Loss of parking spaces remains sticking point in town centre plan
WHILE the Enniscorthy Munici‑ pal District (EMD) awaits a deci‑ sion on a town centre plan which has been described as having the potential to make the town a “better place to live, to work, and to enjoy”, local councillors remain concerned about certain aspects of said plan.
“I honestly believe from talking to people, talking to business people, that taking out 23 parking spaces is going to be devastating for the town,” said Councillor Jackser Owens at the February meeting of the EMD. “I think it’s going to be a bad decision. Why do we have to take out 23 parking spaces out of the Market Square? That is not the problem in this town.”
With nothing set in stone, and the plan referred to as a “fluid document”, Director of Services Carolyn Godkin said that the council must await An Bord Pleanála’s (ABP) decision before progressing further.
“It’s been referred to ABP with a specific query on environmen‑ tal assessment, ABP will deem whether that’s required, our view is that it wasn’t needed, but it will make a decision on it,” she said. “When it comes back we’ll take a look at the feedback and make a decision on what to bring to the members through the chief exec‑ utive’s report and that will be the final decision on the planning.”
“So, it could be the case that the plan which comes before us for a vote is different to the plan that was put out for public consulta‑ tion?” asked Cllr Cathal Byrne.
“That would be normal in terms of the planning process,” replied Ms Godkin.
Keen to move past the issue of the 23 parking spaces, Cllr Aidan Browne agreed that “parking is an issue” but said, “We have to be positive about the plan and try and find a way to make it work, and hope parking can be sorted, there’s a couple of options available to us.”
Confirming that March 13 ‑was the due date for a decision from ABP on the Market Square section of the project, Ms Godkin remind‑ ed councillors that there was no guarantees a decision would be forthcoming on that exact day.