Plans for new supermarket in County Roscommon rejected by An Bord Pleanála

An Bord Pleanála has rejected plans for a new supermarket in the county.

In December 2023, Roscommon County Council’s decision to refuse planning permission for a new supermarket in Monksland, South Roscommon was appealed to An Bord Pleanála. 

The council refused permission on November 21st saying it would be “contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area”. The developers lodged the appeal on December 15th.

An Bord Pleanála upheld the appeal last Friday, despite the inspector’s report recommending planning be granted subject to a number of conditions.

The board agreed with the council that the development’s design, layout, and siting was not in accordance with the Roscommon County Development Plan. It said that the development as proposed would not contribute to place making, the layout was car dominated, lacked a distinctive sense of place, and did not contribute to a the consolidation of the built up area.

“The building design at this prominent location does not enhance its setting and therefore the proposed development does not accord with the proper and sustainable development of the area,” the board said.

On September 27th 2023, Roscommon County Council received the planning application from MCS River Village Limited for a single storey supermarket with an ancillary off-licence sales area in Monksland South Roscommon.

The development was proposed for a greenfield site of .914ha on lands to the south of a T-junction on the R362 and immediately south of the Joe Duffy car showroom.

The proposal received by the council had a gross floor area of 2,210 square metres, with a net sales area of around 1,425 square metres.

The development proposal included 127 parking spaces, featuring four electric vehicle charging spaces, six parent and child spaces, and four accessible spaces. Additionally, 23 spaces were to be pre-wired for future electric vehicle charging.