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Sam Boal/Rollingnews.ie

Lidl paused plans for a controversial Kildare store - but it hasn't thrown in the towel yet

The second store in Naas received 40 objections and was refused for contravening town centre plans.

LIDL HAS WITHDRAWN an appeal to overturn a refused planning application to build a second outlet in Naas, Co Kildare, which attracted heavy opposition from local residents and lobbyists after its initial application.

Late last year, the German supermarket giant was denied permission to build a second location in the busy town, where it already operates one outlet and where discount rival Aldi runs two stores.

The proposed development, with an address at the junction of Maudlins Avenue and the Dublin Road, would have covered an area measuring 2,207 sq m and included ancillaries such as car and bicycle parking facilities.

The primary ground for refusal outlined by Kildare County Council was that the shop and off-licence would contravene a policy designed to boost retail in the town centre.

The local authority’s 2017-2023 development plan restricts the granting of permission for certain projects in Naas until several key dormant sites have been developed.

These include the long-abandoned Naas Shopping Centre, the former Superquinn site in the middle of the town – which was reported to soon be revived as a supermarket – and a former Penneys outlet on the Blessington Road.

The council said in September that in the absence of the regeneration of these sites, it was considered that Lidl’s second store “at a remote and peripheral location from the town centre of Naas would detract from the vitality and viability” of the town.

The sculpture outside Naas. 14/5/2005. Photo Photocall Ireland Eamonn FarrellRollingnews.ie Eamonn FarrellRollingnews.ie

Appeal

Lidl lodged an appeal to An Bord Pleanála in October of last year, in which it said, “We cannot understand how … the development would detract from the vitality and viability of the town centre.

“The proposed development is a modest, neighbourhood centre proposal that will have no impact on the investment committed to the former Superquinn site or plans for other regeneration sites and would not impact on the town centre comparison trade,” it said.

Citing a retail impact assessment study, Lidl stated that the report it commissioned “logically demonstrates that impact would arise on other supermarket or hypermarket food outlets … not the town centre area”.

But despite preparing the lengthy report in a bid to convince the national planning board to overturn Kildare County Council’s refusal, Lidl has confirmed that it has withdrawn the appeal – although it isn’t giving up on the project.

A spokesperson told Fora, “We are in the process of reconsidering some detail around the subject planning permission in Naas.

“We remain committed to continuing our ambitious expansion strategy and delivering a second store in Naas which will afford more and more Irish consumers the chance to purchase top quality products at market leading prices.”

The proposed project attracted around 40 objections at local level, including a submission from independent grocery store representative RGDATA, which claimed that the second Lidl store would detract from town centre retail.

As previously explained by Fora, the group has had a history of trying to block both Aldi and Lidl outlets across the country.

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Written by Conor McMahon and posted on Fora.ie

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    Mute Sam Harms
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    Sep 18th 2020, 6:15 PM

    If weddings can happen this weekend restaurants should have been allowed to stay open until Monday so that they don’t waste the stock they would have bought in for the weekend which will now just be more money lost.

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    Mute ihcalaM
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    Sep 18th 2020, 6:22 PM

    @Sam Harms: Good point, didn’t think about that; presumably they didn’t want a huge rush on restaurants before they’re closed for the three weeks though which was probably the reason for the sudden announcement.

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    Mute Claude Saulnier
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    Sep 18th 2020, 6:47 PM

    @Sam Harms: it wouldn’t be good for deliveroo and uber eats.

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    Mute Mary Ann Sweeney
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    Sep 18th 2020, 6:15 PM

    Does the virus not spread at the weekends? What’s the difference between now and Monday?

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    Mute Claude Saulnier
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    Sep 18th 2020, 6:45 PM

    @Mary Ann Sweeney: 2 days. Can’t answer the first one.

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    Mute PeeedOff
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    Sep 18th 2020, 7:36 PM

    @Mary Ann Sweeney: This has to be the most intelligent virus on the planet, it wont get you in 105 mins while eating a meal, it only appears if 26 attend a wedding. Or if 7 are in the house. You can also fly with over 100 people on an aircraft. You can take a ferry with several hindered people to another country, yep apparently it won’t get ya there either.

    Over 200 In one meat plant countless more in others and yet they operate as if nothing is happening. A few hundred Active cases in Dublin and yep yer locked up or down whichever way its the same thing. Oh and yesterday house parties were the cause, but today without any evidence whatsoever its restaurants and pubs.

    Definitely the smartest virus ever.

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    Mute Decko49
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    Sep 19th 2020, 9:26 AM

    @PeeedOff: Its just a pity you’re not as smart as it.

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    Mute Decko49
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    Sep 19th 2020, 9:27 AM

    @PeeedOff: Has any member of your family or any friends died from the virus?

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    Mute PeeedOff
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    Sep 19th 2020, 9:53 AM

    @Decko49: Yes, do you want their Names and address’s. Well I’ll give you their location. The Cemetery.

    Any other personal info you require. Or is the Cynical interrogation finished now.

    And yes, this is now a Casedemic, which this Government is now bending over backwards to destroy society in Ireland.

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    Mute Jeanette Dunne
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    Sep 18th 2020, 6:23 PM

    another blow to anyone getting married in the next few days up there, I’ve resigned to the fact the wedding we planned for June 2020 will never be.thinking we were safe pushing it to august, nope, definitely next May right?? Nope probably not!

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    Mute Aaron
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    Sep 18th 2020, 6:43 PM

    @Jeanette Dunne: Just push it to late next year? Might have a better chance then

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    Mute SB
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    Sep 18th 2020, 6:25 PM

    Covid 19 is such an intelligent virus it knows the difference between 50 at weekends and 25 from Monday

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    Mute Peter Bell
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    Sep 18th 2020, 6:23 PM

    Sad times we are living in…..

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    Mute D4 Observer
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    Sep 18th 2020, 6:20 PM

    Should have let the communions go ahead too.

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    Mute nelliekel
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    Sep 18th 2020, 6:34 PM

    Wgat about the poor children were to make communion tmw been told day before its cancelled

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    Mute Rachael Baldwin
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    Sep 18th 2020, 9:29 PM

    @nelliekel: Completely agree! My nephew and some of my friends kids were due to have theirs tomorrow too and to find out less than 24 hours before is disgusting. Don’t understand how weddings can go ahead and communions can’t. Furious for the parents and kids.

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    Mute Pauline Gallagher
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    Sep 18th 2020, 11:59 PM

    @Rachael Baldwin: Pointless day anyway.

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    Mute William Kelly
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    Sep 18th 2020, 7:11 PM

    Ah shure, just split the hooley into 2 x25 phases. Lots of wedding feasts go over 2 days or more.
    Could be the way forward, his & hers maybe.

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