Circle K moves to block proposed Applegreen service area near Dunshaughlin

Petrol station operator Circle K is opposing plans by rival service station operator Applegreen to construct a service area and electrical vehicle (EV) charging hub off the M3 motorway in Co Meath.

The Applegreen proposal is to comprise 36 EV charging stations, fuel pumps, a shop, two food outlets including a drive-through with seating for 166 customers on a site near Junction 6 on the M3 motorway about 1km from Dunshaughlin in Co Meath.

In the proposal Applegreen owner Petrogas Group is seeking to add to the 194 service areas it operates nationally, including nine motorway service areas (MSAs).

The planning consultant for Petrogas, Declan Brassil Co, contends that the “due to its limited scale and offering, and its location remote from the town centre, the proposed development will not undermine the retailing role and function of Dunshaughlin”.

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Mr Brassil points out that service area policy has stated that a service area should be provided on the M3 between Junction 4 and 7 or Dublin and Kells.

He told Meath County Council that Transport Infrastructure Ireland commenced consultation in respect of an M3 service area but there has been no progress since August 2017, which has left the M3 without necessary services.

Applegreen was previously refused planning permission by An Bord Pleanála for a motorway service area at the location, and Mr Brassil says the new scheme is reduced and the reasons for refusal for the previous application have been addressed in the new plan.

However, planning consultants for Circle K, Coakley O’Neill Town Planning, says that the application should be refused.

Circle K today operates 410 service station sites across the island including one at Ballymurphy, Dunshaughlin, and Dave Coakley has told the council that the scheme constitutes a motorway service area in an area that has not been designated for a development of that nature.

Mr Coakley argued that submitting a slightly modified proposal to the one that was refused does not address the reasons for refusal in a substantial way. He said that “while no mention is made of future expansion, it is evident to us that the proposal will become a destination in its own right, and be of a substantial size and nature so as it undermines the vitality of the town centre”.

Mr Coakley added that on this basis it is submitted that the proposed development would seriously impact on the vitality and vibrancy of Dunshaughlin.

The Meath County Council is due to make a decision on the application next month.