An An Bord Pleanala inspector had recommended that Aldi discount food store be granted planning permission for its first store in County Kilkenny, however, this decision was since overturned by the board of An Bord Pleanala.
Residents and public representatives in Callan are disgusted at the news which filtered through this week following its publication on the board’s website.
An application for planning was lodged with the board in November last year and there were objections by two groups - RGDATA and Linda Cahill.
The application included permission for a discount food store, associated signage, landscaping, boundary treatment, and site works, 95 car parking spaces, 12 bicycle spaces, and a new access at Cannafahey, Callan.
Kilkenny County Council already granted planning permission for the store in October of last year and this permission was appealed by the above appellants.
A 24-page inspector’s report appears on the An Bord Pleanala website this week outlining the reasons as to why the inspector in question recommended the planning permission for the store in the town.
However reasons for the refusal of permission included the board having regard to the location of the site outside the existing public sewerage system and to the south of the regional road connecting to the town by-pass, its location at a distance from the town centre, and the lack of connectivity/pedestrian linkages to the town centre. The board was not satisfied, notwithstanding the zoning of the site, that the site is the optimum location for such a development.
Furthermore, it claims that it is the policy of the planning authority, as set out in the current development plan for the area, to protect the vitality and viability of the town centre. And the report states that the proposed development would conflict with the provisions of the development plan and the guidelines for planning authorities issued by the Department and would have an adverse impact on the vitality and viability of the town centre and would, therefore, be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.
The report adds, “in deciding not to accept the inspector’s recommendation to grant permission, the board did not share the inspector’s views in relation to the availability of a more suitable site or the impact of the proposed development on the vitality and viability of the town centre.”
