Cairn Homes has applied for planning permission for 192 houses in Charlesland. Councillors have zoned large amounts of land for employment but neither the IDA nor the Charlesland commercial site are being developed so there is nowhere for industry, small or large, to go. We need jobs to match the recent house expansion as we can’t all commute on the overcrowded N11 or DART.
10 years ago I wrote a paper with the Chamber of Commerce and on the need for a Community Enterprise Centre for start up businesses. These work well in both Arklow and Wicklow Town and were shown to the developer. The Charlesland owner committed to donating a 2,800 sq.m. Centre as well as building more Enterprise Units for sale, prior to any houses being occupied. However the present planning application is for houses only and they do not seem aware of previous commitments and I have objected to that.
At Greystones Municipal District meeting I demanded that we get the Enterprise Units first and also that the Council appoints an official to ensure they are built.
