Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Why do people object to Lidl and Aldi in their towns?

“The Dublin 4s of the world prefer a Dunnes to a Lidl or an Aldi.”

IN CASTLEKNOCK, DUBLIN 15, there is a plan for a €15 million commercial development that would create 40 jobs and bring much-needed business the village.

But local politicians and many locals are completely opposed to it. Five minutes away, a similar plan for an Aldi was blocked in Clonsilla.

In Ardee, plans for an Aldi were put paid to by An Taisce and Tesco. Before the new year, Lidl’s plans for a store in Carrick-on-Shannon were given the kibosh by An Bord Pleanala.

Even when the stores are approved, like in Greystones, they come with massive objections locally.

90426264_90426264 Sam Boal Sam Boal

But, why?

Plans for a store in the picturesque village of Bantry have been given the green light, but were objected to by one local, former town councillor Aiden McCarthy.

He told C103 in Cork before Christmas that his issue was around the sustainability of large multiples.

“In places like Youghal, Clonmel, Naas, Tralee, Drogheda, Dundalk, the supermarkets locate outside the town, the town centre dies and that’s the basis of my appeal.”

A person familiar with commercial real estate says that much of the issue for the German stores is size.

“A lot of the British and Irish chains will set up in shopping centres or in existing units, so they’re taking up space that’s already there. That means that they’re in the town and people tend to raise problems less.

“The German stores (Lidl and Aldi) set up outside towns or in newly-built developments, because they need the size and scale. They also have massive expansion plans that need to be met.”

Indeed, that was much of the problem in Clonsilla, where locals balked at the level of traffic that would be drawn to the already-busy area. Green Party councillor for the area Roderic O’Gorman said at the time that the method for calculating traffic was flawed.

Class war

90308427_90308427 Leon Farrell / RollingNews.ie Leon Farrell / RollingNews.ie / RollingNews.ie

But local critics were angered when a Lidl was given the go-ahead in Mulhuddart, a less affluent, but equally populated area in Dublin 15. That has led to some internet commentary that the Castleknock objections – and some others – are based on a perception that German supermarkets are somehow less glamorous.

Not so, says Ted Leddy, a Fine Gael councillor in Castleknock.

“The opposition to this development is widespread throughout the community, and contrary to some online commentary, it has nothing to do with the brand of the supermarket.

I reject strongly that NIMBYism or snobbery is behind the many appeals, objections and observations to both Fingal Co Council and An Bord Pleanala. The location of this development is completely inappropriate. With the economy improving, and a large number of new housing estates recently built approximately one mile to the west in the Carpenterstown area, traffic has significantly worsened in the Castleknock area.

“In addition, there are seven schools in the immediate vicinity of the proposed development which means traffic chaos is not just confined to morning and evening rush hour.

“One of the main lessons of the planning mistakes made during the Celtic Tiger era is that large residential or commercial developments should not be permitted unless the appropriate infrastructure is in place first.”

A planner with knowledge of the industry says that Leddy’s individual analysis may be right, but the overriding sentiment behind the internet commentary may be true.

“Fast food operators and discount food stores can get more objections in certain parts of the country with higher socio-economic standings. People in those areas can afford to pay the appeal fees, they’re a little more sensitive about their property prices and they get more involved in things like this.

“The Dublin 4s of the world prefer a Dunnes to a Lidl or an Aldi.”

Investment

Graduate jobs Anthony Devlin / AP Anthony Devlin / AP / AP

For their part, Lidl says it has invested heavily in the Castleknock site.

“Lidl worked with renowned architects and design teams to not only address any local concerns, but to deliver the highest quality development for the area, which includes a state of the art Lidl store as well as residential and commercial units. Lidl also designed a bespoke website to give the community a greater insight into our plans, featuring a video walkthrough of the development as well as numerous visuals to show how the store and surroundings would look.

“Despite a small number of appeals to Fingal County Council’s decision to award planning, Lidl are delighted with the response from a larger part of the community who are in support of the development.”

While back in Bantry, the campaigners called the decision to grant planning permission a huge victory.

“This is a victory for all the struggling families in Bantry, for all the small businesses in town who were watching the locals leave to shop in somebody else’s town each week.”

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
115 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Brian Shea
    Favourite Brian Shea
    Report
    Jun 14th 2021, 6:37 PM

    I find that there is problems after problems with this minister who won’t make decisions….

    190
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Da Dell
    Favourite Da Dell
    Report
    Jun 14th 2021, 6:48 PM

    @Brian Shea: Some spindo lunes have even suggested her as a possible leader of FF, due to her allegedly great work as minister of education lol,

    71
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Da Dell
    Favourite Da Dell
    Report
    Jun 14th 2021, 6:52 PM

    @Da Dell: Ah sure it was written by the master of propaganda himself, Coleman .. you couldn’t make this up ..

