A Lidl Goes A Wrong Way

In the bag…?

ith local counciller Tom Fortune having called for an oral hearing in December, it would appear the shouts of concern was heard all the way across the county.

Most importantly, the shouts reached Wicklow County Council.

The planning notice for a new Lidl superstore appeared on Kilcoole main street just before Christmas, taking its grand old time before finally appearing Wicklow Planning’s website on January 3rd.

And now, Wicklow Planning have refused the German retail giant’s application #233. 

That application read…

Construction of a discount foodstore supermarket anchored development (with part flat part mono-pitch roof, overall building height of c. 8.2metres and overall gross floor space of c. 2,687sqm). The proposed development comprises: 1) The construction of a part single part two storey discount foodstore supermarket with ancillary off-licence use measuring c. 2,393sqm gross floor space with net retail sales area of c. 1,430sqm. 2) Construction of three single storey retail / commercial units (attached to the foodstore building) measuring c. 6,899 and 100sqm respectively (with c. 27sqm of ancillary / common areas); 3) Construction of an access road from Main Street serving the proposed development (and facilitating the future development of adjoining lands) and associated and ancillary works; and, 4) Provision of associated car parking, free standing and building mounted signage, trolley bay cover / enclosure, refrigeration and air conditioning plant and equipment, roof mounted solar panel array, hard and soft landscaping, cycle parking, boundary treatments (including retaining structures), electricity sub-station, drainage infrastructure and connections to services / utilities, and all other associated and ancillary development and works above and below ground level. A Nutura Impact Statement will be submitted to the planning authority with the application.

Back in December, Fortune expressed concern about the planned exit beside The Mollys, and pointed out that there was already another planning proposal on the same land that was currently with An Bord Pleannala.

“The development of this land is comparable to the development of the harbour in Greystones back in 2004,” said Fortune, “from a community impact perspective.  Any new development must include the by-pass road at that rear of the land,  essential to the long-term development of Kilcoole.

“If this is not a integral part of any decisions, it would be environmental, infrastructural and community sabotage.”

We’ve been here before. And you can find out more about the 267 houses with APB here.