Athlone car dealership’s expansion plan turned down by An Bord Pleanála

Plans for the expansion of a long-established Athlone car dealership have been refused permission by An Bord Pleanála.

In its decision on the proposed development at Michael Moore Car Sales, the planning board found that its planning application had failed to show there would be no adverse environmental impacts from the new facilities once they became operational.

The local car business was previously given the green light by Westmeath County Council for a development to the east of its existing Creggan Upper, Fardrum, premises.

The plans included the provision of a new 1,780 square metre single-storey motor vehicle service and sales facility, as well as a 952 sq m motor service and sales building, and two smaller ancillary buildings to be used for valeting and washing vehicles.

In planning documents, Michael Moore Car Sales said the project was prompted by a need to develop a new standalone sales premises for the Mercedes Benz brand.

The county council approved the plans, subject to certain conditions, in February 2024. However Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) subsequently appealed the decision to An Bord Pleanála.

The planning board's verdict was delayed on a number of occasions, but in a decision signed off in late March it opted to overturn the planning approval granted by the local authority.

In doing so, An Bord Pleanála went against the recommendation of its planning inspector, Caryn Coogan, who had completed a report concluding that the planning permission should be upheld.

TII had lodged its appeal against the development because it said the project had the potential to "compromise the safety and efficiency of the national road network" on the N62 (old Dublin Road).

In a planning inspector's report, Ms Coogan noted that the proposed new buildings were "contiguous to the two existing premises" and she felt they represented a "natural progression of this business" along the N62.

"It is not unusual for car dealerships and showrooms to be located on the main approach roads to towns," Ms Coogan wrote.

She added car showrooms tended to generate "relatively low volumes of traffic evenly across the day" and that they had a "negligible impact" on traffic flow during peak times.

However, in its decision, the planning board found that the planning bid from the local business failed to adequately assess the possible environmental impacts which could arise from the development once it became operational.

A Natura Impact Statement (NIS) was submitted but the planning board said this had focused on "the construction phase" of the development.

It said the NIS had not addressed "the predicted impacts of the operational phase" of the project, including "the impact of staff, visitors, and car washing operations from two proposed valet and car wash buildings to the rear of the site."

It said that, "having regard to the proposed discharge of treated effluent from the tertiary treatment plant onsite, and the drainage ditch on the site which ultimately outflows to the Clonbonny Stream into the River Shannon," the board was unable to exclude the possibility of "an adverse effect" on the River Shannon Callows Special Area of Conservation and Middle Shannon Special Protection Area.

"Therefore, the proposed development would be contrary to proper planning and sustainable development and a grant of permission would not be warranted," it stated.

The board also noted the design and loading of the proposed wastewater treatment system "did not include information regarding the volume and discharge of chemical component, from the two proposed car washing buildings."

It also said the NIS "did not include an assessment of the discharge of treated effluent from the proposed car washing facilities via the tertiary treatment plant onsite, to the drainage ditch along the southern boundary of the site."