The rejection of planning permission for a new supermarket in Roscommon has been appealed to the higher planning authority. Roscommon County Council last month refused planning application from MCS River Village Limited for the development in Monksland. The plans include the construction of a single storey supermarket with an ancillary off-licence sales area as well as an ESB substation, electric vehicle charging points, and roof mounted solar panels. The total area of the site is calculated at just under 1 hectare.
Roscommon County Planners refused the application on 3 conditions. The first stated that the site would fail to provide a 'sense of place' as it did not meet the requirements of integrated mixed land use set out in the Bealnamulla/Monskland Local Area Plan. Secondly, since the site is car dependent, planners found the site to not be in-line with the Smarter Travel initiative, which prioritises pedestrian mobility and alternative modes of transport. Lastly, the decision stated the visual design of the supermarket would fail to achieve a high quality presentation to the public realm. MCS River Village Limited has now appealed the decision to An Bord Pleanála with a decision due in April.
