Green light given for Lisdoonvarna supermarket

Clare County Council has given the green light for a major supermarket, retail and commercial development in Lisdoonvarna estimated to cost up to €3 million, despite the economic recession.
John Burke, C/O Sean Dockry and Associates, Hynes Building, St Augustine Street, Galway, has obtained planning approval for the construction of a mixed-use development as previously granted in February 2007 at St Brendan’s Road, Lisdoonvarna.
This consists of a 453m2 supermarket plus ancillary staff facilities and delivery area, three retail and commercial units, one office unit and one three-bedroom apartment, subject to 26 conditions.
A number of applications for extensions of time or developments, which were previously granted by the authority throughout the county, have been refused over the past year.
A spokesman for the developers told The Clare Champion it could take a number of years before this site is fully developed.
According to one of the conditions, the developer has to pay a contribution of €55,386 to the council in respect of public infrastructure and facilities benefiting development in the area.
Full details of each future occupier of the shop units have to be submitted to and agreed in writing with the planning authority before the occupation of each unit.
All the details about the proposed connection to the public water supply and public sewerage systems at this location have to be submitted to and agreed by the council before works starts.
The proposed hours of operation are 7am to 11pm, six days a week, apart from 12 midnight closing time on Saturdays.
It is proposed to provide 46 car-parking spaces to serve the overall development at the rear of the site.
A submission from the Clare Association of An Taisce stated this development should be in keeping with the design of the streetscape, of which it has a dominant position, and Clare’s landscape design guidelines.
Expressing concern over the lack of information about the design on the council’s web page, the independent environmental watchdog stated this may not be in keeping with the village.
“There have been several applications for this site, some of which were granted by more than one applicant. It is confusing as the council website doesn’t give enough information on past applications to know what has been developed and what hasn’t,” the submission outlined.
According to a council planning report, the development site is located within the town centre of Lisdoonvarna on a greenfield site.
There is a footpath along the roadside boundary of the site leading back to the main street. A housing development is located on adjacent land to the east and this is accessed via a private access roadway. It is proposed to access the proposed development via this roadway.
The number of people to be employed in the development hasn’t been confirmed. There was no third-party objection or representation.
Three planning applications were previously granted on this site over the last eight years. Joseph Garrihy was given the green light to construct a supermarket premises, together with ancillary office and staff facilities, one self-contained office unit and one self contained apartment together with associated site works and car park in September 2004.
Two years later, Gerry Howard was given planning approval for the construction of a 453m2 supermarket with ancillary staff facilities and delivery area, together with a hardware store, an 165m2 office and one apartment and associated services and external works at St Brendan’s Road in February 2007.
John Burke was allowed to operate an off-licence at the supermarket previously granted to Mr Howard in December 2007.