A plan that could see approximately €20 million in funding to invest in Enniscorthy is set to go before Wexford County Council on Monday next (9th)
The Enniscorthy Town Centre First Plan has been met with concern and disapproval from some local councillors and traders in the town and Mr. Cliffords concern is that if the plan is rejected, Enniscorthy could lose the potential of this major investment for up to 10 years.
The plan is due to be voted on at Monday’s Council meeting.
Mr Clifford was speaking to Alan Corcoran on Morning Mix and said, “Yeah, and it’s not something I would do lightly, I tend not to comment on any kind of issues like this, as editor trying to play it straight and see where the dust settles but I’m from Enniscorthy, I grew up in the town, I’m proud to call myself in an Enniscorthy man so I would always keep a close eye on what’s happening in the town and I spoke to a lot of people on both sides of this argument over the last couple of weeks. We’ve had chats, robust debates, but what everyone agrees on is that Enniscorthy needs serious investment and it needs it now, well it needed it 10 years ago, 15 years ago. This plan, rightly or wrongly, is the only chance Enniscorthy will have to get serious investment into the town for the next, I would say 10 years at least, given the slow pace that these things tend to happen”.
The plan deals with issues such as traffic flow, pedestrianisation of certain streets and car parking.
Local councillors are saying the plan is not ambitious enough and too much as been taken out with nothing being done with the Templeshannon area.
Mr Clifford believes to get the urban regeneration development fund a cohesive town centre first plan is needed and that this plan was drafted up in line with a national policy, a national town centre first policy approach for Irish towns.
He continued by saying, “Yes, there are elements of the plan that need tweaking but there’s nothing in the plan that can’t be tweaked going forward, but if we vote, if the Councillors vote no now or
on Monday at the council meeting, you know, it could be ten years down the line because the reality is we’ve already failed to get this funding. If we fail again, you know, we’re going to be put to the bottom of the pile again and things move on and there’s things happening in Wexford town and Gorey and New Ross and it’s great to see, but the attention will turn elsewhere.
