This article is from page 14 of the 2005-10-04 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 14 JPG
A SECOND retail giant has made moves to prevent the developers of Skycourt Shannon from realising the €135 million redevelopment of Shannon Town.
German-owned retail multiple Lidl has lodged an objection against plans by the Shan- non Town Centre Management Company to construct two new retail buildings in Shannon, which would include a garden centre in one and a medical centre in the second.
The move by Lidl — which operates a store at Shannon town — to try to block the plans fol- lows Tesco last May appealing to an An Bord
Pleanala, a decision by Clare County Council giving the go-ahead to radically extend the centre to include a new department store, 18 retail units, an enclosed mall and a four-storey 400 space car park.
The Shannon Town Centre Management Company, in a submission to the Council, has admitted that the phase facing opposition from Tesco “is effectively stalled” and that the plan to develop a six-storey hotel and a multi-screen cinema has been abandoned.
The applicants state that the hotel and multi- screen cinema have been abandoned due to onerous parking requirements imposed on the proposal, which could not be met econom1-
cally.
Lid] state that, “In our opinion, the proposed development would be contrary to the proper planning and development of the area, as the proposal infringes on part of the public right of way. Car parking and safety arrangements have not been thoroughly examined.
“The proposed development’s design is out of scale with the existing town centre buildings. The parking arrangements proposed are totally unacceptable.
“The proposed development lacks cohe- sion and commercial synergy with the Shan- non Town Centre Shopping Centre. It is clear that the development is trying to overdevelop a
small parcel of land. This is poor estate man- agement and is not in the interests of proper planning and sustainable development of the area.
“The proposed development is totally out of character with the adjoining buildings. Having regard to the location of the existing buildings in the development, the proposal is completely out of scale and therefore contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development.
‘An inadequate traffic impact assessment has been provided which does not comprehensively deal with safety and car-parking issues.”
A decision is due on the application later this month.