Clare County Council has confirmed that the proposed demolition of six properties at Francis Street in Ennis will not take place until such time as plans for a mixed-use development yielding a significantly higher number of residential units on the overall site have been developed.
The local authority is targeting the provision of more than 3,000 car parking spaces in Ennis by the end of the year.
Addressing today’s May Monthly Meeting of Ennis Municipal District, Director of Services Carmel Kirby confirmed that there currently is 2,923 in the County Capital. An additional 85 public parking spaces will be provided at the Waterpark campus in Drumbiggle subject to Part VIII planning approval being secured in late summer 2023.
Planning permission also has been granted for the allocation of a further 129 permanent spaces at the Cloister Carpark, which currently offers 70 parking spaces. Furthermore, planning has been granted for the provision of 156 temporary spaces at the site of the former Boys National School.
Ms. Kirby told Elected Members, “It is important such information is made available in the context of ongoing and future discussions about parking availability, temporary pedestrianisation and various projects that fall under the auspices of Clare County Council and Ennis 2040 DAC.”
She added, “There currently is 1 parking space for every 13 people living in Ennis. To put this into context, Waterford City has 1 parking space for every 29 people, while Navan – a town not dissimilar in size and population to Ennis – has 1 parking space for every 24 people.”
Meanwhile, plans to demolish six properties at Francis Street in Ennis have been paused until such time as plans for a mixed-use development yielding a significantly higher number of residential units on the overall site have been developed.
The six properties at Francis Street were purchased for Ennis 2040 by Clare County Council in late 2022 to maximise the opportunity of the adjacent green field site owned by Clare County Council at the rear of the properties.
Addressing the Ennis MD meeting today, Ms. Kirby said, “It is understandable that the public are concerned about demolishing houses at this time without the reassurance of them being replaced with a comprehensive housing development. I want to reassure people that until such time as the mixed-use development is designed the 6 properties will not be demolished.”
“As the local housing authority, Clare County Council prioritises the refurbishment of vacant and derelict properties,” added Ms. Kirby. “The six Francis Street properties were assessed and were found to be in varying states of disrepair, while some had been derelict for a number of years. The costs associated with their potential refurbishment into habitable housing units were deemed to be exorbitant and unviable and consequently, an architectural feasibility study was undertaken to identify the delivery of a significantly higher number of residential units on the overall site as part of a modern, energy efficient mixed-use development.”
Ms. Kirby told Elected Members it is anticipated that the mixed-use development will yield up to 45 housing units at the site.
“I look forward to detailed scheme designs being presented to the public and to Elected Members for their consideration in late autumn or early winter 2023,” she added.
Meanwhile, Ms. Kirby also provided an update on the proposed redevelopment project at the Abbey Street Carpark, which she said was “at an early stage of development.”
She explained, “While the Ennis 2040 Economic and Spatial Strategy identified the potential for a large retail and office development at the site, it should be noted that the existing use of Abbey Street as a public car park will continue for the foreseeable future. It is anticipated that a retail/office designed scheme for the site will be presented to the public and to Elected Members during late Summer/early Autumn 2023.”
