Lidl says it's "still committed" to Monksland store despite planning refusal

Lidl Ireland said it's "disappointed" by Roscommon County Council's refusal to grant permission for its proposed new supermarket in Monksland, but added that it remains "committed" to developing a new store in the area.

The company's statement was issued to the Westmeath Independent today (Tuesday) in the aftermath of the council's controversial planning decision.

On Friday last, not for the first time, the local authority refused planning permission for a supermarket development on a site across the road from the Athlone Springs Hotel, and next to the Joe Duffy car sales showroom.

Lidl Ireland had sought approval for a single-storey discount supermarket and off licence on the 1.2 hectare site. 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.

In response to the planning verdict, a spokesperson for Lidl Ireland stated: "We are disappointed to receive Roscommon County Council's decision but remain committed to releasing 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."

Lidl Ireland has four weeks, from the date of the local authority's decision, to lodge an appeal with An Coimisiún Pleanála. That means an appeal on behalf of the company would have to be submitted by August 14.

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".

The local authority noted that the site in question was zoned for 'District Centre' use.

It argued that - "irrespective of the inclusion of a small retail unit and café" - the core element of the proposal was not in keeping with the 'District Centre' zoning as it comprised "a large standalone supermarket" which would be a "dominant, utilitarian structure" that would cause an "adverse visual impact".

The council said the proposed car parking spaces in the plans were "isolated" and "insular", that they were being proposed "solely to serve the proposed development" and would be "segregated from the wider core area of Monksland".

The decision document, signed off by the council's planning department on Friday, stated that the proposed development would "fail to provide a sufficiently high-quality built environment," and was therefore contrary to the local authority's planning policy.

Furthermore, 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".

The council's decision added that the project "would militate against" the council's 'Smarter Travel Initiative', which encourages walking and alternative forms of transport, and would "fail to promote the principles of active travel and sustainable development".

The decision to refuse planning permission was met with collective disappointment by members of the council's Athlone Municipal District when they met this morning (Tuesday).

Addressing the "widespread upset" caused by the decision, Cllr Valerie Duffy said, as the news was "just breaking", she had still had to "investigate" the reasons for the proposed development's refusal.

However, she described the news as a "fresh blow" to the local Monksland community.

* For more, see this week's Westmeath Independent