A PROJECT that will transform Clifden between now and 2027 is now approaching the planning application stage later this year – local councillors have described the development as ‘fabulous’ and ‘a game-changer’ for the Connemara town.

Connemara Area councillors were given a presentation at their meeting in County Hall on Friday as to how the face of the town will change over the coming years – subject to the expected funding coming through from the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (ERDF).

The Government is committed to an overall spend of €1 billion (2019 to 2027) on a number of rural regeneration projects around the country with the aim of ‘supporting sustainable community and economic development in rural Ireland’.

Stage 1 of the Clifden project is now coming close to completion having been started in August 2021 with a major local community consultation process undertaken through the course of last year.

Consultant Engineer, Tom Jonson, of LUC, gave an online presentation to Connemara Area councillors on Friday, outlining the triple-area nature of the development – the Town Centre; the Harbour Park; and Beach Road Quay.

LUC – an English consultancy company specialising in Environmental Planning, Design and Management – outlined that there was only one step to go before the planning application for the project would be submitted to An Bord Pleanála. A Part 10 planning application is expected to be submitted to An Bord Pleanála in Quarter 3 (July to September) of this year.

This final step, before the planning application is made, involves further consultations with all of the key local stakeholders including residents, businesses and schools.

Get full details on the plan over two pages in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now, or you can download the digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie. You can also download our Connacht Tribune App from Apple’s App Store or get the Android Version from Google Play.