    “Top of the class – Foley is now ‘in the mix’ as future FF leader”

    https://www.independent.ie/opinion/comment/top-of-the-class-foley-is-now-in-the-mix-as-future-ff-leader-40114308.html

    33
    See 3 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Martin Coughlan
    Favourite Martin Coughlan
    Report
    Jun 14th 2021, 8:07 PM

    @Brian Shea: are problems

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Billy McNamara
    Favourite Billy McNamara
    Report
    Jun 14th 2021, 9:01 PM

    @Da Dell: Shane Coleman and Ciara Kelly! What a pair! Jesus wept with their daily tripe.

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Barrycelona
    Favourite Barrycelona
    Report
    Jun 15th 2021, 9:02 PM

    @Brian Shea: In one school I know of the teachers asked either very easy questions or gave the student the questions in advance. Norma cannot be held responsible for such irresponsible behaviour. We have had problems with the Education system for years, esp Irish and Ms Piggy was obviously asleep on the job with Uni’s. If anyone is to blame it is the teachers unions. They are dogged, refuse to reform and are only out for their self interest. Ask yourself – How many really good teachers can you remember from your schooldays – one hand – right. And the really bad ones are still teaching. Remember the govt agreed with them to open schools, gave them E364m to do so and then they kept throwing spanners in the works. I am no FF fan but I do think she is genuinely trying. A work in progress

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute The Red Devil
    Favourite The Red Devil
    Report
    Jun 14th 2021, 6:48 PM

    Ahh the Foley Fuster cluck continues year 2 now and still no set plan or structure and problems all the way

    86
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jack Cass
    Favourite Jack Cass
    Report
    Jun 14th 2021, 7:06 PM

    Can’t she do anything right?

    73
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dec
    Favourite Dec
    Report
    Jun 14th 2021, 7:37 PM

    @Jack Cass: I’d be very quick to agree with you re the minister but a lot of this comes down to teachers not administering the exams as instructed and schools not recording the exams properly. These schools and teachers have left the entire education sector down in my opinion.

    62
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Graham Manning
    Favourite Graham Manning
    Report
    Jun 14th 2021, 7:50 PM

    @Dec: complete and utter tripe but ok.

    48
    See 5 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute sean o'dhubhghaill
    Favourite sean o'dhubhghaill
    Report
    Jun 14th 2021, 8:30 PM

    @Jack Cass: This isn’t her fault. It appears teachers who were oral examiners in many cases failed to follow instructions.

    30
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Da Dell
    Favourite Da Dell
    Report
    Jun 14th 2021, 8:34 PM

    @Dec: There are some issues that I would have with teachers myself, but not as much as I have with this Minister and the Dept. of Education, they had all last summer to plan properly and plenty of other opportunities when schools were off but no, it was and has been a farce.

    26
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute sean o'dhubhghaill
    Favourite sean o'dhubhghaill
    Report
    Jun 14th 2021, 9:03 PM

    @Da Dell: Not the Dept of Ed’s fault. This year. everything is in the hands of the SEC.

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ger McDonnell
    Favourite Ger McDonnell
    Report
    Jun 15th 2021, 12:47 AM

    @Dec: Teachers are trained to do their jobs, which is to be teachers, not examiners.
    Oral Examiners have training every year, plus years of experience .
    This year, Foley did it on the cheap by not recruiting examiners, and by foisting it on class teachers instead.
    This was always going to backfire. Please stop blaming teachers for exam disasters which are not of their making.

    25
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Da Dell
    Favourite Da Dell
    Report
    Jun 15th 2021, 1:35 AM

    @sean o’dhubhghaill: Who signed off on no external examiner this year ? Was it the Teachers, the SEC, the Dept. of Education or the experienced Councillor Foley ? When was that decided, was it not part of the great plan ?

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute mr magoo
    Favourite mr magoo
    Report
    Jun 14th 2021, 9:40 PM

    Blaming teachers again. Easy bloody targets.

    38
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Conor Kirwan
    Favourite Conor Kirwan
    Report
    Jun 15th 2021, 1:52 AM

    Could the examiners not have conducted the orals virtually?

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute lisa duignan
    Favourite lisa duignan
    Report
    Jun 15th 2021, 3:03 AM

    How can the teachers not have conducted the exams correctly? They are paid to do their job and just needed to follow the instructions. The fact that this problem is so widespread and so many students affected is shocking.

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Erik Cartman
    Favourite Erik Cartman
    Report
    Jun 15th 2021, 7:55 AM

    Wanna have hot-lovin’ conversations? You’re on the right way!
    —> mub.me/xiex

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds