Lidl Ireland has secured planning permission for a new store and over 40 apartments on the site of a former Ford dealership in Crumlin, despite strong opposition from local residents.
An Bord Pleanála rejected an appeal by a large group of residents against the decision of Dublin City Council to approve the planning application by the German discount supermarket group for the mixed-use development on the lands of the former Bright Ford Rialto on Herberton Road, Dublin 12.
The development proposes the construction of a six-storey building with 41 apartments on the top floors.
The supermarket, which will include an off-licence and bakery, will be located at first floor level over an underground car park and three retail units at ground floor level.
A landscaped courtyard will also be located at the second floor level.
The plans for the 0.45 hectare site near the Grand Canal also involve the demolition of existing buildings, including a salesroom and commercial warehouse.
Lidl had originally sought planning permission for a supermarket and 60 apartments in a six-storey building, but the company revised its plans in response to issues raised by council planners, including removing one storey from the front and rear of the premises.
Over a dozen residents of Herberton Road lodged a joint appeal against the project.
They claimed Lidl’s plans represented over-development of the site which would “materially impinge” on the residential and visual amenities of the area because of “severe overlooking and loss of privacy” to houses on two sides of the site.
The residents argued the project also represented “a piecemeal and incongruous approach to development.”
They claimed the scale of the development was “unacceptable and indicates a continuing complete and utter disregard” for the surrounding area.
The residents also expressed concern that the new supermarket would result in traffic hazards and overspill car parking in the area, as they maintained they had already witnessed incidents of children being struck by vehicles on Herberton Road.
They also voiced worry over the decommissioning of underground tanks from a former petrol station on the site, while they claimed the risk of flooding of the site had not been properly assessed.
In its ruling, An Bord Pleanála said the proposed development by Lidl constituted an acceptable form of mixed-use development in an urban location on a brownfield site.
The board said it would not seriously injure the residential or visual amenities of the area and would offer an acceptable standard of residential amenity for future residents.
It also concluded that the development would be acceptable in terms of pedestrian and traffic safety.
Separately, Lidl successfully challenged how Dublin City Council calculated the planning contribution it had to pay for the development, which resulted in its value being reduced by almost €120,000 to €627,658.
The €15 million investment by Lidl in its new store in Crumlin is also expected to create 60 new jobs.
