By Dan Walsh at Enniscorthy Municipal District meeting
Machinery arrived at the old Murphy Floods site in Enniscorthy on Monday morning. At the Enniscorthy Municipal District Council meeting on Tuesday, it was announced that the original plans for the site had been significantly scaled down, and only a temporary car park is to be opened on the site, which should be completed in six weeks.
Local councillors were taken aback by the news. Their primary concern was that they had not been consulted prior to the meeting.
A site valuation was received, indicating an estimated value of €280,000. It was recommended that the site be placed on the market with a development clause. The valuation notes that the current development viability of the site may be challenging due to associated costs.
In the interim Enniscorthy Municipal District has decided to proceed with installing a temporary car park on the old Murphy Floods site in Enniscorthy town centre.
Senior Engineer Neville Shaw informed the meeting that no tenders were received, so negotiations were initiated with a local consultant who estimated the cost of the previously agreed plan at €250,000. The plan includes 28 parking spaces, public realm improvements, seating, walkways, and a decorative metal railing perimeter finish. High quality, but that scenario has changed!
The current plan excludes the public realm, seating, some of the lighting, and relies on lower spec wooden fencing, a lower spec surface in the car park, although six or seven spaces will be added, and it comes in at a cost of €145,000.
Mr Shaw said “We must keep down the cost as low as possible. We don’t know the future of this car park. It may be short term – 3/5 years- or it may be longer.”
Cathaoirleach Cllr Aidan Browne lamented that the plan was going ahead without consultation with the elected members and he was concerned about the timber picket fence in the town centre as one came down Main Street!
Cllr Pat Kehoe was delighted that there would be an extra 20 or more car parking spaces, and he didn’t see a major problem with it. “Get it done,” he added.
Cllr Jackser Owens was disappointed that he was not consulted in advance of the meeting, he had issues with the fence “show it up not hide it”, he stated, and he recommended a public toilet could be useful when people exited their parked their cars! Mr Shaw assured Cllr Owens that “there is no chance of a toilet at this stage.”
Cllr Barbara-Anne Murphy was disappointed that some of the park had been removed from the plan and she felt the seating should be put back. And she said; “As a woman I am uncomfortable at the thought that lighting for the evenings and night-time would be removed. Maybe one large light in the middle of the car park could light up the area.”
Cllr Murphy added that she understood the need for cutting costs and claimed that she is reliably informed that development on the site (old Murphy Floods) would cost at least €10 million and “there isn’t a developer at the moment who is going to put that kind of investment in.”
Cllr John O’Rourke suggesting engagement with the Farmers’ Market and taking them onto the site. “It would free up car parking at Abbey Square,” he suggested.
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