Retail project promises 500 jobs for Ennis

APPROXIMATELY 500 jobs could be created in Ennis under proposals for a massive retail development, with 610 car parking spaces planned for the town.

Planning permission has been sought by Michael Lynch Ltd for the creation of a retail development on more than five hectares of land at Limerick Road and Tobarteascain Road as part of a masterplan by the development company.
The plan sets out proposals for more than seven hectares of land in the area. As well as the plans for the five-hectare site now lodged with Ennis Town Council, there are other proposals for an adjacent site to include commercial developments, which are proposed to be put before the planning authority in the future.
The development plans currently lodged with the town council propose the demolition of all structures on the site including five residential units and an office block to make way for the new centre.
If given the green light by the planning authority, it is proposed to create a public plaza, a 7,834m2 food store of incorporating a restaurant and café, off-licence, storage and service yard.
This part of the development also includes a separate ancillary two-storey retail and office block, standalone two-storey office block and three kiosk units connected by a covered walkway.
A separate planning application is intended to be made by Michael Lynch Ltd for the demolition of two houses on the Limerick Road to create alternative vehicular and pedestrian access to the site.
According to DPP (Development Planning Partnership), the Dublin-based planning consultants for the development, the proposals, if given the go-ahead, will create approximately 300 construction jobs and 200 operational jobs in the food store alone.
In documents lodged, DPP state, “The overall aim of this project is to improve the family shopping experience for shoppers in Ennis.”
They say that the proposal will make a “positive contribution not only to the urban fabric of the town, but also through the social benefits which will accrue, which include lasting local jobs for local people”.
An application for a similar facility was refused planning permission on the site in 2006 by An Bord Pleanála. According to DPP, the issues raised in the previous process have influenced the final design and master plan for the current scheme. According to the consultants, the proposals will allow the town to compete with other retail centres in the Mid-West.
“The proposed development will provide a much needed addition to the retail offer of Ennis. It will provide for a district centre format of a scale and offer not currently available in the town, increasing competition and helping to claw back retail expenditure currently being lost to other retail centres such as the Crescent in Limerick.
“The proposal will see the development of an underutilised site, in a high profile location on the Limerick Road, providing a landmark feature on the southern approach to the hub town of Ennis. This site has been specifically designated to provide for a district centre, with an objective to provide retail uses with associated car parking.”
The consultants go on to state, “It should be recognised that there is no district centre in Ennis and that this is not in keeping with the retail requirements of a town of over 25000 people and supporting a much wider hinterland.”
DPP also state that a shortfall of retail floor space in Ennis is “not acceptable”.
“It’s [Ennis’] growth in order to meet the needs of its population and the projected population targets as set by the Department of the Environment in its role as a hub town requires that the retail floor space is enhanced and supported. This proposal will see investment and a vote of confidence in Ennis. It will create 300 temporary and construction jobs and 200 full time jobs in retail on completion. This opportunity cannot be allowed to be lost.”
They outline that the development is phase one of an overall master plan for the wider area, with phase two likely to include commercial / office development.
“In creating a master plan for this site the objective is to ensure that the site as a whole is planned and developed in an orderly and logical manner with the focus on addressing the west of the site first. Phasing the development will allow the site to be developed in coherent stages.”
According to the master plan, the development of phase one should take 15 months to complete from the granting of planning permission, with phase two set to be subject of a future planning application.
A spokesperson for Michael Lynch Ltd was unavailable for comment about the development.