Clare County Council, in partnership with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), will now proceed to the next stages of the N67/N85 Ennistymon Inner Relief Road project following a High Court decision last week.
The High Court dismissed an application for leave to bring a judicial review challenge against the Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) for the inner relief road, allowing the infrastructure project to move forward.
The next stages of the project will include detailed design development, conclusion of the land acquisition and planning for the construction phase.
The inner relief road will deliver significant safety benefits to the local area and is designed to address long-standing traffic congestion at Blake’s Corner, a key junction in the town. The scheme includes the construction of a new bridge upstream of the historic Michael Conway Bridge, pedestrianisation of the existing bridge, and significant public realm improvements.
A CPO was approved by An Bord Pleanála in June 2022, however the process was paused as the result of the application for leave to bring a judicial review.
Clare County Council Director of Service Housing Delivery, Infrastructure Provision & Land Activation, Alan Farrell, said, “While a definitive construction start date has not yet been confirmed, the council remains fully committed to progressing the project in a timely and responsible manner, with regular updates to be provided to the public as milestones are reached.”