Contracts signed for Shannon Hub

CONTRACTS have been signed for the delivery of the One Shannon Hub but not without local councillors raising concerns before the paperwork was agreed, writes

Páraic McMahon

On Tuesday, Clare County Council signed contracts with BDP (Integrated Design Team) and Tom McNamara & Partners (Integrated QS & Project Manager) for the design of a multi-functional building known as the ‘One Shannon Hub’.

This building will combine a town hall, an adaptable performance and community space, library, and flexible co-working spaces in the heart of Clare’s second largest town. Public realm improvements to the town square adjacent to the site which had been formerly earmarked for The Venue are to form part of the development.

Last August, the County Council agreed a 999 year lease for the site which is owned by Shannon Commercial Properties. The hub is a key element of the Shannon Town Centre Masterplan, which was part-funded by the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund, Project Ireland 2040, under the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage with match funding by the Council.

vey (GP) highlighted, “It’s a serious situation when you have to close a beach, it makes people not have faith in swimming, Lahinch is a hugely popular tourist destination and for locals who want to swim”.

Senator Garvey warned, “It is a huge health issue, we know of people who have got e-coli poisoning and have been sick for days, it can affect pregnant women and people with existing health challenges, a young woman who got kidney failure is still in treatment, we need to see more regular testing.

This is a huge issue and we have to solve it. What do the local authority need, they don’t want to be closing down the beach and want their blue flag beach maintained, we need action”.

“It is a reoccurring issue but nothing has changed, the local authority will close the beach and put up signs, they will carry out testing but the problem will not be fixed,” the Inagh native stated.

“This is the third or fourth year in a row that this has happened, what is happening with the local authority with regards to dealing with this, they need to outline what supports they need to stop this”.

That the Environmental Protection Agency only has 11 enforcement officers around the country when it is recommended they have 65 is another issue, Senator Garvey maintained.

“There are some agricultural practices undermining the water quality, if you don’t have enforcement or proper investigations”.

She added, “One of the things is the expanding size of holding tanks, the holding tank holds the raw sewerage until it is treated but the storm water also goes into the tanks, they are getting full sooner”.

Ownership of the site kicked off a debate at Tuesday’s meeting of the Shannon Municipal District. Cllr Gerry Flynn (IND) outlined that the Town Hall which was acquired by the Shannon Town Commissioners and handed over to the County Council when the Shannon Town Council was abolished “is fully owned by Clare County Council”.

He added, “if Clare County Council want to develop a site that is the one to do it on because that is the one we own. I don’t support the spending of public money to prop up private entrepreneurs in the Town Centre, I have no issue with Clare County Council having a presence there”.

Cathaoirleach of the Shannon MD, Cllr Donna McGetti- gan (SF) said she was happy to see the contract signing move forward, “it is a very positive step for the town of Shannon, bring it on”. She said the project would be a priority of hers during her one-year term as Chair.

When Shannon Development was absolved, there was no knowledge on who owned the site, Cllr Flynn recounted, “it went into the property portfolio of Shannon Group. Spending public money to prop up private entrepreneurs is a big issue”. He said the statement released last August insinuated the Council acquired the land which they did not, “let’s acquire it and own it”. The alternative of pumping more money into “a shopping centre with limited facilities is a ridiculous spending of public money”.

Acting Director of Service, Siobhan McNulty told the meeting they would endeavour to get clarity for members. “An updated report will allow us to make a decision,” Cllr Pat McMahon (FF) stated.

Considering the outcomes, Cllr Pat O’Gorman (FF) said it was important the people of Shannon do not lose out. “If we don’t get to buy it then what happens? Do the people of Shannon lose out on the Hub, if they don’t want to sell it and think the lease is enough. I don’t want the people of Shannon to miss out”.

No cost analysis has been completed and there is no guarantee of funding, Cllr Flynn claimed in response. “Shannon Commercial Properties are selling off property every day of the week,” Cllr Ryan noted while flagging that the Council Chief Executive has proven himself as “very persuasive in dealing with them”.

“They sold off workshops in Ballycasey, they sold that off, the business centre near the shopping centre they sold that off, they would sell their own mother if they could,” Cllr Flynn replied. Potential for a “nice gesture” in light of the Shannon Heritage transfer could be explored, Cllr John Crowe (FG) believed.