Lidl has been given the green light by Clare County Council to build a new store in Sixmilebridge.
It could become the German Giant’s fifth location in this county, with stores already in Ennis, Shannon and Westbury and planning approved for another unit in the county town.
Lidl first lodged plans for a single storey discount food store and off-licence on Main Street Sixmilebridge last June and although the first stage of a planning decision is usually reached a lot sooner than this, there were a number of issues raised along the way.
Submissions by local business owner Flora Crowe and local resident Fr Harry Bohan encouraged the local authority to refuse the application with Fr Bohan highlighting the need for local shops and businesses to survive and suggesting that Sixmilebridge is well enough served by discount stores already existing in the catchment area, while Ms Crowe stated the introduction of a Lidl store would lead to “market oversaturation” and “would seriously undermine the economic viability and social fabric of Sixmilebridge”.
Various concerns were also raised from locals over potential traffic congestion and the risk of increased anti-social behaviour at nearby residential property.
Clare County Council then requested further information in August, citing significant concerns over the scale of the proposed development, on a 2.2 hectare site bigger than comparative stores in comparative towns such as Ennis and Shannon, while also flagging archaeological, parking and pedestrian concerns.
As part of its response Lidl outlined that the store could generate up to €7.96m in annual turnover in 2027 and that up 107 parking spaces would be available for customers.
Lidl also claimed its store would allow complementary businesses in Sixmilebridge to grow by feeding off newly generated footfall.
It also claimed that the scale of the proposed LIDL is well below the scale of modern LIDL stores, and it will give locals a choice not to travel to its stores in Shannon or north Limerick city for similar discounted offers.
Clare County Council granted permission subject to sixteen conditions , however there’s still a four-week window for the decision to be appealed to An Bord Pleanála.
