Residents and businesses opposed to out-of-town retail park
Between 180 and 200 long-term jobs were envisaged for the proposed project on the Limerick Road in Ennis.
Developers Michael Lynch lodged plans in December after a previous application for a retail development at the same location was turned down by An Bord Pleanála in October 2006.
At that time, residents had appealed an Ennis Town Council decision to grant permission.
The promoters are aiming to have the development opened by January 2013 and estimate the turnover to be around €46.4m in its first year.
However, a stream of local organisations including the Ennis Chamber of Commerce, the O’Connell Street Traders’ Association, Abbey Street Traders have all lodged objections.
In its submission, An Taisce claimed there was no demand for further retail development and suggested there was “a need to first fill in all those newly-built and old standing retail developments before building yet another ghost development”.
Director general of RGDATA Tara Buckley states the plan “goes against the spirit of the retail planning guidelines of Ennis town centre”.
Ennis Chamber of Commerce noted there are currently 70 vacant units in Ennis, pointing out the proposed development comprises three times this level of space. The chamber states that “there are many examples around the country where town and city centres have been decimated by new developments on the outskirts.
“The proposed development on the Limerick Road is out of town and does not support the strategy of integrating any new projects with the existing retail area as close as possible to the centre and edge of centre.”
It warned of other situations where outside developments “resulted in the deterioration of the core centre including Limerick, Sligo, Nenagh and Tralee to name but a few.”
Chairman of the O’Connell Street Traders Association, Gearóid Mannion, claimed “the proposed development would have a significant detrimental effect on the existing businesses in Ennis town centre leading to job losses and business closures. An ample supply of unoccupied retail floor space already exists in and around the town centre.”
With a decision due later this month, the Tobarteascain and College Park Association of Residents insisted the plan would have a highly detrimental impact on the character and function of the area. “It will bring a total change to every resident in the area, especially to Tobarteascain and almost none of it for the better.”
