WORK ON the new Tesco hypermarket at Ramstown Lower, Gorey, can finally go ahead, after being given the green light by An Bord Pleanala last week.
The Board decided to grant permission for the 8,242 sq.m. food store building, despite a recommendation by its own Inspector that permission be refused.
An appeal to the original granting of permission by Wexford County Council, was lodged with An Bord Pleanala by RGDATA, the representative organisation for independent family grocers in Ireland. Two other appeals by local residents were subsequently withdrawn.
Niralcy Ltd, care of Pat Neville and Sons Ltd., Wexford, applied to construct a single storey food store, which will include 2,990 sq.m. for convenience goods, and 2,112 sq.m. for comparison goods; a customer cafe, a service yard, access roads, and a 606 space surface car park.
The Board said it believed the proposed development constituted an appropriate extension to the town centre, and would not affect the vitality and viability of the town centre.
One condition of giving the go-ahead was that some parking spaces to the west of the site be removed, and two landscaped strips be included in the car park. It also called for seating along the footpath to McCurtain Street, and some glazing along the western frontage of the hypermarket.
It also called for the omission of entrances opposite the southern section of the realigned Ramstown Road.
The development will include a link road, continuing on from Gorey Shopping Centre, just off The Avenue, up to the Ramstown Road junction with the old Enniscorthy Road.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Showing posts with label tesco and planning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tesco and planning. Show all posts
Monday, 19 September 2011
Tuesday, 5 July 2011
Tesco to seek planning permission for 5,000sq m superstore in Cavan
TESCO IRELAND is to seek planning permission within weeks from Cavan Town Council for a much larger store than its existing Main Street outlet. And it would be on an elevated site to the rear – acquired from the council itself.
Along with Cavan County Council, which owned part of it, the cash-strapped town council agreed to sell the nine-acre site, much of which would be used to provide some 400 free surface car parking spaces, to Tesco for €4.5 million.
The supermarket group, which is now the world’s third-largest retail chain (after Walmart and Carrefour), is also contributing €1.5 million towards the construction of a new inner relief road that would serve the proposed development on Cock Hill.
The town council needs the money. Since 2002, it has been paying rent of €400,000 per year for a multi-storey car park that is seriously under-patronised by shoppers; the peak occupancy rate for its 400 spaces is 30 per cent.
But this car park does not form part of Tesco’s plans. It is physically separated by a bowling alley from the site acquired by the company. Instead, Tesco will lay out free surface parking with direct access for shoppers to its new 5,000sq m superstore.
Given that there is a 15m difference in levels between Cock Hill and the town centre, an external staircase and liftshaft would link the new car park to the sloping car park that currently serves Tesco’s outlet on Main Street and other shops.
The company intends to put its existing store on the market. “We’ve spoken to people in the market and had a very positive response from quite large retailers wanting to get into Cavan,” said Michael Sullivan, customer liaison manager with Tesco Ireland.
Penneys, Next and A-Wear are believed to be interested, as there is a shortage of large retail units in the town, according to town manager Ger Finn. Tesco would not, of course, contemplate a sale of the existing 3,000sq m store to any of its rivals.
But Pacelli Lynch, former president of Cavan chamber, said 20 per cent of commercial units in the town centre were empty and 35 per cent were in arrears on their rental payments. “If Tesco puts them under pressure, I could see half of them going under.”
He was astonished when both town and county councillors voted to approve the sale of land to Tesco. “To position a superstore on top of a hill with its back to the town core and its own private customer car park is flawed because it will kill the town centre.”
Having sold Tesco the site, Mr Lynch said the town council would now find itself “acting as judge and jury in its own court” in dealing with the imminent planning application.
“It should have carried out its own retail impact assessment before agreeing to the sale.
“We know from other towns that have experienced ‘Tescopoly’, the final result is devastation for the original town core and for peripheral towns,” he said.
“Statistics show that for every job created by a superstore, 1.5 to two jobs are lost in the locality.”
In Cavan’s case, he said this would be compounded if the company also got approval for an adjoining petrol filling station.
Mr Sullivan insisted that this was not part of the plans and said Tesco would seek to “integrate” the new store with the town centre.
“We’re fully confident that, by working with the chamber of commerce, we can have strong linkages that will draw people to and from Main Street. This benefits us as well as the town centre and we’ll continue to work with the chamber and the council on that.”
Mr Sullivan said Tesco saw the new store as a “great opportunity” to hold Cavan customers in the town, rather than having them go to Enniskillen or “get on the M3 and drive to Blanchardstown”. This would also have a “spin-off” for other retailers in Cavan.
