Major retail project gets green light in West Offaly

An Bord Pleanála has upheld a decision by Offaly County Council to approve plans for a new filling station, retail outlet with off-licence, and restaurant in Cloghan.

At the end of March, the project was initially granted planning permission despite several a large number of local objections, but a subsequent appeal was lodged to the planning appeals board in a bid to overturn that verdict.

“Having regard to the zoning objective of the subject site, its location within an existing urban settlement and to the nature and scale fo the proposed development, it is considered that... the development would be acceptable and would not seriously injure the amenities of the area and would be acceptable in terms of traffic safety,” the board's direction stated recently, giving the green light to the project.

Applicants Martin and Pat Grogan plan to build a single-storey service station with petrol/diesel filling station with an off-licence, restaurant, picnic area, parking, and car wash covering the Creggan and Glosterboy townlands on the Ferbane Road.

The appeal submitted by several parties centred on concerns about traffic impacts on the N62 which they maintained would result in “congestion and queueing in the village.”

It also questioned the need for a second service station in a village of 600 and queried whether a fast food restaurant would be part of the development in such close proximity to a school.

Concerns were also raised about the design and scale of the filling station, possible noise from HGVS, signage, and the loss of a mature hedgerow and trees.

However, An Bord Pleanála opted to uphold the approval subject to compliance with 17 conditions – covering the size of the retail area, limits on the time that shop operates, landscaping, lighting, signage, CCTV, and construction operating times.