Green light for south Dublin Tesco “superstore”

An Bord Pleanála has granted permission for a Tesco "superstore" at Liffey Valley in Dublin.

The decision was published on the appeals body’s website yesterday, detailing plans which will include a total of 587 car parking spaces, a licensed retail anchor store and other retail units.

Rejected
The application had previously been rejected by South Dublin County Council.

A number of concerns included the view of its planning inspector that “the extensive parking and the impact on public transport is considered to be inappropriate and would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area”.

However, in overturning that decision, An Bord Pleanála noted that revised design proposals appeared to have taken a number of concerns into account.

“The board considered that the proposal would not be injurious to the amenities of the area or of properties in the vicinity, would be acceptable in terms of traffic safety and convenience and would be in accordance with proper planning and sustainable development,” it concluded.

“In deciding not to accept the inspector’s recommendation to refuse permission, the board took cognisance of the inspector’s reservations in respect of the initial design of the proposal and sought revised proposals which, on review, it felt met the inspector’s concerns.”

Conditions
It said the development would be "likely to facilitate" the completion of the proposals contained in the Liffey Valley Town Centre Local Area Plan.

However, a number of conditions were attached to the permission, including a proviso that the entire development be completed before any of the retail units are occupied.

Local Fine Gael councillor William Lavelle has said the matter raises concerns in relation to its scale and potential impact. He is to file an emergency motion next week to request that the council examine the issue.

“While I would welcome the jobs boost which the development of a new supermarket would bring, I believe that serious questions remain regarding the scale and impact of what is proposed in this case,” he said.