Tesco previously considered relocating its Cavan store to Lakelands Retail Park on the Dublin road, 1.5km from the town centre, but it was told by the town council that this was not a runner. This eventually led to the site on Cock Hill being selected for the scheme.
“We were between a rock and a hard place”, Mr Finn said. “Cavan is also a town of humps and hollows, and where Tesco is planning to build its new store is a big drumlin really. But at least it’s close to the main street rather than on the outside of town.”
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Along with Cavan County Council, which owned part of it, the cash-strapped town council agreed to sell the nine-acre site, much of which would be used to provide some 400 free surface car parking spaces, to Tesco for €4.5 million.
The supermarket group, which is now the world’s third-largest retail chain (after Walmart and Carrefour), is also contributing €1.5 million towards the construction of a new inner relief road that would serve the proposed development on Cock Hill.
The town council needs the money. Since 2002, it has been paying rent of €400,000 per year for a multi-storey car park that is seriously under-patronised by shoppers; the peak occupancy rate for its 400 spaces is 30 per cent.
But this car park does not form part of Tesco’s plans. It is physically separated by a bowling alley from the site acquired by the company. Instead, Tesco will lay out free surface parking with direct access for shoppers to its new 5,000sq m superstore.
Given that there is a 15m difference in levels between Cock Hill and the town centre, an external staircase and liftshaft would link the new car park to the sloping car park that currently serves Tesco’s outlet on Main Street and other shops.
The company intends to put its existing store on the market. “We’ve spoken to people in the market and had a very positive response from quite large retailers wanting to get into Cavan,” said Michael Sullivan, customer liaison manager with Tesco Ireland.
Penneys, Next and A-Wear are believed to be interested, as there is a shortage of large retail units in the town, according to town manager Ger Finn. Tesco would not, of course, contemplate a sale of the existing 3,000sq m store to any of its rivals.
But Pacelli Lynch, former president of Cavan chamber, said 20 per cent of commercial units in the town centre were empty and 35 per cent were in arrears on their rental payments. “If Tesco puts them under pressure, I could see half of them going under.”
He was astonished when both town and county councillors voted to approve the sale of land to Tesco. “To position a superstore on top of a hill with its back to the town core and its own private customer car park is flawed because it will kill the town centre.”
Having sold Tesco the site, Mr Lynch said the town council would now find itself “acting as judge and jury in its own court” in dealing with the imminent planning application.
“It should have carried out its own retail impact assessment before agreeing to the sale.
“We know from other towns that have experienced ‘Tescopoly’, the final result is devastation for the original town core and for peripheral towns,” he said.
“Statistics show that for every job created by a superstore, 1.5 to two jobs are lost in the locality.”
In Cavan’s case, he said this would be compounded if the company also got approval for an adjoining petrol filling station.
Mr Sullivan insisted that this was not part of the plans and said Tesco would seek to “integrate” the new store with the town centre.
“We’re fully confident that, by working with the chamber of commerce, we can have strong linkages that will draw people to and from Main Street. This benefits us as well as the town centre and we’ll continue to work with the chamber and the council on that.”
Mr Sullivan said Tesco saw the new store as a “great opportunity” to hold Cavan customers in the town, rather than having them go to Enniskillen or “get on the M3 and drive to Blanchardstown”. This would also have a “spin-off” for other retailers in Cavan.
Tesco previously considered relocating its Cavan store to Lakelands Retail Park on the Dublin road, 1.5km from the town centre, but it was told by the town council that this was not a runner. This eventually led to the site on Cock Hill being selected for the scheme.
“We were between a rock and a hard place”, Mr Finn said. “Cavan is also a town of humps and hollows, and where Tesco is planning to build its new store is a big drumlin really. But at least it’s close to the main street rather than on the outside of town.”
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Tuesday, 1 March 2011
Tesco gets permission for Temple Bar off-licence after successful appeal
TESCO HAS got the go-ahead for a controversial new off-licence in Dublin’s Temple Bar after successfully appealing a judicial ruling that it lacked the character to run such a premises.
Earlier this month, Judge Mary Collins of Dublin District Court rejected Tesco’s application for an off-licence at the former ESB showrooms in Temple Bar and called into question its character.
She also criticised the manner in which planning and off-licence applications had been made by it or on its behalf at a number of locations, including Thomas Street in Dublin and University Road in Galway.
