215966
The development to total 2,540.42 sq m gross floor space will consist of: The demolition of the existing Lidl Licenced Discount Foodstore (1,768 sqm gross floor space with 1,334 sqm net retail sales area), removing/closing of the existing entrance to the Lidl Foodstore at the R612 Crosshaven Road Roundabout, and the construction of a public town car park facility to comprise the following: 212 no. surface car parking spaces (8 no. disabled and 204 no. regular) and 20 no. bicycle parking spaces; site lighting and new electricity substation (32.71 sqm); primary vehicular and pedestrian access to the proposed public car park will be via an enhanced access/new access from the R612 Strand Road; secondary vehicular and pedestrian access to the proposed public car park will be via a controlled road access link to a proposed replacement Licenced Discount Foodstore; and dedicated pedestrian access from the R612 Crosshaven Road Roundabout will further enhance pedestrian permeability through the site. The construction upgrade/widening of approximately 200 metre section of the R612 Crosshaven Road and Road Roundabout to comprise the following: upgrade/widening along the Southern side of the existing R612 Crosshaven Road carriage way to include a new dedicated pedestrian footpath; upgrading of R612 Crosshaven Road Roundabout; and public road lighting along both sides of the upgraded/widened section of the R612 Corasshaven Road. Removing of the existing entrance at R612 Crosshaven Road to council yard/circus field and the construction of the proposed replacement mono-pitched Licenced Discount Foodstore (2,475 sq m Gross Floor Space) to comprise the following: a retail sales area with ancillary off-licence use and bakery (total net sales area of 1,670 sq m), entrance pod, public facilities (incl. lobby and toilets), staff facilities (incl. lobbies, operations office, meeting room, staff room, showers and toilets),storage (incl. Cold storage), IT room, plant room, plant deck, delivery area and external plant compound; rooftop photovoltaic solar panel array totalling 800 sq m, corporate signage consisting of 2 no. building mounted corporate internally illuminated sign, 1 no. free standing internally illuminated flag pole sign at new access road from the R612 Crosshaven Road, 3 no. wall mounted externally illuminated poster panel display boards and 1 no. free standing external illuminated poster display board, covered trolley bay and 10. No bicycle parking spaces area (49.6 sq m); 139 no. surface car parking spaces (8 no. disabled, 7 no. parent and child, 2 no. EV charging and 122 no. regular) and 7 no. motorcycle parking spaces; site lighting and new electricity substation (32.71 sq m); primary vehicular and pedestrian access to the proposed replacement Licenced Discount Foodstore will be via a new access road with public lighting from the R612 Crosshaven Road and entrance; secondary vehicular and pedestrian access to the proposed replacement Licenced Discount Foodstore will be via a controlled road access link to the new public town car park facility. The overall site construction also consists of raising of site levels, boundary treatments, hard and soft parkland landscaping with dedicated landscaped pedestrian access routes to further enhance pedestrian permeability through the site, services (including 2 no. below ground attenuation tanks) and all other ancillary infrastructure and associated site development works above and below ground level. This planning application will be accompanied by a Natura Impact Statement.
Core Planning Reasoning
The development was refused due to two primary factors: the provision of an oversupply of standalone car parking which contradicts the sustainable transport and urban design objectives of the Carrigaline Transportation and Public Realm Enhancement Plan (TPREP); and a failure to demonstrate through adequate flood risk assessment that the proposed extensive site infilling in Flood Zone A would not increase flood risk elsewhere.
Decision Maker's Conclusion
- The proposed 212-space standalone town car park is anachronistic and militates against the Carrigaline TPREP objectives to promote modal shift and enhance the public realm.
- The applicant failed to provide sufficient evidence that raising the site level through significant infilling (25,000m³) in a fluvial flood zone would not result in residual flood risk to neighboring properties.
- The layout represents a poor urban design response for a town-centre edge location, lacking a strong urban edge and failing to coordinate with planned pedestrian and cycle bridge infrastructure.