German discount supermarket chain Lidl has been granted planning permission to build a foodstore at the Bank of Ireland site at Deansgrange crossroads despite opposition from local action groups. Edel Morgan reports.
An Bord Pleanála has granted permission for the development with 18 conditions.
It will involve the demolition of the existing bank premises and construction of a 1,297 sq m (13,960 sq ft) discount store and a new two-storey 469 sq m (5,048 sq ft) bank premises over basement car-park with ramped access from Kill Lane.
Deansgrange Residents Area Action Group (DRAAG) appealed planning permission granted by Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council saying it would preclude the development of a badly needed book store, music shop, video shop and café on the site.
It referred to the design as a "retail warehouse type-shed" and "a monster of a scheme" with "Frankenstein-like bolts on the bank premises" which is inappropriate on a high visibility site.
The other appellant, Deansgrange Traders Association, said the bulk, height and scale of the development will have an adverse impact on residential amenities. It also said that an increase in traffic congestion in the area could create difficulties in accessing business premises and a warehouse-type development would be detrimental to residential and visual amenity.
In 2002 Galway developers Bernard Duffy and John Lally failed in their bid to get planning permission for a mixed office and retail development on the site.
An Bord Pleanála upheld an appeal by Deansgrange Traders Association and Monkstown and Salthill Association who were concerned about the proposed development's excessive scale.
It overturned permission for offices, retail medical consulting rooms, a gym and car-parking because it failed to exploit the opportunity for a landmark development on this prominent corner site at this crossroads. An Bord Pleanála ruled that the supermarket and replacement bank would constitute an appropriate form of development at this location.
