Ennis has been neglected since

by Stuart Holly editor@clareecho.ie

WITH 25 years of experience developing large capital projects between the Middle East to Ireland, Ennis 2040 DAC Chief Operating Officer Kevin Corrigan believes it’s crucial that Ennis wastes no time in developing projects contained in its 2040 vision.

Ennis 2040 DAC plan to deliver 10,000sqm of retail/ office accommodation in the next three to four years and at least 50 residential units, while nine transformational sites around the town have been identified to leverage investment and promote growth in the town.

“If we manage to try and bring everybody with us, it’s obviously going to be a key challenge, but getting the investment and getting some projects moving early days will attract further investment outside of Ennis 2040 private-sector investment, public sector investment, and it will position the town as one of the most dynamic towns in the country,” says Mr Corrigan.

“Our overall goal is to attract investment in.” And what if Ennis 2040 fails to garner public support for their projects? “My fear is the town stagnates.”

Having taken the reins of Ennis 2040 in September 2021, a team of four are now involved in the company as they enter the delivery phase of the project.

Kevin believes Ennis has “a lot of ingredients” to spark development including its status as a large market town with “great transport infrastructure” including rail, airport and motorway links.

“It’s a very compact town with a medieval footprint, so it’s easy to get around and walk around. There are great little businesses in the town, it has a great history, so from a tourism point of view, from a critical mass point of view, from a location point of view, it has all the right ingredients to have a bright future if there’s infrastructure and if there’s investment made.

“It has been neglected for a number of years, there hasn’t been any major investment in the town centre really since the Celtic Tiger. It’s in a very competitive location between two cities, it doesn’t have a huge industrial base or huge employment base, it’s a commuter town so it’s not without its challenges either, that’s why something needs to be done for the future of the town.”

Mr Corrigan says that making Ennis Ireland’s first climate adaptive town could reap great rewards for the county, similar to the success of change is on the horizon for Ennis town both Clare Co Council and some county councillors. Understandably enough people are concerned about parking spaces and understandably enough people are concerned about change but change is coming regardless.

“A Climate Action legislation has gone through the Dáil last year, studies will be starting on every town centre and city centre in the country and have to be completed by summer of 2024. That’s going to bring a raft of change around car parking and traffic through town centres, whether Ennis 2040 does anything or not.”

Mr Corrigan outlined that planning for the Abbey Street development will be lodged late this year or early next year and has urged people to hold judgement until plans have been pre- sented. “That site has been earmarked to drive economic development in the town centre, it is designed to increase footfall in the Abbey Street area, increase footfall in the streets leading to the Abbey Street area. It would be a bonus for every business to have additional people walking past their door through good times and bad. If people are coming to Ennis to shop because of a large anchor retail tenant or because there’s offices there with 50-70 employees walking around at lunchtime and going for post-work drinks, living in the town, that’s of much more benefit to the town than other suggestions.

“Everything we’re doing here is about increasing the economic viability of the town and securing the future of the town.”