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A BRITISH MULTINATIONAL already under investigation by two local authorities for planning violations is operating another store in Dublin without proper planning permission.
Documents seen by TheJournal.ie show that discount retailer Dealz recently opened a retail store near the Liffey Valley Shopping Centre, at Fonthill Retail Park, which has improper planning permission.
Under the Government’s 2005 retail planning guidelines, local authorities have zoned many out of town locations for the sale of goods of a bulky nature, rather than retail.
One such site is at Fonthill Retail Park in west Dublin, near the Liffey Valley shopping centre, which is zoned for the sale of bulky goods rather than retail.
A document signed by Siobhán Duff, a senior development planner with South Dublin County Council, says that the site is zoned EP2 (bulky goods), the objective of which is:
To facilitate opportunities for manufacturing, research and development facilities, light industry and employment and enterprise-related uses in industrial areas and business parks.
The Dealz shop, however, involves changing the use of the former ‘bulky-goods’ warehouse “to use as a discount store for the sale of non-bulky convenience goods”, she says.
Not exempt
South Dublin County Council has thus ruled that the development was not exempted from Section 5 of the Planning and Development Act 2000.
In a letter to an applicant seen by TheJournal.ie, the final decision was taken by a senior council planner, who ruled that the store “does require planning permission”.
However, it appears that SDCC has not taken any enforcement action against the company over this finding, and refused to comment after enquiries from TheJournal.ie.
Asked why no enforcement action had been taken against Dealz, a SDCC spokeswoman said: “South Dublin County Council do not comment on individual cases.”
Exploiting
Fianna Fáil’s Dublin spokesman John Lahart called for the council to act.
“If it isn’t exempt from planning and requires planning then enforcement should be used,” he told TheJournal.ie in a statement.
A local Independent Alliance councillor said that the approach of the council’s planning department to stores which contravene zoning is shameful.
“This council might have the poorest record of all local authorities throughout the country for enforcement,” Cllr Deirdre O’Donovan told TheJournal.ie.
Where is the appetite to go toe-to-toe with businesses, with guys who genuinely believe the rules don’t apply to them?
“The problem is that businesses know this, they know the council has no appetite to enforce, and they’re exploiting it.
It is shameful, absolutely shameful.
“It takes 12 weeks to go through process, and this council has sat for years on various enforcement matters, not serving warning notices and not enforcing.
As a councillor I’ve had stand-up rows in the council at the planning desk, with officials telling me I’m not entitled to planning information as a public representative!
“Councillors are elected to act on behalf of the public, and that’s what they tell us.”
Shocking
O’Donovan said that one takeaway opened the South Dublin County Council area a year ago, despite having its application turned down by SDCC – and An Bórd Pleanála.
She claims it was then granted retention planning permission by SDCC’s planning department.
A second local representative, Cllr Madeleine Johansson of the People Before Profit alliance, said the situation was “shocking”.
“It’s shocking that Dealz has been allowed to operate without planning permission in the Fonthill Retail Park,” Johansson told TheJournal.ie.
“The council should act immediately to enforce the rules on this profit-making company.”
Other Dealz issues
Calls by TheJournal.ie to the Irish representatives of Dealz management were not returned.
Last weekend we revealed that the Dealz chain is under scrutiny in two separate local authority areas for contravening planning permission.
Wexford County Council told TheJournal.ie that it had served a warning letter on 13 August to Dealz over the chain’s outlet in Wexford Retail Park. It is understood the premises, formerly a tile store, was zoned for bulky goods, rather than for retail.
The company had four weeks to reply to the warning letter. Wexford County Council is currently considering enforcement under Part VIII of the Planning and Development Act, 2000, which makes it an offence to carry out an unauthorised development.
Dealz, owned by UK firm Poundland, which was recently taken over by a South African retailer, previously applied for retention planning permission at the Wexford store before Christmas of last year, but was told by the Council that the application was invalid.
Galway
Earlier this year, Galway City Council also refused Dealz permission to retain signage on its Eyre Square premises in the city.
The UK-owned chain submitted a conservation report with the application for the building – a former men’s County Club dating back to 1850 – arguing that the signage was “sympathetic” to its location.
