Plans for Lidl store in Knocknacarra appealed
The long-running saga over the provision of a discount supermarket off the Western Distributor Road is set to continue as it has now been appealed to An Bord Pleanala.
Recently city planners gave the green light for the construction of a new €2 million Lidl supermarket. The two-acre site is bounded by the Ballymoneen Road and the Western Distributor Road.
Locals had objected to the application and now the small retail representative group RGDATA have lodged an appeal in the hope of having the decision overturned.
They have expressed concern over what they describe as the proliferation of convenience stores in suburban locations throughout Galway city in recent years.
“If not carefully managed, the cumulative effect of these retail developments poses a real threat to the future vitality and viability of the city centre,” RGDATA have stated.
A similar planning application for this site was previously refused by An Bord Pleanala who suggested that it would only be acceptable if it was part of an existing shopping centre.
The small retailers group are opposed to the ‘stand alone’ development and they also say that there is no need for an additional discount store in the area.
The supermarket would take between five and six months to build, creating 24 construction jobs, while creating up to 25 full-time positions, with a projected annual turnover of €8.5 million.
City planners restricted opening hours to between 8am and 9pm Monday to Saturday and 10.30am to 7pm on Sundays and ordered that any 24-hour operation be restricted to four weeks in each calendar year (at Christmas or Easter) and these must be agreed with the Council in advance.
Local objectors said the application was broadly similar to one which was rejected last year by An Bord Pleanála.
They argued that the development is unsustainable as it relies on car parking and there is a lack of connectivity to the neighbourhood centre.
Concerns were also expressed that it would increase traffic on the Ballymoneen Road and early or late deliveries would impact on adjacent residents.
The supermarket will have over 100 car parking spaces which RGDATA says would indicate that the development would be almost totally reliant on the private car.