An Bord Pleanala is to rule on whether protection works can be carried out in one of the country’s most notorious flooding blackspots.
Clare County Council’s plans for flood alleviation works at Springfield, Clonlara will be dealt with directly by the planning appeals authority, due to the nature of its application.
There had been hopes that the local authority would deal with the application itself under what’s known as a Part 8 planning process, although a previous Part 8 application had to be withdrawn after they were objected to by environmentalist Peter Sweetman.
Clare County Council now hopes to submit its plans within a month, and local Independent Councillor Michael Begley is concerned this could lead to a worrying delay for residents in Springfield.
