Further information sought on ambitious on China trading hub

Westmeath County Council has sought further information on the ambitious €1.4bn Europe China Trading Hub planned for the Creggan area. The council sought further information from the developers last week and identified a total of 51 areas where further information is required, varying from their comments on the public submissions to detailed photomontages depicting the completed development in years one, three, five and ten. The proposed Europe China Trading Hub could create some 9,000 jobs and attract up to 30,000 visitors per week to the town, the backers of the project claim. In May Athlone Business Park Ltd applied for planning permission for the first phase of the project. Last week Westmeath County Council sought further information on the plans. The promoters this week confirmed that they have received a further information request from the council and a spokesman said: "On behalf of the applicants I can confirm that we have received a further information request from the planning authority as would be expected in a project of this scale and we have commenced the process of compilation of the responses to the queries raised. It is our intention to ensure that this is effected as expeditiously as practicable in order to ensure that the Athlone/Irish proposal can keep pace with any competing proposals in the UK or on mainland Europe." The idea behind the trading hub is that it will provide showcase and demonstration space for Chinese manufacturers and traders to display their products to European and other international buyers, with a view to generating bulk orders, which will then be delivered from the producers in China. If planning permission is forthcoming, the developers are hoping to open the doors on this phase of the project by late 2014 or early 2015. They hope, if the preliminary phases are successful, to complete all five phases within seven to ten years of opening. The 51 points raised by the planning section of the council last week covered a variety of issues, ranging from traffic, the impact on nature, the impact on neighbouring properties, noise, ecology and archaeology. The council has requested Athlone Business Park Ltd to undertake a detailed assessment to justify site selection over alternative sites examined and found that the site selection analysis contained in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) did not fully comply with the guidelines. The planning department also found that the images submitted to date were inadequate and requested a number of photomontages showing selected viewpoints agreed with the council; the proposed development in the post development periods over one, three, five and ten years and showing the site illumination at night including views from the River Shannon, the M6 motorway and the immediate environs. The council pointed out that some drawings and the EIS were at odds in relation to the retention of mature trees and stated: "The planning authority considers that there may be scope to retain some existing landscape features of character, including trees and hedgerows which have been identified for removal in drawing number three." Raising a number of issues under the Natura Impact Statement (NIS) the council stated that the EIS had not included Lough Ree as a Natura 2000 site that may be significantly affected by the development. The Natura 2000 Network is a network of important ecological sites across the European Union. The council has asked the developers to provide evidence to support the exclusion of Lough Ree SPA in relation to potential impacts. The council stated that the potential impacts associated with the operation of the wind turbine have not been identified in the NIS and requested a comprehensive assessment in this regard. Significant further information regarding traffic was sought by the council, with 12 points alone being traffic-related. The council pointed out that a high quality public transport service to link the development with the town was included in the proposal and invited the developer to extend the bus service to the west of the River Shanon. The council also said it was unclear if the bus service would be available to people not wishing to access the trading hub and asked for clarification on this. The developers are requested to update their Traffic Impact Assessment (TIA) based on the latest NRA growth forecasts and also to take account of the additional traffic expected from the improved Garrycastle junction. The council has requested that the TIA highlight the location of the 300 cycle spaces on the site and also sought further information in relation to how the site will connect to the proposed cycling route network in Athlone. The council stated that because of the scale of the proposed development it was not desirable that cyclists and motorists would be using the same road system and has invited the developer to provide an internal system of two-way 3m wide cycle tracks leading through the site to all cycle parking facilities. In relation to recreation/community facilities the council pointed out: "No community/educational/recreational social infrastructure has been proposed for Phase 1." It stated that the Creggan Local Area Plan (LAP) requires a mixed use development facilitating community and educational development. The LAP also requires childcare facilities within new enterprise and employment areas to serve the needs of the community and the workforce and the council has therefore requested that the developers address the level of community service provision, while taking into account the availability and capacity of existing educational, childcare and community infrastructure in the wider area. The council has requested a revised noise survey and pointed out that Clonbonny National School was a noise sensitive location and should receive appropriate noise assessment. Westmeath County Council has requested further information in relation to a breeding bird survey carried out by the developers; an assessment of the impact on a raised bog to the west of the railway; an assessment of the potential impact on the Crosswood Bog SAC, the River Shannon Callows SAC and the Middle Shannon Callows SPA and proposals relating to any mitigation measures to safeguard Natura 2000 sites. The council has further requested the developers to engage the services of a suitably qualified archaeologist to carry out a geophysical assessment of the proposed site. The council has requested that the developers submit an assessment of the potential effects of shadow flicker on habitable buildings in the vicinity of the wind turbine. It has also sought clarity in relation to the proposed marketing strategy and asked if it could include provision for the marketing of Irish manufactured goods and services. The developers have also been invited to comment on the submissions received by the council in relation to the proposed development. The developers now have six months to submit the further information requested by the council and once Westmeath County Council receives the information it has four weeks to make a decision.