Controversial plans for a €50m shopping centre and discount foodstore in Carrick-on-Suir, together with a new river bridge, have been rejected by An Bord Pleanála.

The major retail development, which was to include an anchor supermarket and 12 smaller outlets, was turned down on Thursday in a judgment that reversed the local Town Council’s approval of planning permission.

The planning appeal board’s decision has prompted a strong reaction from both supporters and opponents of the project, which was expected to bring up to 150 jobs to the area. While one public representative described the decision as “a major blow”, a group representing business people said it was “a great opportunity for Carrick-on-Suir”.

The plans put forward by Limerick-based Riussuir Developments included an anchor supermarket, 12 retail and commercial units and 326 parking spaces, as well as a separate discount supermarket with 142 parking spaces on a 3.45 hectare riverside site, next to Seán Healy Park on the Clonmel Road.

Also included in the plans were a new roundabout on the N24 and a new road bridge spanning the River Suir, which would link the Clonmel Road with Coolnamuck on the Co. Waterford side of the river.

An Bord Pleanála rejected the proposed development on the grounds that it would be located on a flood plain and would also be detrimental to existing businesses in the town centre.

In its judgment, the board says the plans are in conflict with retail planning guidelines, which seek to direct new retail development to town centres or, where this is not possible, to the edge of town centres. The town’s Development Plan also sets out a policy of strengthening retail trade in the centre of Carrick-on-Suir.

The Riussuir scheme would be located on an out of centre site, about 300 metres from the edge of the town centre and one kilometre from the commercial core of the town.

The judgment concludes: “Having regard to the location of the site, to the quantum of retail development proposed – which constitutes a substantial addition to existing retail facilities in the town – and to the evidence of a significant vacancy rate for retail premises within the town, it is considered that the proposed development would be detrimental to the vitality and viability of the existing town centre.”

An Bord Pleanála’s decision is in line with the recommendations contained in a 46-page report by board-appointed inspector Brid Maxwell, who conducted a three-day oral hearing into the Ruissuir project in Clonmel last August.

According to evidence given to the oral hearing by the developers, the project would have created between 100 and 150 permanent jobs, in addition to temporary jobs during the construction phase.

Among those deeply disappointed by the decision is local Independent Cllr. Patsy Fitzgerald, who made a submission supporting the Riussuir project on behalf of a majority of Carrick-on-Suir Town Council’s members.

Describing the outcome as “a major blow” for the town, he said: “I am very disappointed at the decision, particularly from the point of view of construction jobs and the permanent jobs that would have come once the centre was built.

“I felt it would also stop the leakage of shoppers to towns in other counties, so that there would be a bigger spend in the town and established retailers would have benefited from that. However, we have to move on now and put it behind us and see what else we can do for Carrick-on-Suir.

Cllr Fitzgerald added: “I can’t see anything being granted planning permission on that site now, especially in view of the Minister’s new draft guidelines on flood plains.”

The An Bord Pleanála decision was described as “a great opportunity” by the Carrick-on-Suir Business Association (COSBA), which said it now intended to contact interested parties to “formulate a strategy for what is now the only viable plan of action, the redevelopment of the town centre”.

The decision was also welcomed by residents of the Carrickbeg and Coolnamuck areas, who were concerned about such issues as increased traffic flow and the absence of plans for a new link road from Coolnamuck to the Dungarvan Road, bypassing the centre of Carrickbeg.

Meanwhile, Carrick’s controversial Supplementary Development Charge is now expected to be scrapped as a result of the decision on the Riussuir development.

The charge, which was approved by the Town Council early last year, was to be imposed on all major new projects approved for large scale sites zoned for development outside Carrick’s town centre, with the revenue going towards financing the proposed new bridge across the River Suir. Now that the bridge proposal has been turned down as part of the Riussuir applications, it is expected that the charge will be overturned by the Town Council.

Mayor of Carrick-on-Suir Cllr. Sylvia Cooney-Sheehan, who was among those who appealed the Town Council’s approval of planning permission for the shopping complex, has tabled a motion for the next local authority meeting seeking that the Supplementary Development Charge be scrapped. She will also propose that the flood plain site be rezoned to amenity.

She told The Nationalist: “Once the charge is removed it will open a lot of doors for people who want to expand their businesses locally or who want to come into Carrick-on-Suir.”

The Mayor said she would also propose rezoning of the Tinvane Rental Park site, an empty retail warehouse park on the Pill Road, so that it would be allowed to accommodate commercial retail stores. Heatons department store had expressed an interest in this site but was disqualified under the existing planning designation, which allows only tenants selling bulky goods such as furniture.

She said: “Heatons were refused because of the zoning and we should not allow that to happen again. If someone wants to come in we should accommodate them and if that requires rezoning then that is what should be done.”

Adding that she was delighted with the An Bord Pleanála decision, the Mayor commented: “We have fought a strong battle and we have proven that when something doesn’t seem right for the town we can fight it and win. However, we must focus now on pushing Carrick forward.”

The implications of the An Bord Pleanála decision will be discussed at the next meeting of Carrick-on-Suir Town Council on December 14.

Source: TheNationalist

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AN BORD Pleanála has overturned the decision of Meath County Council to allow the construction of a business and technology park in the grounds of Carton House, one of Ireland’s most important Georgian mansions.

The joint venture between NUI Maynooth and Glashrooneen Ltd would “seriously injure the setting of Carton House” and would be contrary to the proper and sustainable development of the area, An Bord Pleanála said.

In its ruling An Bord Pleanála describes Carton House and its estate as “one of the most important elements of Ireland’s architectural, cultural and historic heritage” and as having “international significance”.

The house and its lands which straddle the Meath and Kildare border, were in the 18th century home to the Earl of Kildare, but were turned into a luxury hotel and golf resort in the early 1990s despite strenuous objections from An Taisce and the Irish Georgian Society.

Notwithstanding this intervention the estate retained much of its original character and its use as a golf resort was permitted with the objective of preserving the property for future generations, An Bord Pleanála said. “The proposed development, by reason of its nature, scale and location would entirely conflict with such an objective and would interfere with the character of the landscape, which it is necessary to preserve, and would seriously injure the setting of Carton House,” it said.

The development would have seen the construction of 8,431 metres of office space of up to four storeys in height; 9,202 metres of university buildings including a research centre, a sports science building and an innovation centre; and 130 apartments and houses.

Restaurant, creche and retail facilities and 735 surface car parking spaces were also planned on the 34 hectare site on the Co Meath part of the estate.

An Bord Pleanála noted that Meath County Council had zoned the lands for this type of scheme, but said their development would be contrary to the development plan guidelines issued to the local authority by the Department of the Environment.

Development of these lands would also be contrary to the regional planning guidelines for the greater Dublin area, and Meath County Council’s own development plan, the board said.

An Taisce, which had opposed the development yesterday welcomed the board’s decision and said it revealed the impact of ill-considered rezoning.

“The decision is an important precedent for the protection of historic designed parkland and woodland demesne landscapes,” it said.

The Palladian-style house was built in 1739 for the Earl of Kildare, it was landscaped under the supervision of Emily FitzGerald, the first Duchess of Leinster.

Lord Edward FitzGerald, one of the leaders of the 1798 rebellion was born at Carton House. In 1816 the third Duke of Leinster sold Leinster House in Dublin to the RDS and made Carton his main residence.

Source: IrishTimes

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