Lennard Arms Hotel plan

A COUNCILLOR at the most recent meeting of Clones-Ballybay MD said local people had approached him about the lack of progress on several projects in the area.

Cllr Pat Treanor (SF) said locals were impatient to know an update on the Fermanagh Street Business Hub and the redevelopment of the old Lennard Arms Hotel.

He asked for an update from Acting Municipal District Co-Ordinator, Matthew Lambe, who was at the December meeting to deliver a progress report on these and other projects in the MD.

Mr Lambe said the business hub “remains in the pre-commencement stage”.

“The apparently successful contractor has undertaken pre-condition surveys of the adjacent properties as well as further trial holes on site,” his report stated.

The contractor has provided the temporary works designs based on these findings, which will inform a start date and programme with remaining contract sites to be put in place before contract award.

A creative consultant had prepared a business plan and other plans in respect of a visitor attraction at the former Lennard Arms Hotel, Mr Lambe’s report also revealed.

“Yes, there’s been a lot of false dawns at the Lennard Arms but, we hope to be on site between now and the end of next year,” the district co-ordinator told the meeting.