Green light for new showroom facilities at Athlone car dealership

A long-established car sales business in Athlone has been given the go-ahead by Westmeath County Council to develop new showroom facilities next to its existing premises.

Michael Moore Car Sales Ltd was granted planning approval for the development at Creggan Upper, Fardrum, Athlone, subject to 14 conditions.

The company had submitted a planning application last July for four new buildings on a 4.08 acre greenfield site to the west (Athlone town side) of the existing Michael Moore Audi Athlone premises.

The planned buildings consist of a 1,780 square metre single-storey motor vehicle service and sales facility, along with a 952 sq m partially two-storey motor service and sales building and two smaller ancillary buildings for valeting and washing vehicles.

A derelict house on the site, along with ancillary buildings, is due to be demolished as part of the development, and an access road is also planned off the old Dublin Road.

The need to develop "a new standalone sales premises for the Mercedes Benz brand" was the catalyst for the project, according to an architectural report which formed part of the planning application.

"In the current Michael Moore Car Sales campus, the Mercedes Benz showroom is in the same building as competing brands. This situation is no longer acceptable," the report stated.

It added that the planned showroom would feature the "current corporate design" used by Mercedes Benz.

Late last year the plans underwent some revision, which was prompted by a further information request from the council in September.

A revised site plan was submitted in December, which included the relocation of one of the buildings and the inclusion of landscaped areas within the site.

Other revisions were made to the originally submitted plans in order to provide "a more dynamic design" for the development.

In its planning decision, on February 2, the council gave approval for the development, subject to conditions which included that an archaeological assessment would have to be carried out on the site.

The council stipulated that "no sub-surface developmental work" should be undertaken until "the archaeological assessment has been completed and commented on" by its planning office.

The local authority also requested a construction and environmental management plan, and a construction and demolition resource waste management plan, from the developer prior to the start of construction work.

In addition, Michael Moore Car Sales Ltd was required to make a development contribution of €88,780 to Westmeath County Council.