Plans by a family-owned funeral operator to set up a rival funeral home to Massey Bros’ newly opened facility in the south Dublin suburb of Goatstown have been delayed.
A local resident has lodged an appeal with An Bord Pleanála against the grant of planning permission to Fanagans Funeral Directors for a funeral home at 6 Willowfield Park, Goatstown, Dublin 14.
The delay of the Fanagans’ funeral home by the appeal lodged by Willowfield Park resident Michael Doyle follows the opening on Monday of the new Massey funeral home at The Goat Centre on Lower Kilmacud Road in Goatstown.
Commenting on the opening, a spokesman for Massey Bros said on Friday: “We have been looking after our families and will continue to serve the community here in Goatstown.”
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The owner of The Goat Centre, publican Charlie Chawke, secured planning permission for the Massey Bros funeral home in May despite an objection lodged by Fanagans. .
In turn, Fanagans lodged its own funeral home plan in June and secured planning permission last month, despite some opposition from residents.
The new Fanagans funeral home is to operate as an adjunct to the Fanagans premises in Dundrum.
However, in his appeal, Mr Doyle questioned the need for another funeral home for the Goatstown area.
He has told An Bord Pleanála that he does not believe that the council took account of the “oversupply of funeral homes in the area in its decision”.
“Fanagans operate a funeral home in Dundrum, located just under 1km from the proposed site at 6, Willowfield Park, effectively serving the same catchment area proposed in this application,” Mr Doyle said.
Mr Doyle said that “Fanagans’ premises in Dundrum, in combination with the proposed new facility at the nearby Goat site, meet the funeral requirements of this community”.
He went on to say that “no evidence has been provided to justify the implied local need for an additional funeral home in this location”.
Mr Doyle also argued that “a new establishment in an oversupplied area would constitute bad planning”. A decision is due in January.
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