Lidl to finally lodge planning application for Dunboyne store
Ten months after first announcing its plan to develop a supermarket on a site beside the church in Dunboyne, Lidl Ireland says it will be lodging the planning application this week.
A site notice was erected on Monday and Lidl confirmed to the Meath Chronicle that the application would be lodged with Meath Co Council this week. A spokesperson also said that a community meeting to present the updated plans would be arranged in the coming weeks with details of this meeting to be shared in the coming days.
The German retail giant announced its intention to build a store on lands beside St Peter and Paul's Catholic Church last January and the plans were met by strong opposition over what changes were being proposed to the Village Green area as well as concerns over access for heavy good vehicles.
According to the site notice, the development includes a single storey discount foodstore with a gross floor area of 2,220sqm and net sales area of 1,409swm with an ancillary off licence area together with parking for 119 cars.
A cafe retail unit of 165sqm adjacent to a proposed plaza area is planned for the existing car park to the west of the church. The entrance to the development will be approximately in the same location as the existing entrance to the car park.
The previously church-owned site was sold to Lidl by St Finian's Diocesan Trust and the planning application includes a car park with 53 spaces to serve St Peter and Paul's Church which would be connected to the grounds of the church.
Traffic management changes form part of the proposal and include a right turning lane on Main Street, a reduction in car parking spaces on the north side of the green and the removal of parking spaces on the east side.
The plans include a four-arm staggered signalised junction with controlled pedestrian crossings at Main Street to the south east of the green and the removal of parking spaces and kerb build outs to facilitate improved public realm space and achieve required forward visibility of the traffic signals and crossing points.
On street parking spaces removed from around the green area and Main Street are to be accommodated in two new parking areas to the east of the cafe unit and south of the foodstore.
Once the site notice is erected, a planning application must be made within two weeks and once received by the local authority, submissions can then be made.