Tesco scales back ‘excessive’ project

Date Published: 09-May-2013

BY ENDA CUNNINGHAM

Tesco has scaled back and redesigned plans for a €15 million supermarket in the Westside, in an effort to appease city planners and local residents.

Significant further information was submitted to City Hall this week which sees a reduction in the overall floor area, the relocation of the entrance road and the relocation of the service yard. The developers claim the changes will see a reduction in noise levels.

Last January, the Council sent applicant Micheál Ó hUigínn – who owns the land and has reached agreement in principle with Tesco – back to the drawing board to scale back the “excessive” plans because of a series of traffic concerns.

As a result, the gross floor area has been reduced from 10,163 square metres to 9,369 sq.m. (a reduction of 8%).

“The current design has significantly reduced predicted noise levels associated with access ramps and service yards within the development, compared to the original design.

“While the predicted noise levels associated with the original design were within relevant criteria, the levels associated with revised layout are within criteria by an even larger margin … and are not expected to increase ambient noise levels at the nearest noise sensitive locations, with the exception of activities associated with the recycling centre during night-time periods,” the submission reads. It is proposed to restrict operation of the recycling centre to between 7am and 11pm.

If the Council deems the new information adequate, a decision will be made within four weeks.

The proposal includes a supermarket which will also stock clothing, footwear, electrical goods, hardware and gardening equipment, while there will also be other shop units and a café/restaurant. There will also be a Farmers’ Market in the development.

It is expected that around 150 jobs would be created during the construction phase, and a further 250 full- and part-time when the store is up and running.

For more on this story, see the Galway City Tribune.