Applegreen lodge appeal after off licence plan refused

APPLEGREEN has lodged an appeal against South Dublin County Council’s decision to refuse permission for an off licence in its Ballymount petrol station in the M50 Business Park.

Petrogas Group Ltd, whose parent company is Applegreen, submitted an application to the council last March.

The application sought permission for the change of use of the retail portion of the site, to instead be used for retail use with ancillary off licence use.

On May 3, the council decided to refuse permission for the change of use as it would be contrary to the zoning of the site.

The site is zoned for enterprise and employment use, and the council stated off licences are “not permitted” in areas with that land zoning objective.

On June 6, Applegreen submitted an appeal against this decision and stated they provide ancillary off licenses “in the vast majority of their filling stations around the country in order to meet customer expectation and demand”.

“The council have refused permission for one reason relating to material contravention of the zoning objective for the site,” stated the appellant.

“It is clear from a review of the planner’s report that there was [no] particular issue with the proposed development, but the council’s hands were tied by the fact that this particular land use is not permissible under the zoning objective for the site.”

The appellant further stated that the ancillary off licence would be small in size, and would sustain employment.

“We submit that given the minor size of the floor area to which the change of use applies, the commonplace nature of the use in filling stations around the country, the fact that the proposed change of use will sustain employment at this site in accordance with the goal of the zoning objective,” they wrote.

“The large employment hub where the site is located…generates demand for use.”

A decision on the appeal has not yet been made by An Bord Pleanála.