The ruling could have made it difficult for Tesco Ireland to make applications for new licences and could have even placed existing ones in jeopardy. The retailer took the issue seriously and retained two of the State’s leading senior counsel – Dermot Gleeson and Constance Cassidy – to represent it in the Circuit Civil Court yesterday.
Opening the hearing, Mr Gleeson said the refusal to grant the company a licence had been made on the grounds of character, which was, he continued, “a very serious matter” for the company, particularly given its size. He pointed out that there were few contemporary examples of an applicant being denied an off-licence on such grounds. “It is not as if they were running a shebeen or hired some sort of lunatic as a manager or had a string of convictions,” Mr Gleeson said.
He said all of the concerns in the District Court had been raised on planning permission grounds and were not, in his view, sustainable. He said there was a clear distinction to be made between planning applications and off-licence applications. “There are different regimes dealing with different social matters,” he said, adding that there had never been a suggestion that one regime could be used as an instrument of the other.
He told the court that if planning matters could be used to determine the outcome of off-licence applications it would be “a radical revision of 150 years of law” which could be “breathtaking in its scope” and lead to “limitless inquiries” into the planning practices of every company making an application for an off-licence.
He also said full planning permission had been granted by both the local planning authority and, on appeal, by An Bord Pleanála
Dermot Breen, Tesco Ireland’s corporate affairs director, said it took its responsibilities with regard to the sale of alcohol very seriously. He said it had a “think 25 policy” which mandated that if staff thought a person attempting to buy alcohol was under that age, they had to ask them for ID. He also pointed out that over the course of the last decade the company had had close to 100 million transactions involving alcohol across its 130 licensed premises and only one conviction for selling drink to a minor. The objectors, the Griffin Retail Group, Griffin Central Ltd and traders supporting the Cultural Quarter Ltd, trading as Temple Bar Traders, were represented by Dorothy Collins SC and solicitor Ursula Courtney.
Ms Collins said doubts had been cast over the bona fides of Tesco Ireland by Judge Collins. She said Tesco had not properly applied for planning permission for the specific purpose of selling alcohol in a number of cases – a charge the store denied – and said it had also made multiple applications for planning in some stores that meant some potential objectors did not have the opportunity to have their concerns heard.
Judge Alison Lindsay said the objectors had missed their opportunity to object to the licence on ground of planning issues at the initial stages and could not do so now. She said Tesco Ireland had complied with all planning laws and the legal proofs necessary to obtain its certificate for a licence.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Earlier this month, Judge Mary Collins of Dublin District Court rejected Tesco’s application for an off-licence at the former ESB showrooms in Temple Bar and called into question its character.
She also criticised the manner in which planning and off-licence applications had been made by it or on its behalf at a number of locations, including Thomas Street in Dublin and University Road in Galway.
The ruling could have made it difficult for Tesco Ireland to make applications for new licences and could have even placed existing ones in jeopardy. The retailer took the issue seriously and retained two of the State’s leading senior counsel – Dermot Gleeson and Constance Cassidy – to represent it in the Circuit Civil Court yesterday.
Opening the hearing, Mr Gleeson said the refusal to grant the company a licence had been made on the grounds of character, which was, he continued, “a very serious matter” for the company, particularly given its size. He pointed out that there were few contemporary examples of an applicant being denied an off-licence on such grounds. “It is not as if they were running a shebeen or hired some sort of lunatic as a manager or had a string of convictions,” Mr Gleeson said.
He said all of the concerns in the District Court had been raised on planning permission grounds and were not, in his view, sustainable. He said there was a clear distinction to be made between planning applications and off-licence applications. “There are different regimes dealing with different social matters,” he said, adding that there had never been a suggestion that one regime could be used as an instrument of the other.
He told the court that if planning matters could be used to determine the outcome of off-licence applications it would be “a radical revision of 150 years of law” which could be “breathtaking in its scope” and lead to “limitless inquiries” into the planning practices of every company making an application for an off-licence.
He also said full planning permission had been granted by both the local planning authority and, on appeal, by An Bord Pleanála
Dermot Breen, Tesco Ireland’s corporate affairs director, said it took its responsibilities with regard to the sale of alcohol very seriously. He said it had a “think 25 policy” which mandated that if staff thought a person attempting to buy alcohol was under that age, they had to ask them for ID. He also pointed out that over the course of the last decade the company had had close to 100 million transactions involving alcohol across its 130 licensed premises and only one conviction for selling drink to a minor. The objectors, the Griffin Retail Group, Griffin Central Ltd and traders supporting the Cultural Quarter Ltd, trading as Temple Bar Traders, were represented by Dorothy Collins SC and solicitor Ursula Courtney.
