Green Party considers appealing Ikea decision

The Green Party said today it was considering appealing the decision to grant planning permission to Ikea for a furniture superstore in Ballymun, Dublin.

The party's transport spokesman Eamon Ryan said the intended location "makes for bad planning and will only add to the gridlock".

Mr Ryan said: "The conditions set by Fingal County Council that the new store will have to await the upgrade of the nearby M1 interchange provides no real assurance.

"The National Roads Authority's own traffic estimates show that the mainline carriageway where the store is due to be located will be severely congested even after the M50 is widened and the new spaghetti junctions are built," he added.

Mr Ryan said his party will consider appealing the approval to An Bord Pleanála.

But Dublin Chamber of Commerce said the new store will provide vital employment opportunities in the area.

Policy director Aebhric Mc Gibney said he did not believe anyone would want to deny the people of Ballymun "the opportunity to work with such a world-class retail store".

"The opening of IKEA will bring real jobs to the area and complement the huge infrastructural investment and rejuvenation of the area.

"The provision of ample parking and upgrades to local roads will compliment other transport measures, including the expected routing of the Northern Metro through Ballymun," he said.