Bord Pleanála rejects two M8 service stations

Tired drivers hoping for a much-needed pitstop at motorway service stations in Cork will have to hang on longer as An Bord Pleanála has shot down the first two applications for such facilities.

Planning permission had been approved by Cork County Council last year for the multimillion-euro service stations on the M8 (Cork-Dublin) motorway at separate locations near Fermoy and Mitchelstown.

When plans were lodged, the operators, JR Oronoco Ltd and Applegreen Service Areas Ltd respectively, said their developments would create hundreds of jobs but, as a result of a number of appeals, the applications went to An Bord Pleanála which has now ruled against both of them.

JR Oronoco intended to build a new entrance off the motorway 3km north of Fermoy at Junction 14, near Moorepark. The company wanted to develop a shop, sit-down restaurant, takeaway, fuel pumps, toilets, and showers, as well as parking spaces for 93 cars and 16 coaches.

Applegreen’s application at Junction 13, near Brigown, Mitchelstown, was somewhat similar, but its carpark had capacity for 71 cars, 12 lorries, and three coaches.

Conor McGrath, who was An Bord Pleanála’s inspector for both cases, said he was not satisfied with the Applegreen application because it was located within the source protection zone of the Mitchelstown south water supply scheme.

He wrote: “Having regard to the nature of the uses proposed on the site and notwithstanding the proposed zero-discharge design of the on-site wastewater treatment and disposal proposals, the board is not satisfied that this location is suitable or appropriate for such development or that it would not give rise to an increased risk of contamination of this important public water supply source.”

In addition, Mr McGrath said that, owing to the topography of the site, it would require extensive earthworks and in-filling.

This, he said, was likely to make the development “highly visible which would seriously injure the visual amenity of the area” and therefore it was “contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area”.

Commenting on JR Oronoco’s plans, Mr McGrath said their proposed facility was set within the Fermoy greenbelt area.

He said policy enshrined in the county development plan and the Fermoy electoral area local area plan stated that such development will only be allowed where it is of a strategic and exceptional nature.

Mr McGrath added that in the case of both applications a nationally co-ordinated policy was needed on where service stations should be developed.

The inspector made reference in his report to the Spatial Planning and National Roads Guidelines issued by the Department of the Environment in January 2012.

That advocates that a proliferation of private offline service area facilities at national road junctions shall be avoided.