Ms Collins said doubts had been cast over the bona fides of Tesco Ireland by Judge Collins. She said Tesco had not properly applied for planning permission for the specific purpose of selling alcohol in a number of cases – a charge the store denied – and said it had also made multiple applications for planning in some stores that meant some potential objectors did not have the opportunity to have their concerns heard.
Judge Alison Lindsay said the objectors had missed their opportunity to object to the licence on ground of planning issues at the initial stages and could not do so now. She said Tesco Ireland had complied with all planning laws and the legal proofs necessary to obtain its certificate for a licence.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Wednesday, 16 February 2011
Tesco criticised as application for off-licence rejected
TESCO’S CHARACTER has been called into question and doubts have been cast over its bona fides by a District Court judge who criticised the retail giant this week for the way planning and off-licence applications have been made by it or on its behalf.
In a ruling which could have implications for any future applications for off-licences which Tesco Ireland makes, Judge Mary Collins of Dublin District Court rejected an application for an off-licence at the former ESB showrooms in Temple Bar, where it plans to open a shop on the basis of the retailer’s character.
As all Tesco licences are applied for under one name – Tesco Ireland – the finding that it was not of sufficient character to hold a licence could make it difficult for it to make applications for new licences and could even place existing licences in jeopardy as they come up for renewal.
Tesco declined to comment on the judge’s ruling other than to say it would be launching an appeal.
While the District Court hearing focused on the new Tesco store on Fleet Street, Judge Collins expressed annoyance with the manner in which the retailer had handled a number of planning and off-licence applications.
Last summer Tesco applied for planning permission for the new Temple Bar store and, at the same time, made a court application for a declaratory order entitling it to a drinks licence once planning permission was granted.
There were no objectors to the application for the drinks licence and it was granted by Judge Collins, pending planning permission.
Despite objections to the planning application by Temple Bar Traders and other retailers in the area, it was approved by Dublin City Council and, at the end of last month, it was granted on appeal by An Bord Pleanála.
The planning board also approved the retailer’s application for its proposed off-licence.
Earlier this week, however, in Dublin District Court, Temple Bar Traders and others succeeded in an objection to the granting of the off-licence certificate.
This week’s objection was made on four grounds: the character, misconduct or unfitness of the applicant; the unfitness or inconvenience of the new premises; the unsuitability for the needs of persons residing in the neighbourhood and the adequacy of the existing number of licensed premises of the same character in the neighbourhood.
At the hearing, Judge Collins said the only objection she could entertain related to the character of Tesco as no application had been made at an earlier stage in connection with the other three objections.
According to a legal note of the proceedings seen by The Irish Times, Judge Collins described it as “disturbing” that Tesco had “an intention to make various applications in the hope to defeat prospective objectors”.
She was “mildly annoyed that an application be made to this court and that full facts in relation to planning not be disclosed” and described the “manner in which Tesco have applied in the past” as “of grave concern”.
She said Tesco had shown a “total lack of bona fides in making such applications. Is it such that the character of the applicant is in such doubt that the application should be refused?” she asked.
Judge Collins said if she had had any indication how Tesco had conducted planning applications when she was ruling on the declaratory order for Fleet Street, in Dublin city centre, she would have refused it until full planning had been granted.
“Was it granted erroneously – possibly? Having granted it, I deprived objectors of their right to object on other grounds other than character. I find it very hard to grant this application today, therefore I refuse it.”
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
In a ruling which could have implications for any future applications for off-licences which Tesco Ireland makes, Judge Mary Collins of Dublin District Court rejected an application for an off-licence at the former ESB showrooms in Temple Bar, where it plans to open a shop on the basis of the retailer’s character.
As all Tesco licences are applied for under one name – Tesco Ireland – the finding that it was not of sufficient character to hold a licence could make it difficult for it to make applications for new licences and could even place existing licences in jeopardy as they come up for renewal.
Tesco declined to comment on the judge’s ruling other than to say it would be launching an appeal.
While the District Court hearing focused on the new Tesco store on Fleet Street, Judge Collins expressed annoyance with the manner in which the retailer had handled a number of planning and off-licence applications.
Last summer Tesco applied for planning permission for the new Temple Bar store and, at the same time, made a court application for a declaratory order entitling it to a drinks licence once planning permission was granted.
There were no objectors to the application for the drinks licence and it was granted by Judge Collins, pending planning permission.
