IKEA - Planning Inspector's recommendation

Having reviewed all material associated with this appeal, Senior Planning Inspector, Keith Sargeant, came to the following conclusions:

1. The proposed development would be acceptable in terms of traffic safety and convenience, subject to prior to trading, completion of the relevant section of the approved M50 upgrade and compliance with conditions relating to certain local road improvements, increased car parking subject to future review and certain ‘demand management’ interventions in the car parking and store opening/closing arrangements.

2. The proposed development would not be a source of significant adverse retail impact and would otherwise comply with the provisions of officially published Retail Planning Guidelines 2005 including, subject to compliance with road infrastructure/traffic management conditions, paragraph 84d of the said Guidelines.

3. Having regard to the submission for the planning authority that development of the scale and nature proposed, as presented in the context of paragraphs 84a-e of Retail Planning Guidelines 2005, would at most be one of very few such developments, nationally, the proposed development would not create a precedent for inappropriate out-of-town type retail developments in Ireland. It will always be the responsibility of national government to monitor the operation of retail guidelines and review them as appropriate in the public interest over time.

The following recommendation was made:

Grant permission subject to conditions having regard to the following reasons and considerations.

Having regard to the zoning and other provisions of the North Ballymun Local Area Plan, and the provision of Retail Planning Guidelines published by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in 2005 entitled “Retail Planning – Guidelines for Planning Authority”, and to the mitigation measures proposed in the Environmental Impact Statement (as amended) submitted with the planning application, it is considered that, subject to compliance with the following conditions, the proposed development would be acceptable in terms of traffic safety and convenience, would not adversely affect the retail hierarchy of the area and would be in accordance with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

The most onerous condition placed on this grant of planning permission was:

Prior to the first occupation or use of the proposed development for trading, the following improvements to the Ballymun Interchange shall have been fully completed to the satisfaction of the planning authority:-

(a)the works proposed in the M50 Motorway Upgrade Scheme 2004 for the Ballymun Interchange, as approved by An Bord Pleanála under reference number 06D.ER.2034, including the modifications relating to that Interchange (modification number 1(1) refers),

(b)the two-lane flare on the eastbound M50 off-ramp shall be at least 150 metres,

(c)the two-lane flare on the southbound R108 approach to the roundabout shall be at least 50 metres, and

(d)the two-lane flare on the westbound M50 off-ramp shall be at least 150 metres.

Reason: To avoid serious traffic congestion and in the interest of the convenience and safety of road users.

Other conditions attached to the grant are significant, including upgrades of other roads, a home delivery service, restricted opening hours, etc.

To read the full decision go to: www.pleanala.ie/IKEA.html

Brendan Buck