Supermac’s supremo, Pat McDonagh is making a second bid to have in place a Barack Obama style motorway plaza for Co Clare.
This follows Mr McDonagh yesterday confirming that fresh plans for a motorway stop outside Ennis are to be lodged with Clare Co Council in the coming days.
The first step in lodging the plans required – a newspaper notice concerning the planning application – has already been published.
Last month, An Bord Pleanala refused planning permission to Mr McDonagh for a rest stop and drive-thru just off the motorway linking Limerick and Gort outside Ennis.
Supermac’s already has plazas in place at Moneygall in Co Offaly and another recently opened plaza near the M6 at Loughrea in Co Galway.
Currently, there is no motorway plaza on the motorway linking Limerick to Gort and only last week, An Bord Pleanala refused planning permission to separate plans by Applegreen for a motorway stop 8km from the Supermac’s near Dromoland Castle.
In an interview yesterday, Mr McDonagh said: “There were a lot of disappointed people the last time we were refused, including ourselves, needless to say."
He said: “We had local people ringing saying they were disappointed and we took huge encouragement from that. We’re trying again and hopefully we will be more successful this time around."
The plan involves the creation of 100 jobs during the operational phase and 80 jobs during the construction phase.
Clare Co Council gave the scheme the go-ahead earlier this year, but appeals lodged against the decision by Applegreen, local business, Claureen Service Station and local man, Shane Brigdale put the case before An Bord Pleanala.
However, Applegreen and Claureen Service Station withdrew their appeals with Mr Brigdale remaining the only appellant opposed to the plan.
The appeals board refused planning on three grounds and found that the proposed development, by reason of its design would not integrate satisfactorily with the rural and predominantly flat landscape in the hinterland of Ennis.
The Board stated that the plan would seriously injure the visual amenities of the area and be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.
The board also concluded that the plan, through the use of the proposed access and egress would endanger public safety by reason of traffic hazard or obstruction of road users.
The appeals board also refused planning after concluding that the proposed development would represent an unacceptable risk of pollution to ground and surface waters in the area and would be prejudicial to public health and the quality of the local environment.
The outstanding appellant in the case, Mr Brigdale told the appeals board that he had a right of way across the Supermac’s site and raised other concerns around the Supermac’s plan.
A submission to An Bord Pleanala on behalf of Supermacs stated that Mr McDonagh acknowledges that Mr Brigdale has a right of way and has sought to come an accommodation with him regarding this right of way.
The submission stated: “The resolution of this matter is outside the remit of this appeal and other mechanisms are in place to resolve same.”