Despite objections to the planning application by Temple Bar Traders and other retailers in the area, it was approved by Dublin City Council and, at the end of last month, it was granted on appeal by An Bord Pleanála.
The planning board also approved the retailer’s application for its proposed off-licence.
Earlier this week, however, in Dublin District Court, Temple Bar Traders and others succeeded in an objection to the granting of the off-licence certificate.
This week’s objection was made on four grounds: the character, misconduct or unfitness of the applicant; the unfitness or inconvenience of the new premises; the unsuitability for the needs of persons residing in the neighbourhood and the adequacy of the existing number of licensed premises of the same character in the neighbourhood.
At the hearing, Judge Collins said the only objection she could entertain related to the character of Tesco as no application had been made at an earlier stage in connection with the other three objections.
According to a legal note of the proceedings seen by The Irish Times, Judge Collins described it as “disturbing” that Tesco had “an intention to make various applications in the hope to defeat prospective objectors”.
She was “mildly annoyed that an application be made to this court and that full facts in relation to planning not be disclosed” and described the “manner in which Tesco have applied in the past” as “of grave concern”.
She said Tesco had shown a “total lack of bona fides in making such applications. Is it such that the character of the applicant is in such doubt that the application should be refused?” she asked.
Judge Collins said if she had had any indication how Tesco had conducted planning applications when she was ruling on the declaratory order for Fleet Street, in Dublin city centre, she would have refused it until full planning had been granted.
“Was it granted erroneously – possibly? Having granted it, I deprived objectors of their right to object on other grounds other than character. I find it very hard to grant this application today, therefore I refuse it.”
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Saturday, 23 August 2008
Floods cast fresh doubt on Tesco's superstore plans
TESCO wants to build a new superstore on a flood-prone site which found itself under water once more during the recent heavy rains.
An Bord Pleanala is to decide on a planning application for the supermarket, which is proposed for a flood plain.
The planning appeals body will make its ruling next week on the controversial application by the retail giant to build a store on land which floods regularly in Portarlington, Co Laois.
Last week, the Minister for the Environment, John Gormley, said that he would introduce new planning guidelines to ensure an end to the practice of building on flood plains.
Mr Gormley's department submitted an objection to An Bord Pleanala against the development last March recommending that "no development" should take place in flood plains or "other areas that regularly flood".
Laois County Council granted permission for the development on flood plains adjacent to the River Barrow in the town in February.
However, there have been a number of objections to their ruling including appeals from the Department of the Environment and An Taisce.
Local councillor Michael Moloney said the site proposed for the new supermarket was "totally under water" last weekend after torrential rain.
"It was a shocking state of affairs," Mr Moloney told the Irish Independent.
Mr Moloney said planning permission was granted by the council despite the fact that no funding was available to carry out essential flood relief works at the site.
However, the OPW rejects any suggestion that it was to fund flood relief works at the Tesco site in Portarlington.
Risk
A statement from the agency said: "The OPW's contribution is to provide flood protection to deal with the existing flood risk in the town of Portarlington. Any protection works to development sites is a matter for the developer and the planning authority."
Meanwhile, Mr Moloney said the council should have "never indicated" that planning permission would be granted for the supermarket to be built on the flood plains.
"I can see no way this can go ahead next week. It also begs the question about whether or not our county council should be the planning authority in these areas," he added.
Portarlington resident David Orford objected to the development on the flood plains.
"I cannot understand how Laois County Council granted planning permission for this site, it floods on an annual basis. There's pictures going back the last 20 years. Our house is close to the river and last week the water came up to our door almost. There were more places flooded along Patrick Street, that have never flooded before, since all of the development along here," he added.
A spokesperson for Laois County Council was unavailable for comment.
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
An Bord Pleanala is to decide on a planning application for the supermarket, which is proposed for a flood plain.
The planning appeals body will make its ruling next week on the controversial application by the retail giant to build a store on land which floods regularly in Portarlington, Co Laois.
Last week, the Minister for the Environment, John Gormley, said that he would introduce new planning guidelines to ensure an end to the practice of building on flood plains.
Mr Gormley's department submitted an objection to An Bord Pleanala against the development last March recommending that "no development" should take place in flood plains or "other areas that regularly flood".
Laois County Council granted permission for the development on flood plains adjacent to the River Barrow in the town in February.
However, there have been a number of objections to their ruling including appeals from the Department of the Environment and An Taisce.
Local councillor Michael Moloney said the site proposed for the new supermarket was "totally under water" last weekend after torrential rain.
"It was a shocking state of affairs," Mr Moloney told the Irish Independent.
