Supermarket plan opposed by rivals

Plans for a €4 million supermarket and community development in Miltown Malbay have run into opposition from rival competitors.
Back in July, John Jones, who runs the Centra supermarket in Main Street with his wife Claire, lodged plans for a 10,000 sqft supermarket, a 150-space car park, a relief road for the town, a children’s playground and an astro-turf facility with associated dressing rooms and lighting.
Mr Jones, who is the seventh generation of the family run business, which was established in 1835, says the project will regenerate more than 50 full and part-time jobs, as well as a further 70 jobs generated during the 12-18 month construction phase.
It is proposed that the development will, in time, lead to the construction of a through road to connect the Ennis Road with the Ballard Road, creating another portion of the relief road around Miltown Malbay.
Last year, An Bord Pleanála refused Mr Jones planning for a previous retail project that had been approved by Clare County Council. That decision was overturned after a rival businessman, Richard Coyle of Heinz Londis, had appealed the council’s decision.
Mr Coyle has opposed the latest project and his consultants contend that it hadn’t been adequately demonstrated that the proposed development would not adversely impact on the “viability and vitality” of Miltown Malbay town centre and other nearby centres.
They point out that the Spar shop, which replaced the Mace store after its closure, had since closed down and this served as an indicator of the general health of Miltown Malbay as a shopping centre.
Michael Gleeson and Jim Shannon, promoters of a rival supermarket and office development on the other side of Miltown Malbay, which is also in for planning, have also objected to the Jones’ proposal.
In their submission they argued that the proposed development materially contravenes the residential land use zoning objective for the site in the North Clare Local Area Plan 2005.
A decision on both planning applications is due next week.