this additional land is important for accelerating the delivery of housing in the county and reflects a request by Government to amend county development plans to increase the availability of land for housing. The variation to the plan also provides greater clarity and certainty for several key strategic sites in the county town of Ennis.”
The proposed variation comes on the back of the establishment of a new Housing Activation Office within Clare County Council, the purpose of which is to work with all landowners, the house building industry, communities and other stakeholders to accelerate housing delivery in the county.
Clare County Council Chief Executive Gordon Daly said, “Increasing housing activation is not just about building homes, it is a catalyst for regenerating our towns, tackling rural depopulation, and fostering economic development across County Clare. By designating additional land for housing, we are providing greater options for housing development and laying the foundation for vibrant, sustainable communities and a stronger local economy.”