Clare Fm - Podcasts

Policymakers are being urged to prioritise the survival of Clare's existing towns following the collapse of an ambitious plan for growth in the South-East of the County. It comes as the University of Limerick has withdrawn an application to designate lands to the North of its campus as an economic Strategic Development Zone. one community group is welcoming the news and believes a shift in focus is required to tackle housing shortages, business closures, vacancy and dereliction in Clare's existing towns. Síle Ginnane from Better Ennis believes the SDZ would have led to further urban sprawl and that policy makers need to icentivise measures to get people living above shops and starting small businesses in the likes of Ennis, Kilkee, Kilrush and Ennistymon before they become ghost towns. She says balanced regional development must be prioritised.