Planning permission needed to sell chips outside Galway mart

THE owner of a chipper van who sells fast food to farmers outside a mart has been told that he must obtain planning permission in order to continue in business.

It was argued by the owner of the chipper – operating outside Clifden Mart – that on large sales days, there could be as many as 10 casual traders present.

However, An Bord Pleanála informed the owner of the van Mark Furniss that his presence outside the mart represented a change of use of the car-park and therefore required planning.

The Planning Appeals Board 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.

Galway County Council had issued Mr Furniss two warning letters in relation to what planners described as an “unauthorised operation” and told him that he should cease to operate his mobile catering business.

County planners had evidence of continued trading by Mr Furniss and issued warning letters to Clifden Mart along with another business in the immediate vicinity.

It was argued to county planners that the business involved the occasional use of the mart car park for the sale of hot food during sales days. Mr Furniss has been doing this for the past 10 years.

Plans of the exact area were submitted to the Council along with a photograph of the chipper van. It was suggested that the planning permission for a livestock mart implies a certain mix of uses with the actual sales.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.