Cinema expansion plan rejected by An Bord Pleanála
A Wexford Omniplex plan to build a restaurant and leisure centre along with badly-needed extra car parking spaces to avoid congestion on the Rosslare Road has been rejected by An Bord Pleanála despite an inspector’s recommendation that planning permission should be granted.
Omniplex Holdings appealed against a County Council decision to refuse permission for four units and 146 car parking spaces at Drinagh with the buildings to be used for restaurant/and or leisure and entertainment.
An Bord Pleanála has decided that the development on the outskirts of town with a large number of car parking spaces would have an adverse effect on the ‘vitality and viability’ of the existing town centre and added that leisure is not permitted on lands zoned for commercial use in the Development Plan.
The decision was made in spite of a recommendation in favour of the development by the An Bord Pleanála inspector Dáire McDevitt who investigated the appeal. that the application be granted subject to conditions.
The inspector noted that the existing use of the The board said that in deciding not to grant the site as a cinema is already ‘ leisure/entertainment’ inspector’s recommendation, it accepted the decision and considered the proposed uses to be ‘acceptable of the planning authority and considered that by reason in principle’. of conflict with zoning provisions, location and
It was also noted in the inspector’s report that design, the proposed development would not be in there was no issue with a restaurant on the site at the accordance with the proper planning and sustainable pre-planning stage and that the application was made development of the area. following a discussion with the Council to address The appeals board said the proposed development parking problems on the Rosslare road as a result of would be contrary to the overall aims of the Wexford a car parking shortage on site. County Retail Strategy and the current Development
An executive planner with Wexford County Council Plan for the location.It also said the design and layout who dealt with the original planning application had of the development failed to meet the standard also recommended that permission be granted but required for a building located on the Rosslare Road the senior planner subsquently overturned this recommendation and would result in ‘a poor urban form’. and said permission should be refused The appeal was submitted by planning consultant on design and traffic grounds. Ian Doyle on behalf of Omniplex Holdings owned by
Likewise, An Bord Pleanála went against the recommendationdirector Paul Andersonof its inspectorand his wife who Margaret. recommended