Plans for large service station on Cork-Limerick road near Mallow rejected by An Bord Pleanála

Planning board said scale of development would 'detract from the vitality and viability' of Mallow town centre

Developer disputed the council’s claims that the service station would become a destination for local customers which would draw trade from Mallow town centre. Picture: Denis Scannell

Plans for a large new service station on the N20 Cork-Limerick road on the outskirts of Mallow have been rejected because of its potential negative impact on the town centre.

An Bord Pleanála also refused planning permission for the project proposed by development firm, Sirio Investment Management, on the grounds it could potentially adversely affect EU protected sites in the vicinity including the Blackwater River Special Area of Conservation.

The company had appealed the decision of Cork County Council to reject its application for the new service station.

Sirio Investment Management, which has also been involved in plans to build apartment blocks in Cork City, had sought approval for the construction of a large forecourt building containing a retail shop, delicatessen, restaurant with drive-through facility, toilets and an external seating area, together with electric vehicle charging stations with parking for cars, coaches and heavy goods vehicles on a 1.6 hectare site on the western side of the Limerick road about 500m north of the N20-N72 roundabout.

The site has been vacant for 14 years but previously operated as an Esso service station and shop.

The developer also planned to construct a new access link to a road behind the site which runs along the Cork-Dublin railway line.

The company argued national guidelines for developments affecting national primary routes were not applicable as the site was located within a 50k/ph speed limit area.

It disputed the council’s claims that the service station would become a destination for local customers which would draw trade from Mallow town centre.

The developer claimed the need for a range of on-site amenities was due to the electric charging points as customers would have a longer dwell time.

They also argued such facilities would encourage more motorists to switch to more sustainable forms of transport.

While Cork County Council acknowledged the site was suitable as a location for a service station, council planners said the extent and scale of the additional services were excessive, given its proximity to Mallow’s town centre.

The local authority also claimed the planning application was premature given plans for the development of the M20 motorway between Cork and Limerick, although it was not cited as a factor for the refusal by An Bord Pleanála.

In its ruling, the board said the plans ran contrary to national roads guidelines which required such facilities to be “plan-led and be designed to avoid the attraction of short-based car trips from the local area”.

It noted there was already a similar service area nearby.

The board said the project also conflicted with the retail policy objective of the Cork County Development Plan 2022-2028 as its scale would “detract from the vitality and viability” of Mallow town centre.

In addition, the board said it could not be satisfied, based on environmental reports provided by the developer, that the proposed service station would not adversely affect the Blackwater River SAC because of the potential for the discharge of contaminated water to a local stream which runs into the Blackwater.