After complaints by An Taisce, City Council planners ruled that the building was within the Eyre Square Architectural Conservation Area and the sign contravened it.
Last month, Dublin City Council gave Dealz changed planning permission to take over the Epicurean Food Hall, which sits at the confluence of Liffey and Abbey Streets in Dublin 1. The food hall ceased trading in March after 16 years in business.
Starbucks
The British retailer’s planning issues follow several high-profile cases of multinationals opening stores without planning permission.
Earlier this week, Starbucks opened a new outlet in Waterford City without proper planning,TheJournal.ie revealed.
Waterford Council’s planning department say they have opened a planning enforcement case on the multinational, which was the chain’s first to open in the city centre.
In Cork City meanwhile, a decision on a planning application from Starbucks for its outlet on Princes Street next to the English Market is expected on 21 September.
The cafe is one of three outlets Starbucks opened in Cork in the past 18 months ago without the necessary planning.
In March, An Bord Pleanála body ruled that the three developments – the other two are in Opera Lane and Patrick Street – amount to a change of use, meaning planning permission was needed for all outlets.
Starbucks recently applied for retention planning permission for the Princes Street store to use the unit as a coffee shop with seating.
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I tried to breastfeed but it didn’t work out. In the end I just gave up and left my wife do it.
They changed the ingredients and thus the method for making a bottle without properly warning or telling anyone, also the new boxes are gone to 700g from 800g and yet the price is staying the same
@Ian McNally: cheaper ingredients I presume. Always the bottom line with large companies, if the current quarter is not better than the previous 4 then it’s bad. This infinity growth stuff is ridiculous
@Ian McNally: noticed the same thing smart feckers
Just don’t use it then. Problem gone.
@Paul A Whelan: not as easy as just don’t use it! My baby has just turned one I had planned to move her straight to cows milk when she turned one as per the public health nurses recommendation. Unfortunately she won’t touch it unless it’s mixed with the formula she’s used to. Luckily I picked up the last two of the old boxes in my local pharmacy which should see us through the weaning phase but it’s not as simple as just don’t use it for a lot of parents!
@Paul A Whelan: The boob is unbeatable.You can’t better nature.
@Billy McNamara: Breastfeeding doesn’t work for all women. Plus the formula mentioned here is aimed at 1-2 year olds, very few women manage to breastfeed for that long.
Some experts recommend breastfeeding a child until its four years old.
‘Not only does breastfeeding provide nutrition and immunity benefits for as long as it is done, but it provides emotional connection, too’
https://www.breastfeedingbasics.com/ourmuddyboots/what-breastfeeding-a-4-year-old-really-looks-like
@leartius: Every parent is doing the v best for their kids be it formula or bf!!
@leartius: It does come in lovely containers….
@Neville Patterson: cheeky pup!!!
@leartius: Bitty!
@Annette: I know not all mothers can breastfeed but breast milk is best for the baby so if a mother chooses not to even try breastfeeding, how can you say she’s doing the very best for her baby?
@Thunder Snowman: because they’re her breasts. We don’t force women to breast feed.
@Thunder Snowman: how about you mind your own business about what a mother chooses to do. It has no bearing on you or your life. Your opinion is irrelevant.
@Thunder Snowman: I can without hesitation. Every mother has the right to decide how to feed their baby. BF is good as is formula.
@Annette: Breast milk is miles better than formula, that’s a fact. Why do you think the HSE are advocating it so much.
@Thunder Snowman: Have you looked at the statistics on bf in Ireland? It’s one of the lowest in Europe, it’s all v well to advocate for it but it’s not for everyone. If there was more support in hospitals for mums who are trying, I’m sure there would be higher numbers, nurses are overworked and haven’t the time to help each mom. It hurts and it’s difficult!! Only for a family member I would have stopped, got 30 mins help in total in hospital when I had mine!!!
@Thunder Snowman: no argument re breast milk being better but for countless reasons it’s not always possible for mothers to breastfeed
@Thunder Snowman: it’s ok, this issue with formula doesn’t effect breastfeeding mothers.
