Fresh calls for a boundary extension go against plans for the development of the entire region, an East Clare councillor has claimed.
The boundary debate was re-ignited after one former Mayor of Limerick called for a plebiscite to be held of residents in Shannon Banks and Westbury, saying Clare County Council’s plans for the area could hurt Limerick City.
But Meelick Councillor Cathal Crowe says that flies in the face of national strategy as Clare FM’s Fiona McGarry reports:
Clare County Council plans for a new town, or Strategic Development Zone, close to the University of Limerick promise the creation of 3,500 jobs over the next decade.
But one Limerick Councillor, Fianna Fáil’s Kieran O’Hanlon, fears this will be at the expense of the City Centre, and believes it’s evidence that the parts of Clare which are closed to the City need to be controlled from within Limerick.
He has called for a plebiscite to be held of residents in Shannon Banks and Westbury, suggesting it be held in tandem with the Local and European elections in May.
His party colleague, Clare Councillor Cathal Crowe has hit out at his comments, saying fresh calls for a boundary extension fly in the face of national strategy.
The Meelick Councillor believes that there is no appetite locally for such a change.
Meanwhile, Clare County Council is progressing with its planned New Town this year, and says it’s confident that a master plan can be set into motion in two years time, once Government approval is secured.
An application for this will be made in the coming weeks.
Speaking before Christmas, the Council’s Director of Service for Economic Development, Liam Conneally, said this will be a road map for decades of development.
