Supermac’s has lodged an objection against plans to open a drive-through cafe by a franchise of Starbucks in Galway city.
An online petition by the Galway Commuter Coalition opposing plans for an outlet of the world’s largest coffeehouse has already attracted 2,500 signatures.
Supermac’s Ireland Limited has added its weight to the opposition by lodging a submission to Galway City Council opposing the plans for the drive-through cafe at Galway Shopping Centre off the Headford Road.
It cited traffic and parking impacts and an “adverse impact” on the nearby Supermac’s restaurant and drive-through among its concerns.
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Planners in the local authority are due to decide on the application this October.
Dublin-based Atercin Liffey Unlimited – which operates Starbucks franchises across Ireland – was previously granted planning permission for the change of use of units 60 and 61 at Galway Shopping Centre from retail to cafe.
Last month the company lodged a fresh application for permission to construct a new single-storey drive-through hatch at that coffee shop, about 1.5km from Eyre Square.
The plans include new advertising signage, reconfiguration of footpaths and the existing shopping centre car park including a new “vehicle circulation route and collection point”.
The proposed cafe would be close to a Supermac’s at units 53 and 54, which has operated as a drive-through since 1993.
In its submission to the council this week, Supermac’s claimed that the reconfiguration of the car park would lead to the loss of 37 parking spaces.
Supermac’s pointed out that no traffic impact assessment was submitted with the planning application.
Supermac’s said the proposed development “encroaches upon and materially conflicts with the established access, circulation, queuing and grill-order waiting arrangements serving the adjoining Supermac’s drive-through”.
The Galway-headquartered company argued that the proposed drive-through would have an “adverse impact on the established operation of the existing Supermac’s premises”; would cause conflict between pedestrians and vehicles; and that there was a risk of drive-through queues “extending into the wider car park”.
Supermac’s pointed out that a specific objective in the Galway City Development Plan commits the City Council to preparing a local area plan (LAP) for Headford Road to support the area’s regeneration.
Galway Commuter Coalition said another drive-through development on Headford Road – one of the main arteries into Galway city from Mayo and Dublin – is “the last thing the Headford Road and the surrounding area need”.
The community group said the development would generate more traffic at “one of Galway City’s most congested junctions”, and the site should be better utilised.
“Approving another car-dependent development here would fly in the face of Galway City Council’s own city development plan and make traffic worse for tens of thousands of Galway residents,” said Cathal Lawlor, chair of the Galway Commuter Coalition.
Lawlor confirmed the coalition’s online petition opposing the drive-through cafe had garnered 2,500 signatures.
There are already two Starbucks coffee shops in Galway city, on the pedestrianised Quay Street in the historic Latin Quarter and at Eyre Square Shopping Centre.
