Applegreen’s plans for a new motorway service station in Clare have received a major blow.
An Bord Pleanala has refused planning permission for the construction of an 8 million euro motorway stop near Dromoland Castle.
The plan comprises of five takeaway cafes and restaurants along with a convenience store, a four pump island forecourt and parking for 184 cars.
The refusal follows An Bord Pleanala last month also denying permission to Supermac’s for a Barack Obama style plaza eight km from the planned Applegreen site at Dromoland.
As a result of the two refusals, the motorway linking Limerick to Gort, which carries 23,000 vehicles per day and rising, remains without a serviced stop.
It is the second time that Applegreen has been refused planning permission for a service stop at Dromoland and the application has attracted objections from the nearby five star hotel on each occasion.
The appeals board ruled that the site has not been identified for use as a Motorway Service Area in either the National Road Authority’s Service Area Policy or the Clare County Development Plan
The board also states that – pending the implementation of a Transport Infrastructure Ireland approach to the provision of a Motorway Service Area – the proposed development at junction 11 would be premature.
