Lidl appeals Monksland store's planning refusal

Lidl Ireland said it has lodged an appeal against Roscommon County Council's decision to refuse planning permission for its proposed new store in Monksland, Athlone.

In a controversial decision last month, the local authority rejected the supermarket chain's plans for a new store across the road from the Athlone Springs Hotel.

The deadline for appealing the decision to An Coimisiún Pleanála was this Friday, August 14, and Lidl Ireland told the Westmeath Independent today (Wednesday) that an appeal has been lodged.

"Lidl Ireland can confirm it has appealed Roscommon County Council's decision," said a spokesperson for the supermarket chain.

The spokesperson added that the retailer "remains committed to opening a new store in the Monksland and wider Athlone area, bringing Lidl's market-leading quality and value to shoppers in the community as soon as possible".

At the time of writing, the details of the appeal have not yet been uploaded to An Coimisiún Pleanála's website.

Lidl Ireland's planning application sought approval for a single-storey discount supermarket and off licence on a 1.2 hectare site next to the Joe Duffy car sales showroom.

The plans also included two smaller units, a café/restaurant and another retail unit, along with "plaza areas" between the store and the café/restaurant.

All three Roscommon-Galway TDs made planning submissions to the council calling for the store to be given the green light, and a number of councillors and other local representatives expressed support for the plans also.

In addition, a public meeting took place at Monksland Community Centre in June in support of the proposed supermarket development.

In its decision to refuse permission, Roscommon County Council criticised the "generic" design of the proposed Lidl store, which it said was "lacking in architectural merit" and would "fail to enhance the fabric of the existing urban area".

Furthermore, the council said, the new supermarket would be "dominated by vehicular access" and would "fail to provide connectivity to and integrate with other surrounding 'District Centre' zoned lands".

As a result, it concluded, the project would not be conducive to "creating a vibrant centre and sense of place in this core area of Monksland".

A number of residents in the Monksland area have expressed their unhappiness with the council's decision, which was also criticised in recent days by the parish priest of St Peter and Paul's in Athlone, Fr John Deignan.