Rival fails to halt Tesco development

A new Tesco supermarket in Ballincollig, Cork, is now set to be built by O’Flynn Construction, after the High Court this week rejected a challenge to its planning by the owners of a nearby SuperValu.

With approval for a new 70,000 sq ft store just west of the main Ballincollig Town Centre complex, which is anchored by Dunnes Stores, Tesco will now join rival traders such as Dunnes, SuperValu (two Ballincollig stores), Aldi (who also have two Ballincollig shops) and Lidl.

The judicial review to An Bord Pleanála’s July 2012 grant of planning to O’Flynn Construction for the new Tesco units was made by Tramore, Co Waterford-based Leefield Ltd, who own a Ballincollig SuperValu. They argued that the new supermarket would reduce the viability of existing retailers in Ballincollig Town Centre. And, they argued that the planning appeals body had failed to give adequate reasons why it had overruled its own planning inspector on the case, who had recommended rejecting the Tesco plan because of insufficient connectivity to the existing town centre, favouring car-borne shoppers, and encroachment on adjacent woodland. The new phase or addition to the Ballincollig Town Centre, on the former Murphy Barracks, includes parking for 330 cars.