Athlone parish priest hits out at council's Lidl store refusal
An Athlone parish priest has taken Roscommon County Council to task over its recent decision to refuse planning permission for Lidl's proposed supermarket in Monksland.
Fr John Deignan, who heads the parish of Saints Peter and Paul, said Monksland and Bealnamulla were "expanding at a remarkable pace" but the areas' needs for "core infrastructure and essential services" were not being sufficiently met.
The council's refusal of plans for the new supermarket across the road from the Athlone Springs Hotel was made last month, and the decision has now been appealed by Lidl Ieland to An Coimisiún Pleanála.
Fr Deignan shared his thoughts on planning in Monksland and Bealnamulla in a lengthy post on the 'Ss Peter & Paul's Parish Athlone' Facebook page on Sunday morning.
His comments, which were well-received by parishioners, highlighted the fact that the population of the wider Monksland area now exceeded that of Roscommon town.
He said, however, that there was a "glaring disparity" in the level of services available in these two areas.
"While Roscommon town is well-served by at least five major national supermarkets, alongside smaller outlets, our rapidly growing area relies on just one SuperValu, a mini Tesco, and two filling station shops," Fr Deignan wrote.
"It is no secret that plans for a Lidl store have now been refused twice in Monksland, alongside a previous refusal in Baylough. One must ask: why?
"Planners have cited concerns over traffic issues, but the simple truth is that the consumers are already here," he said.
"Having local stores would actually reduce miles driven and cut down on the congestion caused by residents travelling to the opposite side of Athlone - or as far as Ballinasloe - just to do their weekly shopping.
"Another common argument has been design. Yet, modern supermarket architecture has evolved significantly for the better, and when proposed right beside a utilitarian motor dealership, one is left to question the consistency of such planning refusals.
"Furthermore, the concern that Junction 13 is at or near capacity is not a community or developer issue; it is a council and National Roads Authority (NRA) responsibility that demands immediate attention if Roscommon County Council intends to keep greenlighting new housing estates in the area."
Fr Deignan said that, in highlighting these challenges, he had "no intention" of diminishing "the hard-working local businesses currently providing jobs and vital services to our area".
"Competition is the mother of invention and value, and where there is healthy competition, everyone wins," the parish priest said.
He concluded that there was a clear need in the Monksland area for "proper services and facilities", including a new supermarket.
"To whoever holds the ultimate decision-making power: please look beyond rigid paperwork, consult properly with the community, consider the actual scale of this community, and finally plan well for its future," Fr Deignan stated.