Avoca in planning battle with locals over Monkstown cafe

One of the State's best known retail brands, Avoca, is fighting a planning battle to retain the operation of a cafe at one of its Dublin outlets.

A group of Monkstown residents have appealed a decision by Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council giving Avoca permission to retain a change of use from creche to cafe at its Monkstown outlet.

The council granted planning retention to Avoca after finding that the development was acceptable and would not seriously injure or detract from the amenities of the area or of property in the vicinity.

The local authority gave Avoca the go-ahead to retain the cafe at Monkstown Crescent after the retailer said the food for the cafe is produced in Bray each day. Avoca said no food is cooked in the building.

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However, the permission has been put on hold after the Longford Terrace Residents' Association lodged an appeal to An Bord Pleanála.

The appeal states that Monkstown already suffers problems associated with considerable traffic as a result of inadequate parking provision.

The residents claim that it is likely that the intensification of the existing Monkstown Avoca operation is already exacerbating these issues.

The residents say the village needs a creche and not another coffee shop.

They further claim that the existing shop and restaurant at Avoca results in considerable nuisance and negative impacts on the residential amenity of the residents of Longford Terrace.

A decision is due on the appeal at the end of May.