Mr Moloney said planning permission was granted by the council despite the fact that no funding was available to carry out essential flood relief works at the site.
However, the OPW rejects any suggestion that it was to fund flood relief works at the Tesco site in Portarlington.
Risk
A statement from the agency said: "The OPW's contribution is to provide flood protection to deal with the existing flood risk in the town of Portarlington. Any protection works to development sites is a matter for the developer and the planning authority."
Meanwhile, Mr Moloney said the council should have "never indicated" that planning permission would be granted for the supermarket to be built on the flood plains.
"I can see no way this can go ahead next week. It also begs the question about whether or not our county council should be the planning authority in these areas," he added.
Portarlington resident David Orford objected to the development on the flood plains.
"I cannot understand how Laois County Council granted planning permission for this site, it floods on an annual basis. There's pictures going back the last 20 years. Our house is close to the river and last week the water came up to our door almost. There were more places flooded along Patrick Street, that have never flooded before, since all of the development along here," he added.
A spokesperson for Laois County Council was unavailable for comment.
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Saturday, 29 September 2007
Concern grows over Tesco's plans for Carrick filling station
TESCO’S PLANS for a petrol filling station in Carrick-onShannon have been described as “bad news for north east Roscommon”. Now a Fianna Fail county councillor has claimed that the region will have an economic fight on its hands if permission is given for the development.
Already an application lodged with Leitrim County Council by Tesco for a petrol filling station, shop kiosk, car wash and canopy, at its Carrickon-Shannon supermarket site has caused a storm of controversy. Objectors claim that it could have serious consequences for small familyrun businesses and jobs in Carrick-on-Shannon and in north east Roscommon.
Cllr Eugene Murphy has claimed that family-run businesses in Roosky, Elphin, Strokestown and the Boyle area would find it extremely difficult to survive if Tesco got the go-ahead from Leitrim County Council. “I have no desire to become involved in the affairs of another local authority area, but the outcome of this could be very crucial to Northeast Roscommon. There are many family businesses in my part of County Roscommon, and if the Carrickon-Shannon Tesco development gets the green light, they will have to shed jobs and in some cases I believe will have to close their doors. We cannot sacrifice the filling stations and shops remaining in our region so as to build up one or two towns. I also believe that shops and filling stations in the general Carrick-onShannon area will be very vulnerable if this development goes ahead, but I will leave that side of the argument to the various representatives in that region,” he said. While Cllr Murphy did acknowledge that Tesco did give “decent employment” in the region, he warned “further development will be at the expense of other jobs in the area. “I am now making written contact with the Leitrim County Manager to outline my concerns on this issue. This multi-national group admittedly does give decent employment in the general region, but remember, if further development leads to job losses in other parts of the region, then jobs are only being replaced. I accept one cannot always interfere with a free market, but surely we must not allow big powerful groups to rule the roost completely.” he concluded.
BRENDAN MCCARTHY
Roscommon Herald
Already an application lodged with Leitrim County Council by Tesco for a petrol filling station, shop kiosk, car wash and canopy, at its Carrickon-Shannon supermarket site has caused a storm of controversy. Objectors claim that it could have serious consequences for small familyrun businesses and jobs in Carrick-on-Shannon and in north east Roscommon.
Cllr Eugene Murphy has claimed that family-run businesses in Roosky, Elphin, Strokestown and the Boyle area would find it extremely difficult to survive if Tesco got the go-ahead from Leitrim County Council. “I have no desire to become involved in the affairs of another local authority area, but the outcome of this could be very crucial to Northeast Roscommon. There are many family businesses in my part of County Roscommon, and if the Carrickon-Shannon Tesco development gets the green light, they will have to shed jobs and in some cases I believe will have to close their doors. We cannot sacrifice the filling stations and shops remaining in our region so as to build up one or two towns. I also believe that shops and filling stations in the general Carrick-onShannon area will be very vulnerable if this development goes ahead, but I will leave that side of the argument to the various representatives in that region,” he said. While Cllr Murphy did acknowledge that Tesco did give “decent employment” in the region, he warned “further development will be at the expense of other jobs in the area. “I am now making written contact with the Leitrim County Manager to outline my concerns on this issue. This multi-national group admittedly does give decent employment in the general region, but remember, if further development leads to job losses in other parts of the region, then jobs are only being replaced. I accept one cannot always interfere with a free market, but surely we must not allow big powerful groups to rule the roost completely.” he concluded.
BRENDAN MCCARTHY
Roscommon Herald
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