Mart plan for retail outlet is rejected

EFFORTS by a Galway livestock mart to provide a retail unit on their property for the sale of farming equipment and machinery have again failed on the grounds that it would generate additional traffic in the area.

An Bord Pleanala also stated that the application by Athenry Livestock Mart to provide retail space – which would most likely be used for hardware purposes – would adversely affect the viability of the town centre.

Earlier this year Galway County Council refused planning permission for the retail unit at Prospect, Athenry and the mart then appealed this decision to an Bord Pleanala who have also turned it down. There were five objections locally to the planning application.

The Planning Appeals Board said that the 842 square metres retail space and warehouse would be close to a residential area and there would be a likely increase in traffic generated by the proposed development.

The Board noted that there was a high level of vacancy rates in the town centre and that the applicants (the mart) had not given sufficient consideration for possible alternative sites within the town centre for the retail business.

“Having regard to the edge of town location of the site, it is considered that the proposed development on land outside the town walls of Athenry would represent a significant threat to the vitality and viability of the town centre,” they stated in their ruling.

The Board also said that the development would be premature because of the existing deficiencies in sewerage facilities and pending the availability of the upgrade in the capacity of the public sewer and wastewater treatment plant.

They also said that in the absence or a traffic impact assessment and road safety audit, they had concerns over the high movement of heavy goods vehicles that the development would generate

“The road network in the vicinity of the site has not been shown to be capable of accommodating traffic safely. The proposed development would, therefore, give rise to traffic congestion and would endanger public safety by reason of traffic hazard,” it was stated in the decision.

Athenry Mart appealed the Galway County Council decision on the grounds that they had built a new private sewage treatment plant that could easily accommodate the development. They said that access to the site is by a newly constructed road off an existing roundabout. There are footpaths on either side of this road and the risk to children would be quite small, they said.

They add that no mart sales occur on Wednesdays, Fridays or Saturdays and all heavy goods vehicles would enter the site through the existing mart access. They also expressed a fear that mart sales could decrease – one of the reasons for the proposed development.

Items to be sold in the proposed new outlet would include farm gates, feeding pens, feeding troughs, animal feeds, milking equipment, disinfectants, small water pipes and light farm machinery.