Reduced An Bord Pleanála numbers leaves Ennis retail development ‘in limbo’

A DECISION on controversial plans for the development of a €34 million retail park on the outskirts of Ennis has once again been deferred by An Bord Pleanála.
According to An Bord Pleanála the ongoing delay is due to a “reduced number” of board members and a decision on the Limerick Road development is now expected to be made in the coming weeks.
Rita McInerney, CEO of Ennis Chamber that is objecting to the project, described the continuing delay as “frustrating” and said the hold up has left retail development in Ennis “in limbo”.
A decision was due to be made by An Bord Pleanála on Wednesday on the appeal by Michael Lynch Ltd to the refusal of planning permission for the development by Ennis Town Council.
However the local authority this week received correspondence from the board stating that it will “not now be in a position to determine the appeal before that date.” An inspector’s report has been received by An Bord Pleanála and the file is now at board level.
The letter went on to state, “The continuing delay is due to the reduced number of board members which were available to assess and determine cases in the first six months of 2012 resulting in a backlog of cases to be determined. The delay involved is regretted.”
Reacting to the holdup, Ms McInerney stated, “Ennis Chamber is very disappointed with the delay in the planning process on this important decision for the town.
“Anecdotally, we have been hearing that certain businesses are delaying making decisions on investment in the town centre of Ennis until the decision in this major development outside the town is decided upon. Retail development in Ennis is effectively in limbo as a result.”
She went on, “I understand the backlog that exists within An Bord Pleanála due to the lack of resources available to them until recently but it is also very frustrating for the individuals, developers and areas affected by the delays.”
This is the second time that An Bord Pleanála has delayed a ruling on the development. The appeals board were originally set to make a decision in June of this year but this was put back until this month.
In January Ennis Town Council refused planning permission for the retail development proposed by Michael Lynch Ltd for a site at the Limerick Road/Tobarteascain Road with Tesco set to be the main anchor tenant.
The local authority deemed the development to be “premature” pending the upgrade of the wastewater treatment plant at Clareabbey and pending the implementation of the Ennis South Flood Relief Scheme.
A number of groups including Ennis Chamber, businesses and traders associations and local residents voiced their fears that the development could lead to a ‘doughnut effect’ in Ennis. Objectors to the plan claim that data used to justify the need for the development is based on out of date statistics given the changing economic status.
According to the developers if given the go-ahead the development would create approximately 300 construction jobs and between 180 and 200 operational jobs in the foodstore alone.
In the appeal lodged by Tony Bamford Planning on behalf of Michael Lynch Ltd they state that the reasons for refusal can be “readily overcome” through engineering solutions. And the appeal insists the development will “complement rather than compete with the town centre.”