Council gets ultimatum on €100m bridge plan

THE MAYOR of Sligo has called a special meeting of the local borough council for Wednesday, as councillors brace themselves for a decision which could cost the city an estimated €100 million in State investment.

Elected members have been given an ultimatum by Minister of State for Housing Michael Finneran – to give the go-ahead for a controversial bridge before the end of this month or lose millions of euro earmarked for the planned regeneration of the Cranmore area of Sligo, one of the most deprived communities in the northwest.

The council now has just over a week to signal its intention to reinstate the Eastern Bridge in the Sligo and Environs Development Plan. The Minister recently told councillors they had a “window of opportunity” before he signs off on the regeneration programme for 2011. He has insisted that the Cranmore project must be part of a masterplan for the eastern quadrant of Sligo, with access across the river a key part of that plan.

The mayor, Cllr Matt Lyons (FG), confirmed yesterday that he has called a meeting for Wednesday to give councillors a final opportunity to have their say on the issue. The only item on the agenda will be a motion calling on the county manager to reinstate the bridge in the plan.

The mayor refused to speculate on the outcome of the meeting but has said that it would be a “disaster” for Sligo if the regeneration and other development projects were lost especially in the economic climate. “There is a lot more involved now than the regeneration of Cranmore. Other projects like the planned pedestrianisation of O’Connell Street could be at stake,” the mayor said.

Ten of the 12 members of Sligo Borough Council voted in December 2008 to delete the bridge from the development plan because of concerns by residents living close to the proposed access routes who say they don’t want 19,000 vehicles a day passing through what is now a relatively secluded residential area.

Many of the councillors pledged before the local election to oppose the proposed site and say they are now being asked unfairly to chose between the people of Cranmore and the neighbouring community in the Doorly Park area. Cllr Lyons said that many councillors believe the bridge and the regeneration project should not be linked but he said “that argument is now over” given the Minister’s attitude.

Independent councillor Declan Bree told the Minister at a meeting in Sligo that documents released under the Freedom of Information Act suggest that the real agenda was a plan by council officials to rezone Sligo racecourse. “The main issue is the proposed approach roads to the bridge which would open up the racecourse lands for rezoning and development,” he said.