A CO Clare group of nuns look set to increase the value of their land- bank after councillors went against the county manager's advice not to rezone their land for housing near the village of Newmarket-on- Fergus.
As part of the draft South Clare Area Plan, the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, based at Carrigoran, Newmarket-on-Fergus, were seeking to have 32.5 acres rezoned for residential use.
The nuns employed well-known architectural firm Murray Ó Laoire to lodge a comprehensive submission with Clare County Council to advance their case.
The order purchased Carrigoran from the Fitzgerald family in 1925 and since 1974 have operated a 116-bed retirement centre, including a 20-bed dementia unit there.
With the Newmarket-on-Fergus bypass, the lands at Carrigoran have been cut in two and the nuns were seeking to have a large proportion of their lands on the Newmarket side rezoned.
Murray Ó Laoire said the area plan and its population projections did not allow for the potential for a very significant five-star tourism development proposed in the area and the impact it would have on Newmarket.
The firm stated that the site lends itself well to the provision of sheltered housing and housing for the elderly.
However, county manager Alec Fleming recommended that the existing "community" zoning be retained as there was more than enough land zoned to cater for the development of Newmarket-on-Fergus.
He pointed out that 60 acres were already zoned for residential development in Newmarket and 14 acres zoned for "other settlement land".
However, councillors opted to rezone a third of the site sought for rezoning by the nuns to "other settlement land", which will allow low-density housing take place.
The draft plan will now go on further public display from today to allow the public make submissions on the amendments. The closing date for submissions is January 21st.
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