Planning application lodged to regularise chipper van operation

A fast food operator at Clifden Mart is attempting to regularise his business following legal warnings from Galway County Council.

In 2015, Mark Furniss made headlines locally and nationally after he was served with warning letters by the County Council over his “unauthorised” chip van in the carpark of the mart.

The matter was subsequently referred to An Bord Pleanala with a query as to whether the chip van was considered exempt or if it required planning permission.

The Board ruled last September that Mr Furniss’ operation would require planning permission if he wished to continue in business.

It said that the impacts of his business such as possible noise, general disturbance, traffic, litter, fumes or odours, ‘constitutes development’ and required permission to continue in operation. “The car-park in question is being used for the placing of a van for the purpose of the sale of goods and the use of that land has therefore materially changed,” they stated in their ruling. They added that the car park was not designated for the purposes of a casual trading area.

Now, Liam Keogh has sought permission for a change of use of the forecourt of Unit 6 at the mart for use as an occasional retail/commercial trading use, including the sale of hot food for take-away.

According to the application, it arises from enforcement action being taken by the County Council against Mr Furniss and the An Bord Pleanala decision.

“This application is submitted in order to provide a pitch from which Mr Furniss can operate. The application is submitted in the name of Liam Keogh, who is the owner of the unit in question. No change of the unit itself is proposed.

“It is envisaged simply that Mr Furniss will park his van in this space and operate from that area.

“The use of part of the site for sales of the type envisaged ties in well with the overall [livestock sales facility] permission and indeed, the food sales conducted by Mr Furniss is only one of several that occupy the site, particularly when the mart is open.

“It would be [Mr Keogh’s] intention, however, to operate at other times too. The site is also open at other times anyway, as it includes operations such as Frank Acton Motors and an NCT centre which opens late into the evening,” the application reads.

A decision on the application is expected in mid-May.