Circle K ‘cannot accept’ the proposed zoning of petrol station locations

FORECOURT retailer Circle K ‘cannot accept’ the proposed zoning of its petrol stations in Clondalkin, Newlands Cross, Citywest and Parkway West in the upcoming County Development Plan.

The retailer lodged submissions against the proposed zoning of the locations of five of its stores, which they stated they “strongly opposed”.

Their petrol stations on the Nangor Road, Citywest Road, Fonthill Road South and the Naas Road have been earmarked for enterprise and employment zoning in the upcoming County Development Plan.

In submissions by Coakley O’Neill Town Planning on behalf of Circle K, the town planner stated that their client “strongly opposes” the enterprise and employment zoning of their sites.

This zoning “poses a fundamental risk to the operation of the service station and damages its future development prospects”, according to one of the submissions.

The proposed zoning is “anti-competitive and contravenes the Retail Planning Guidelines in terms of its impact upon an existing retail outlet,” stated Circle K.

The Circle K at Grange Castle

“It is not the purpose of the planning process to inhibit fair competition within the retail market. No other retail operator in South Dublin would accept such an outcome of the planning process,” claimed Circle K in all four of its submissions.

In relation to their premises at Parkway West on the Old Lucan Road, Circle K stated that they “cannot accept” the proposed zoning of this site for open space and residential uses.

This zoning poses “a fundamental risk” to the operation of the petrol station and “damages its future development prospects,” said Circle K.

It also “does not reflect or properly account for the established and permitted commercial use of the site”, claimed the retailer.

In all five submissions, Circle K urged South Dublin County Council to rezone the sites for local centre use.

Local centre zoning would allow for “the continued operation of the existing permitted service station use” at all five sites, according to the submissions.

In concluding all five submissions, Circle K said rezoning for local centre use should be applied at all of the sites “in light of the strong and sustained planning merits pertaining to its current use for a range of such uses”.