Mobile Mexican takeaway bids to become permanent

Planners have been asked to allow a mobile Mexican take-away – parked in a city filling station forecourt since Christmas – stay in place permanently.

And the City Council have been told that matters of anti-social behaviour do not concern them; instead, it is a policing matter.

‘Cantina’ is based in a converted corrugated shipping container, which also has an adjacent seating area at Topaz on Newcastle Road.

Topaz Energy Ltd have now sought permission for the retention of the food unit, arguing it will not have an undue impact on the surrounding area.

“The existing service station use of the site has been established for a long time. Over this time, it has operated successfully in close proximity to adjoining residential properties. The food use to be retained is compatible with this use. We submit that the proposed development will not result in undue impact on the immediate area.

“The limited nature of the development to be retained and its compatibility with the existing service station use on the site means it does not result in any significant planning or traffic related impacts,” the application reads.

Topaz also point out that the business model for fuel sales has changed significantly in recent years.

“There are 350 Topaz service stations throughout the country, making them Ireland’s largest network of forecourt retail stores. Topaz are looking to build on this position in the coming years and a key challenge in doing so will be in successfully responding to the changing nature of petrol retailing nationally.

“The growing importance of non-fuel retail business is driven by consumer choice and expectation which sees the customer being able to get petrol while also being able to get top-up convenience goods and hot food for consumption off the premises.

“In terms of the potential for anti-social behaviour in the area, while the applicants operate CCTV on the site to monitor and regulate activity, we submit that concerns about antisocial behaviour do not come directly within the scope of planning considerations, but are subject to a separate statutory code concerning public order,” the application reads.