@leartius: maybe in a few years the attitude to breastfeeding will change in Ireland. It’s shocking, I’m not trying to knock what is a personal choice to many. Educating children from an early age and proper backing from hse to show how vital and natural breastfeeding is. It can be so beneficial if baby has allergies especially if they can’t take formula. Support is vital.
Follow on milk is not necessary, it is just a marketing ploy by the big companies because they can’t advertise baby formula. Giving a variety of solid foods of full fat, iron rich & vitamin C. It’s not easy and a lot of patience but no substitute.
@Claire Duffy: i totally agree with you, i had my first baby in london and wasnt given those ready made small bottles of formula that are falling out of maternity hospitals in ireland and i was encouraged to breastfeed which i did no problem. I had my secind baby in dublin amd was instantly handed thise bottles which i refused. I cannot for the life of me understand why women in ireland arent encouraged more to breastfeed. The price of formula for one and all the hassle of sterilising and boiling and cooling water is more stress . And dont get me started on that follow on rubbish again so expensive and totally unnecessary .
@leartius: there’s not really a whole lot of scientific evidence for feeding to 4 years. I believe the recommended age is 2. I breastfed but it was painful and difficult in the first few weeks…..luckily I like on NZ where the support is amazing and I went on to bf for 9 months. The reason I stopped is cause I had to go back yo work…..tbh I was shocked at the lack of facilities and the attitudes towards breastfeeding when I came back on a holiday when my daughter was 6 months. Also totally agree the follow on milk is not necessary nutritionally and is a bit of a marketing ploy but some people rely on it to wean their babies onto cows milk
Our twin girls our 8 weeks old and both were on the first infant milk – they were premature and they had to be bottle fed to monitor their Intake so to say to just change is a stupid comment or to just breast feed – again, not that simple. Anyway, they both began to be very sick at the same time and it wasn’t till my wife found the aptamil issue thing online that we realized it wasn’t just a rebranding of Aptamil but a new formula.. we changed to cow and gate (we know they are danone owned) and they are absolutely fine now.. bottom line is they most likely found a cheaper way to make it and thought no one would notice.. terrible for any parent to go through..
Absolutely disgraceful that they changed the quantity for and kept the price the same. I’m finally out of the bottle phase but for some poor families paying 14.00 Euro formula is not fair. I don’t want to hear about the breastfeeding debate I breastfed both mine for 5 months. I don’t understand why Danone felt they needed to be change it? It makes no sense that they were making profit, it sold well so why change it other than to make more money. I will no longer recommend it to friends after this. I think the greed became too much and they just wanted more and more profit.
@Nurse on call: You may be surprised when you find out that this is happening with everything you can think of. It is a marketing ploy to mask price increase. It has a lovely name – shrinkflation.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/shrinking-products-price-stays-same-more-than-2500-shrinkflation-brexit-ons-toblerone-maltesers-a7857126.html
Terrible of Danone, why didn’t they they tell customers they had changed the ingredients. Nothing worse than a sick baba..
I have a three month old who is on the stage one formula which changed. Thankfully with the new formula she hasn’t been sick but at same time as the change she has been hungrier than before which I feel must be to do with their change of ingredients. And yes to go from 900g to 800g at same price is just ridiculous. So she is hungrier and there is less formula in the box! Anyone else experience this I wonder?
@Olivia: Yes!! My 8 week old is hungrier and is looking for a feed more often than normal. I increased her intake by an ounce but it didn’t make a difference, she’s still looking for the next one sooner than before :-/
@Aisling Addie: Ask PHN about the wonder weeks. It could just be the suck reflex, rather than being hungry. But, I know you couldn’t deny a hungry baby!
I agree. Have recommended people not use it now after the change. Terrible to change the packaging hoping people wouldn’t notice the significant difference in size. We changed last week as the new Aptamil was grainy as would not mix properly.
Brest milk is best for the mother and baby. It’s also good for the father as he can play with the ‘empties’!
There are no safety issues with strong cheese but you still wouldn’t be giving it to a toddler.
This article can be condensed down to: The parents of the hundreds of children who were sick are all mistaken and wrong because the management of Danone and Aptamil say so.
Because if there was any, that would cause them a fortune. ..
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