Businesses fail to get sites re-zoned in new plan
Date Published: {J}
by Denise McNamara
Two large sites on the Tuam Road failed to get a change in the zoning to allow for more commercial use despite the presence of long-standing businesses.
The site of Hanley Motors and the Trappers Inn were both vying to change their zonings to Commercial and Mixed Use (CI) which would allow a greater intensification of retail development.
Senior planner Caroline Phelan said Hanley Motors was in a largely residential area yet the owners had been given four previous grants of permission to expand the business.
Cllr Derek Nolan (Lab) said as a resident in Riverside he would be concerned that once the lease was up the owners would try to secure different tenants at a higher rent. Any other business at the site could result in even worst traffic congestion on the Tuam Road.
Cllr Niall McNeilis said the operators of the garage and car showroom had 15 years left on their lease with an option to extend it further.
The business had survived for 30 years and needed to plan for the future.
Cllr Catherine Connolly said the possibility of expanding further in a residential area was farcical.
“To think it’s a Labour councillors that is going for this astounds me,” she quipped.
Cllr Tom Costello (Lab) said a lot of garages and showrooms had closed down in the current recession.
When businesses went to banks for overdraft facilities, zoning could represent a problem when it came to securing money.
The owners had already closed the filling station, which had caused traffic problems and every job should be supported by public representatives, he added.
Acting city manager Ciaran Hayes said dealings between a business and its bank was not a valid reason for rezoning.
Mayor Michael Crowe voted against the the manager’s recommendation to retain the residential zoning which resulted in a tie. But then he used his casting vote to ensure that the manager’s recommendation won afterall.
The 8 acre site where the Trappers Inn trades from also failed to win a change of zoning from industrial to CI.
Most of the site was a greenfield site that had failed to win any industrial development, Cllr Declan McDonnell said in the 30 years it had this zoning.
Cllr Catherine Connolly (Ind) said she “absolutely despaired” at what has happening in her her 11th year as a councillor.
“It’s time to consolidate the development we have, instead of this idiotic - the word doesn’t even justify what’s happening here tonight by majority vote.”
Nine councillors voted to retain the industrial zoning as recommended by the planners, while five voted against it.