LIDL PLANS IN MALLOW ARE SHOT DOWN BY COUNCIL
PLANNERS TAKE ON BOARD ISSUES RAISED BY TESCO IN THEIR SUBMISSION ON THE PROPOSAL
AN application by German discount giant Lidl for a second outlet on the Park Road in Mallow has been shot down by Cork County Council planners.
In July the company lodged an application for the new store on a vacant 1.08 hectare site at the western end of the N72 Park Road. Lidl already has a busy store at the other end of the road close to its junction with Bridge Street.
The application made provision for the construction of a new licenced discount food store and ancillary works with a gross floor area totalling 2,866 sq metres and ranging in height from one to two storeys.
It had been proposed that the ground floor would incorporate an off-licence, bakery, lobby, toilets, offices and storage rooms, with a staff canteen, IT department and meetings rooms on the upper floor.
The plan made further provision for 119 parking spaces, with vehicular and pedestrian access via a new site entrance on the Park Road.
At the time a spokesperson for Lidl said the company was not in a position to confirm whether or not the new store would replace the existing Park Road store.
“The new store will not only enhance the customer service, but will also be kinder to the environment using both smart new technology and materials,” said the spokesperson.
However, the location of the planned new store did raise some eyebrows, not least because of the threat of flooding along the Park Road which is part of the designated Mallow flood plain.
That very issue was one raised in a submission lodged with planners on behalf of rival Tesco who, while welcoming the development of the “underutilised site” expressed concerns that the Lidl store “could increase the risk of flooding in the area.”
In their submission Tesco also expressed concern about what they described as the “standard box design” of the store, which they maintained was of “little visual interest” and would “not address the street or the prominent corner location of the site.”
In their ruling County Council planners cited three specific reasons for refusing the application, the “high probability of flooding” on the Park Road being one of them.
“The planning authority is not satisfied the proposed development, in conjunction with existing development, would not contribute to increased fluvial flood risk” wrote planners who said they were also concerned about access for emergency services in the event of a flood.
They also ruled that the planned development had the potential to “contribute to adverse effects on the integrity of the Blackwater Special Area of Conservation (SAC).
Council planners also ruled the “design, scale, form, siting and layout” of the proposed store would “not relate successfully with Park Road or adjoining town centre lands in Mallow” and “would not integrate successfully” with the existing townscape.
“The proposed development would, therefore, be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area,” they wrote.
The Corkman attempted to contact Lidl for a comment on the refusal or if it will be appealed but was unable to get in contact with a spokesperson.