Lidl revive plans for 2nd Athlone store

A proposal for a second Lidl store in Baylough has been revived, a new planning application confirms, and this time around it also includes a restaurant/coffee shop.

The German discounter, which is seeking approval at the second time of asking, submitted the revised plans for a new store on the Galway Road on March 16 last.
A major change from the initial plans is the “setting aside of an area of land to the north west of the site, at a lower ground level for future residential,” the application indicates. “This area will be levelled and temporarily treated with hard core or grass or a combination of both,” it adds.
The site will be accessed by way of what's described as a “vehicular priority junction” off the R446 Galway Road with an additional pedestrian access from the eastern boundary onto the R914 Roscommon Road stretch, along with 108 car parking spaces 
Back in September, Lidl's original proposals fell foul of planners after they ruled it would "exacerbate traffic congestion" in an area zoned for residential development.
They also voiced concerns about the design, siting, scale and its location so close to the junction of the two regional roads, the R446 and R914.
This time around, a huge volume of reports including among others traffic impact studies, retail impact and drainage accompany the application.
Estimated to create over 30 jobs, the retail project is earmarked for the site of the current O'Meara's Garage in Baylough, and would involve the demolition of the existing garage and three adjacent homes and a new vehicle entrance off the Galway Road.
A single-storey discount food store with an off-licence encompassing 2,172 square metres, slightly higher than the first plans lodged, will go in their place, along with a restaurant/coffee shop (248 square metres) and surface car parking spaces, the number earmarked is unspecified in the latest notice.
What's described as a “retaining structure” along the northern boundary of the food store site will be provided, extended around the east and and southern boundaries of the “residual residential lands.”
There were three submissions during the first planning process opposing the project from local retailers and others, arguing that the proposed food store and off-licence would have a detrimental impact on other retail businesses in the area and they raised concerns about traffic delays and pedestrian safety.
Lidl indicated in the original plans that the jobs created in the second Athlone store would generate €950,000 per annum locally in wages, in addition to indirect and construction jobs. It had an estimated turnover at the Baylough outlet could hit over €13.9 million a year.
Lidl had yet to respond to queries from the Westmeath Independent at the time of going press.
A verdict on the revived application is due by May 10.