Planning given for motorway station in Cork
Two companies had sought planning to build service stations in north Cork, on the main Dublin route, but only one was given approval.
JR Oronco Ltd succeeded with its proposal for a service station on the M8 at Moorepark West near Fermoy, close to Junction 14.
Owned by local businesspeople, the company plans to develop a 2.8-hectare site 3km north of Fermoy town and adjacent to the Teagasc-owned agricultural research centre at Moorepark.
The plan incorporates a shop, restaurant, drive-through takeaway, fuel pumps, picnic area, and car wash in a canopy-covered forecourt.
The building to accommodate the retail area will be single storey with a floor area of 841.50sq m.
With the new scheme impacting on the local road network and the state-run Moorepark campus, the project promoters plan to create a new roundabout close by which will provide access to both the service station and the agricultural research centre.
There had been 13 objections to the JR Oronco application, some of which claimed the development would draw trade away from the commercial centre of Fermoy.
One objection noted that a planned new service station development had been approved for Cahir, Co Tipperary, approximately 33km from the Moorepark site, and claimed the JR Oronco project would impact on it.
An inspector with An Bord Pleanála said it was clear from the national roads service area policy that a motorway station should be located somewhere between junctions 13 (Mitchelstown) and 14 (Fermoy).
“In this regard, subject to the normal planning criteria identified, in principle it can be considered that the subject proposed site is suitable for the proposed development and, as such, a grant of planning permission would not constitute a material contravention of the (County) Development Plan,” the inspector said.
However, he said the proposed development was close to the source of an important public water scheme and suggested that could give rise to an increased risk of contamination.
The inspector also noted the proposed project could impact on private wells in the area, and he recommended a refusal of permission.
An Bord Pleanála overruled the inspector. In its conclusion, it said the service station would not have an unduly negative impact on the vitality of nearby retail centres, would be acceptable in terms of traffic safety, and would not pose a threat to public water drinking supplies.
Meanwhile, an application by Applegreen Service Areas Limited was turned down by An Bord Pleanála.
The company had sought permission to build a service station close to Junction 13 at Brigown, Mitchelstown. It had planned to construct a number of restaurants/cafes and a takeaway, a fuel area, and parking space for 124 cars, 20 HGVs, and five coaches.
Cork County Council had previously turned down the planning application for the site, 3km south of Mitchelstown.
An Bord Pleanála also refused permission on a number of grounds. It said such a large scale development was dependent on an effluent discharge system and, not satisfied with the company’s proposal, said the proposed development was close to the source of the Mitchelstown south water supply scheme.
The board said it was not satisfied “the proposal would not give rise to an unacceptable risk of pollution to ground water resources”.
