South Roscommon needs and deserves a new supermarket, says local priest
A local priest has voiced his support for a new supermarket in South Roscommon.
In a widely shared post on social media on the recent planning refusal for a Lidl in Monksland, Fr John Deignan PP of Ss Peter and Paul’s Parish said that the Monksland-Bealnamulla areas needed and deserved a new supermarket.
“The suburbs of Athlone continue to thrive, with housing estates steadily gaining planning permission and the population of the Monksland and Bealnamulla areas expanding at a remarkable pace,” he said. “However, such rapid growth brings an urgent responsibility: the need for core infrastructure and essential services to match the needs of an ever-changing community.”
Despite the increase in its population, he said that there was a “glaring disparity” in the services in Roscommon Town and Monksland. He said that a proposal for another supermarket in the area has been rejected three times, and “one must ask why?”
“Planners have cited concerns over traffic issues, but the simple truth is that the consumers are already here. Having local stores would actually reduce miles driven and cut down on the congestion caused by residents travelling to the opposite side of Athlone—or as far as Ballinasloe—just to do their weekly shopping,” he said.
He also questioned the consistency of planning refusals over a proposal's design.
He said concerns that Junction 13 of the dual-carriageway is at or near capacity were not a community or developer issue.
“It is a council and National Roads Authority responsibility that demands immediate attention if Roscommon County Council intends to keep greenlighting new housing estates in the area,” he continued. “In highlighting these challenges, there is no intention to diminish the hard-working local businesses currently providing jobs and vital services to our area.” He concluded that “competition is the mother of invention and value, and where there is healthy competition, everyone wins”, saying that the people of West Athlone deserved and needed a second supermarket, as well as proper services and facilities.
“To whoever holds the ultimate decision-making power: please look beyond rigid paperwork, consult properly with the community, consider the actual scale of this community, and finally plan well for its future.”
The deadline to appeal the planning refusal is this Friday.
