RGDATA appeal Lidl planning permission for Knocknacarra

Galway City Tribune – The representative group for independent and family-owned grocery outlets has appealed against plans for a new Lidl supermarket in Knocknacarra.

RGDATA said it is concerned with the “proliferation of planned and permitted convenience stores” and that there is no need for another supermarket in the area as Aldi is next door and Dunnes across the road.

When the €2.5m supermarket and café were approved by Galway City Council last month, Lidl said the decision came despite what they described as “spurious and vexatious” submissions from RGDATA and Tesco.

In fact, Tesco said approved ‘in principle’ the development off Bóthar Stiofáin and the Western Distributor Road, but wanted to see an amended design to improve the streetscape.

The plans are for a 2,185 square metre supermarket on the 1.5-acre site adjacent to Aldi and a 103 sq m stand-alone café. In total, the development would create 35 jobs and take around 14 months to complete.

In its appeal, RGDATA said the development would undermine the primacy of the city centre, and would allow that part of Knocknacarra/Rahoon to function almost exclusively as a retail destination.

It notes that in addition to the adjacent Dunnes and Aldi, Supervalu in Barna is 4.2km away; Joyce’s Supermarket 900 metres away [RGDATA represents Supervalu’s parent Musgraves and Joyce’s]; Dunnes in Westside 1.7km away and Aldi Westside is 2km away.
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