Minister says €50m project may not proceed

A €50 MILLION regeneration project in the largest and one of the most neglected local authority estates  in the northwest will be abandoned  unless Sligo councillors reverse their decision to change their development plan, Minister of State for Housing Michael Finneran has said.

The Minister  warned that many other areas would be delighted to avail of the funds if Sligo loses out due to a decision to delete a proposed bridge from the plan.

“I can assure you that we have several applications for regeneration,” said Mr Finneran, who estimated that €100 million worth of investment was now at stake in Sligo given the cost of the bridge, the approach roads and the regeneration of Cranmore, where €14 million has already been spent.

An estimated €3.1 million in approved regeneration funds could not be drawn down this year for three Cranmore projects because the planned bridge was deleted from the plan.

“I would appeal to local councillors to reconsider,” said the Minister.

Mr Finneran said he did not want to impose a deadline on councillors and added that he and his  officials were available to talk to elected representatives about their concerns.

Sligo borough councillors voted to delete the Eastern Bridge from the Sligo and Environs Development Plan in December 2008 and have argued that when the regeneration of Cranmore was mooted by them in 2004 and a regeneration plan submitted to Government, there was no mention of the bridge.

Mr Finneran is adamant that as Sligo is a gateway city under the National Spatial Strategy,  it is Government policy that regeneration must be part of a master plan which would improve access as well as employment and education opportunities. He said Cranmore was effectively a cul-de-sac.

“Regeneration is about more than bricks and mortar,” he said. The Minister said if councillors refuse to budge on this issue, his department would be prepared to discuss a programme of remedial works for Cranmore which he stressed was totally different to regeneration. “It would be very unfortunate if this happened.”

Cranmore has a population of about 1,500 and over 60 of the 500 houses have been demolished and their residents relocated since the regeneration project got under way.

Representatives of  the Cranmore community and Sligo Chamber of Commerce renewed their calls on councillors to reinstate the bridge, but the Minister was also accused of “blackmailing” councillors by linking the two projects.

Ten of the 12 council members voted to delete the  bridge, citing the impact the proposed site  would have on one of the oldest residential communities in Sligo.

Eugene McGloin, spokesman for Cranmore residents, said the bridge would bring 19,000 cars daily through this community.

But the Cranmore  Community Co-op said it was making a “13th hour” plea to councillors to reinstate the bridge.

An eastern bridge has been included in  local development plans since 1973 and in 2007 councillors unanimously passed a motion calling for funding for the bridge.